Alec Baldwin Breaks Silence, Calls Accidental ‘Rust’ Movie Shooting a ‘One in a Trillion Event’
Alec Baldwin laid low in the days following a deadly incident on the set of his movie Rust. An accidental shooting left cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead on October 21, 2021, in New Mexico. The actor is subsequently speaking out about the tragic shooting and its fallout.
Alec Baldwin is a star and producer on western movie ‘Rust’
The longtime actor and Baldwin brother accidentally shot and killed Halyna Hutchins with a prop gun last Thursday, around mid-day. The director of photography was 42 years old. The shooting also injured director Joel Souza. Baldwin is the star of the film, as well as a producer.
They were on the set of Rust at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alec Baldwin offered up comments via Twitter the day after the accident.
“There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” wrote Baldwin on October 22, 2021. “I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”
Moreover, the production company issued a statement on the day of the incident.
“The entire cast and crew has been absolutely devastated by today’s tragedy, and we send our deepest condolences to Halyna’s family and loved ones,” read the Rust Movie Productions LLC statement.
“We have halted production on the film for an undetermined period of time and are fully cooperating with the Santa Fe Police Department’s investigation. We will be providing counseling services to everyone connected to the film as we work to process this awful event.”
The actor is in Vermont with his family
Production on Western movie Rust halted immediately after Halyna Hutchins’ death. Moreover, an investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin retreated to Manchester, Vermont, with his family, including his wife, Hilaria Baldwin.
On October 30, for the first time since the accident, the actor spoke publicly to the media about the shooting. According to Fox News, he confirmed the New Mexico investigation is still active and declined to give details about the incident.
“It’s an active investigation in terms of a woman died, she was my friend,” he told photographers in comments he gave by the side of the road. “We were a very, very well-oiled crew shooting a film together, and then this horrible event happened.”
Baldwin emphasized the rare nature of the accident. “There are incidental accidents on film sets from time to time, but nothing like this,” Baldwin said. “This is a one in a trillion episode. It’s a one in a trillion event.”
The 30 Rock star continued, stressing the importance of safety measures and saying that he’s “not an expert.”
“How many bullets have gone off in movies and on TV sets before?” he asked. “How many, billions in the last 75 years? And nearly all of it without incident. So what has to happen now is, we have to realize that when it does go wrong and it’s this horrible, catastrophic thing, some new measures have to take place. Rubber guns, plastic guns, no live — no real armaments on set. That’s not for me to decide. It’s urgent that you understand I’m not an expert in this field, so whatever other people decide is the best way to go in terms of protecting people’s safety on film sets, I’m all in favor of and I will cooperate with that in any way that I can.”
Alec Baldwin is an Oscar-nominated, long-time actor
Baldwin has spanned the range from television comedy series to Oscar-nominated roles in his long and versatile career. He scored an Academy Award nomination for The Cooler (2003). Moreover, he starred in NBC’s 30 Rock for seven seasons. And his movie roles with highly regarded directors like Tim Burton (Beetlejuice) and Martin Scorsese (The Aviator and The Departed) cement his status as one of Hollywood’s most accomplished leading actors.
To sum up, Baldwin’s new comments underscore the tragic nature of a horrible accident and the importance of on-set safety.
