Cinematographer Who Replaced Halyna Hutchins on “Rust” Thought 'I Might Never Work Again' After Finishing Movie

While she was hesitant to sign on at first, Bianca Cline told 'THR' she decided to because "I thought, 'If I had died, I would want Halyna to do it' "

Three years after the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, the woman who took over from her on the set of Rust is speaking out about finishing the controversial film.

In a newly published interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bianca Cline (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) recalled texting director Joel Souza with her interest in replacing Hutchins after Cline's friend Rachel Mason, who is making a movie about Hutchins, urged her to step in.

After her conversation with Mason, “I stayed in my apartment for three days just sitting there, like, ‘Could I do that? Why would I do that?' " Cline told THR.

"Eventually, I decided it was the right thing to do," she continued. "I thought, ‘If I had died, I would want Halyna to do it.' "

Related: Alec Baldwin Watches Halyna Hutchins’ Final Moments After Fatal Rust Shooting in Footage Played at His Trial

Souza, who was also injured when the gun Alec Baldwin was holding went off with live ammunition, told THR that receiving Cline's text “sort of made me think, ‘Oh, maybe there is kindness out there about [Rust].' "

But aside from the emotional challenges, Cline said it was difficult hiring a camera crew after she signed on as Rust's new director of photography, as people were wary of signing on to a project with such controversy surrounding it.

“Even people who thought it was a great idea that we were finishing the film were like, ‘I can’t be associated with that,’ because there was such a stigma," she told THR.

As for how the project might affect her own career, Cline said, "When I took the film, I did it knowing I might never work again."

“This might be my last movie,” she added. “I might be blackballed.”

Related: Rust Armorer Convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter Denied New Trial by Same Judge Who Dismissed Alec Baldwin Case

Rust is premiering this month at the Camerimage Festival in Poland, which runs from Nov. 16 to 23 and honors the work of cinematographers and directors of photography.

"Almost three years after the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins, a Ukrainian cinematographer who was part of the festival family, Camerimage is set to honor her memory and remind the world of her legacy," the festival announced in an October press release.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Cline told PEOPLE at the time that the screening will be honoring Hutchins' "beautiful" work, explaining of Rust, "I think that it's her best film. I think that it's her most beautiful film, and I've seen all of them."

"I'm in awe of how much people admired her and just how talented she is," Cline also said. "I think that cinematographers sometimes get relegated to being seen as technicians, but I think that Halyna elevated it to an art."