Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ Tragedy: Joan Van Ark Defends Him – ‘I’m Dying for Alec’

The Alec Baldwin Rust tragedy was not far from friend and former Knots Landing co-star Joan Van Ark’s thoughts.

While filming Rust, Baldwin held a prop gun, which fired a live bullet. The bullet hit and killed director of photography Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.  

Baldwin later said someone had put a live bullet in the gun. “Someone put a live bullet in a gun, a bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property,” he told ABC News. “Someone is ​responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me.”

She is ‘dying’ for Alec after ‘Rust’ tragedy

Van Ark, who has fond memories of working with Baldwin, said she hurts for him. “And I’m dying for Alec, I’m dying for him. I just can’t believe this whole …,” she said on the Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast.

“And we’ve stayed in touch ever since Knots and all through the wonderfulness he’s done and whatever and wherever I am, we have continued that,” she shared. “But I know how deep he goes and how much it matters. The work, the work. So I can understand how whatever this was or however they determine it was, I see where he was with his … and he was one of the producers of the movie Rust.”

Joan Van Ark doesn’t think Alex Baldwin is responsible for the ‘Rust’ tragedy

“So my heart, I’m dying because it’s the prop master or the, there’s an armor, I don’t know the French word or so armory or it has to do with the guns,” she said.

“It was a young girl who was like her second or third time – if that – being in that position because they had everybody doubling up on their duties,” Van Ark said about the person in charge of props.

“Somebody slipped before Alec. If in fact if, and I say and stress that, there was in fact a bullet in there. Because for the rest of his life and it’s unknown at this point what the future is for him because we don’t know how this will all play out,” she said.

“But I love him. I pray for him. [And] pray that everything works out OK,” she added.

Does Joan think the tragedy will destroy Alec Baldwin’s career?

Van Ark said Baldwin needs to act because it is like “food” to performers. “Acting is his food as it is mine,” she said. “There’s some people that need the food. That’s why I’ve fallen apart during COVID because it’s something you just do.”

“It’s like brushing your teeth,” she continued. “And when it’s taken from you and you’re sort of housebound initially, all the claustrophobia for a Gemini is very difficult for me. Because there’s no air, there’s no freedom. I think freedom, I think Geminis need freedom and space when they need it and they then fill with that, and then they’re the best person for you.”

Baldwin has since returned to acting and Van Ark doesn’t think the incident will destroy his career. “I can’t think that it wouldn’t affect it,” she said. “And I’m sure knows it. Feels that. Certainly is consumed with that periodically, if not always. God love him.”