Hauser explains Epstein-linked pin worn at Resident Evil premiere
Paul Walter Hauser has explained the numbered pin he wore to the Resident Evil premiere in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. The digits were coordinates. They pointed to Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, a property he said was at one point owned by Jeffrey Epstein, according to Variety.
Hauser said he wore the pin to bring awareness to evil people who need to have a Google search done on them. He wanted people to look up the names for themselves. That was the explanation he gave on the carpet.
The pin was not his only message that evening. He also wore a black T-shirt with bright yellow lettering reading "Kubrick Didn't Kill Himself". It stood out in the premiere photographs. It drew almost as much attention as the pin.
The comments were not new for him. In February, he posted on Instagram questioning why people in Hollywood were not speaking up more for release of the Epstein files. He asked why more voices in the industry had stayed quiet. He framed it as a question about accountability.
The ranch named on his pin has been under official scrutiny. In May, NPR reported that New Mexico officials launched investigations into Zorro Ranch, where accusers allege they were abused by Epstein, as recounted by Variety. That reporting forms the public record behind the reference on his pin. It concerns alleged abuse at the property.
Hauser was at the premiere as one of its stars. He joined Austin Abrams to star in a new Resident Evil film from director Zach Cregger for Sony Pictures, a casting first reported by Deadline. The project is a reboot, meaning a fresh start for a screen series with an established name. In this case the name comes from a long-running horror franchise that began as a video game.
What makes this stand out is the setting he chose. A premiere is usually about the film opening that week. Hauser used his appearance to point the conversation elsewhere.
That film is due to reach theatres very soon. The Resident Evil reboot starring Hauser and Abrams is set to hit theatres on 18 Sept. 2026, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Tuesday night premiere in Los Angeles came just days before that date.
