Latest news with #Luper
Fox News
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' crew quit on crucial day before cinematographer's death: doc
A new "Rust" documentary revealed the camera crew of the haunted Western walked out on a crucial day of filming, which included the "biggest shootout" of the movie. "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died Oct. 21, 2021 after a gun actor Alec Baldwin was holding fired on the Bonanza Creek Ranch film set in New Mexico. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter charge with prejudice following two days of trial testimony from experts called by the prosecution. Baldwin's attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, argued the state had withheld evidence from the defense after a box of ammo, possibly relating to the "Rust" case, was brought into the Santa Fe County Sheriffs' Department during Gutierrez Reed's trial, two years after the fatal on-set shooting. The ammo was inventoried by a crime scene technician and then entered into general evidence. Hulu's "Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna," which premiered on March 11, explored the cast and crew's perception of safety on set that culminated in the death of Hutchins. Due to the camera crew walking out on Oct. 21, 2021, Halyna Hutchins and director Joel Souza were working with only one camera. "They chose to walk out on the day we were having the biggest shootout of the whole show," special effects coordinator Thomas Gandy revealed in the documentary. Working with one camera isn't the norm — especially when weapons are involved in filming. "Ninety-nine percent of the time, you got a tent that's got a number of video monitors. They are showing the camera's view," Gandy explained. "The director and the DP, typically, they stand in video village where they're looking at the exact shot that's going to be on film. They're 20 to 30 feet away. So, that day, there was a walkout. We didn't have video village that day. And so, because of that, it put Halyna and Joel in front of the camera." The documentary director asked the special effects coordinator, "So the only thing between her and the gun was her own hands?" Gandy responded, "Yes, yes." First camera assistant Lane Luper and a dozen other camera workers walked off set the day Halyna Hutchins died. The workers chose to resign over "lax COVID policies" along with "gun safety" and "lack of rehearsals." "It felt like they really didn't care about the crew being safe," Luper said. "We wanted them to solve these problems. It very quickly felt like somebody was going to get hurt if something didn't change." "Seeing how firearms were handled on set began to really bother me," he stated. WATCH: ALEC BALDWIN 'RUST' SHOOTING COULD CHANGE FUTURE OF FIREARMS ON SET Luper was specifically concerned over "how people would hold guns and firearms getting pointed at people." There were also multiple negligent discharges during filming before the gun discharged on Oct. 21, 2021. While Luper did bring his concerns to production, he never took his worries to Hutchins directly. "I was worried about her safety, but I didn't get a chance," Luper said. "I didn't tell her... I should have." "Titanic" star Frances Fisher felt unsafe on the "Rust" set on the very first day of filming. "My first day coming out of hair and makeup in my full costume, and Alec is at base camp, and he's in his costume, this girl comes over and interrupts our conversation," Fisher said. "She's got an armful of guns, just barreled her way in, and I thought it's very unsafe to be walking around base camp with a whole bunch of guns in your hand." "Like, have they been cleared? Why are you doing this? And Alec, he seemed a little, 'What's she doing?' Then I found out she was the armorer. I thought, wow." "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed's behavior on set was "unprofessional," according to Frances Fisher. "Sloppiness," she noted. "It's just pure sloppiness. Unprofessional." "The sloppiness that Hannah displayed that first day of mine, I wish I had said something to her and I wish I had said something to Alec," Fisher admitted. "But I didn't want to make waves. And would my alerting somebody, would that have changed anything? That's what gnaws at me." "I knew that [Gutierrez Reed] had little experience," assistant director Dave Halls admitted in the documentary. "But concern over lack of experience was tempered by knowing that her father was Thell Reed." Halls entered a plea of no contest to the misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon in March 2023. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer accepted the plea. The prosecution requested a suspended sentence, which is a conviction. Gutierrez Reed was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months behind bars. The "Rust" armorer was responsible for the firearms on the Western film set where Hutchins was shot and killed on Oct. 21, 2021. While cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital by helicopter on Oct. 21, 2021, the cast and crew of the film gathered together to wait for updates. "A medic came down and said she was going to be alright," actor Josh Hopkins recalled, and they "clung onto that" information. However, Hutchins was pronounced dead at the hospital. "What's so f----d is before — we had cops at set, and we had people from production at the hospital — before we heard anything officially that she had passed, it came out online," actor Devon Werkheiser said during the documentary. "All of a sudden, I just started seeing pockets of people as they read the news, just started seeing pockets of people just like break down," he added. "You're trying to hold onto hope, and it was the worst possible outcome for the day."
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oklahoma Historical Society announces Clara Luper's Radio Show episodes
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — On Friday, the Oklahoma Historical Society Research Division reported the release of more than 200 episodes of the 'Clara Luper Radio Show' debuting on OHS Audio Archives YouTube channel. OHS leaders say, Luper was a teacher and Civil Rights leader. Luper's activism in the late 1950's sit-ins helped to end segregation in public places across Oklahoma. Bill locking the clock on standard time in OK passes committee The 'Clara Luper Radio Show' ran for more than four decades. Most of the episodes that the OHS Research Division have digitized are from the 1980s and 1990s. The show gives first-hand accounts and experiences of the community by discussing the Civil Rights Movement, community events, and educational topics. Additionally, the Clara Luper archives can be found on The Gateway to Oklahoma History. The Clara Luper Collection has more than 220 digitized items available to the public, including campaign flyers, letters, brochures, and reports. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Clara Luper resisted Oklahoma City segregation. What change will you make?
History teaches us that the biggest changes often start with the smallest actions. A single voice, a single act of courage, a single refusal to accept injustice — each can ripple outward in ways no one could have predicted. And yet, those ripples don't start on their own. Someone has to be willing to make the first move. This is a testament to the power of small actions in creating meaningful change, giving us hope and optimism for the future. More: How I learned about Clara Luper and another OKC hero | Opinion More than a year before the famous Woolworth's sit-ins, a small group of young people sat down at an Oklahoma City lunch counter and quietly changed history. Led by their teacher, Clara Luper, these students took one small step that became part of a much larger movement. A local high school teacher and civil rights activist, Luper organized the first sit-in at Katz Drug Store in 1958. At the time, segregation was the norm. Black customers could shop in stores but were not allowed to sit and eat at the lunch counters. Luper and her students believed that needed to change. They didn't carry signs or shout in protest. Instead, they walked in, sat down and asked for service. They were ignored. They were insulted. But they did not move. Their silent resistance lasted for days. Slowly, public pressure built and, eventually, Katz Drug Stores desegregated all of its locations. One action in one city. A handful of determined teenagers. A teacher with a vision. And yet, that sit-in helped lay the foundation for the lunch counter protests that would spread across the South in the 1960s, shaping the civil rights movement as we know it today. Opinion: Black professionals can succeed despite Trump. Here's how. Clara Luper understood something powerful, and it's a lesson we desperately need today: We don't have to wait for permission to demand change. We don't need an army to make a difference. Sometimes, all it takes is stepping forward, even when others hesitate. Her work wasn't about making grand speeches but about taking action, however small, and inspiring others to do the same. This Black History Month, Clara Luper's story reminds us that history is not made by just prominent people — it's shaped by everyday folk willing to take a stand. This recognition of the role of ordinary individuals in shaping history should make us all feel valued and important in the fight for justice. These lessons are becoming increasingly important these days. Too many of our elected officials are purposefully seeking attention through outrage so they can gain political power for themselves. Too often, the cost of that notoriety comes at the expense of communities that have been historically and purposefully marginalized. In difficult times like this, we must remember that change begins with small acts of courage. Whether it's speaking up in a meeting, helping a neighbor, or challenging unfair policies, we all have opportunities to make a difference. Clara Luper and her students didn't set out to change the world in one day. They simply sat down at a lunch counter and refused to move. That's how change happens — one small step at a time. My question to you: What small step will you take today? Angela Monson is a former member of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives and currently is the legislative and outreach director for the Oklahoma Policy Institute and its grassroots advocacy program, Together Oklahoma. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City's Clara Luper set an example to follow | Opinion
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-UofL volleyball player Charitie Luper is an All-Star. What to know about Indiana event
Former Louisville volleyball standout Charitie Luper is the latest addition to the Pro Volleyball Federation's inaugural All-Star match at Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana. Luper was the Vegas Thrill's third selection of the 2024 PVF draft and 24th overall. Through Sunday, the rookie had 67 kills, six aces and 65 digs in 26 sets for the Thrill. Charitie Luper has been added to the @RealProVB All-Star Roster⭐️Watch on Feb. 22 on CBS 📺@cluper11 — Vegas Thrill (@vegasthrillvb) February 16, 2025 Former Kentucky players Leah Edmond (Atlanta Vibe), Azhani Tealer (Indy Ignite) and Kaz Brown (Orlando Valkyries) were also voted to play in the All-Star match. Here's how to buy tickets for the 2025 PVF All-Star match, schedule and more: Ticket prices for the Pro Volleyball Federation All-Star match at Fishers Event Center start at $24 apiece on Ticketmaster and $23 on StubHub. To see a full list of ticket prices, visit StubHub and Ticketmaster. Date: Saturday, Feb. 22 Time: 1:30 p.m. Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at pstory@ and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Pro Volleyball Federation All-Star match: ticket prices, schedule
