Olga Solovey dead at 67 as Halyna Hutchins family presses Rust case
Olga Solovey, mother of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, died in Kyiv as her lawyers plan to keep her New Mexico claims alive.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Olga Solovey dead at 67 marks another loss for the family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer killed during production of the Western film Rust. Lawyers for Hutchins’ family confirmed that Solovey died on Feb. 24 while living in Kyiv, Ukraine, Rolling Stone reported.
Solovey was Hutchins’ mother. In a statement, the family’s attorneys said she had been heartbroken by Halyna’s sudden death.
Hutchins was fatally shot on Oct. 21, 2021, on the New Mexico set of Rust. According to the report, actor Alec Baldwin discharged a replica revolver that struck Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza at Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe.
Who was Olga Solovey?
Olga Solovey was the mother of Halyna Hutchins, the Ukrainian-born cinematographer whose death on the Rust set led to criminal proceedings and civil litigation. The lawyers for Hutchins’ family said Solovey had been living in Kyiv at the time of her death.
Her surviving daughter, Svetlana Zemko, is now part of the next legal step planned by the family’s attorneys. The lawyers said they intend to file an Application for the Appointment of Limited Representative in New Mexico naming Zemko.
What happens to Olga Solovey’s Rust lawsuit?
The family’s legal team said it plans to keep pursuing Solovey’s consortium claims connected to Hutchins’ death. The attorneys also said they will seek to have Solovey’s estate formally substituted as a party in the legal action.
“Olga’s death will not deter us from seeking justice in Olga’s name,” the attorneys said in their statement.
Solovey had sued Baldwin in New Mexico alongside Mamie Mitchell, the Rust script supervisor. Rolling Stone reported that Mitchell first filed her case in Los Angeles before her claims were moved to Santa Fe.
An amended complaint in the case includes civil allegations of assault, negligence and emotional distress, according to the report. Those claims remain civil allegations as described in the filing.
Baldwin also faced a felony involuntary manslaughter charge after the shooting. That count was dismissed at trial, Rolling Stone reported.
Hutchins’ husband previously reached a settlement with Baldwin and the film’s producers, according to the report. Other civil lawsuits were also filed by crew members and members of Hutchins’ family after the fatal shooting.
The latest move described by Solovey’s lawyers keeps one part of the sprawling Rust fallout active, even after the death of Hutchins’ mother. The attorneys said the next filings will be made in New Mexico.
This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.