After the death of the camerawoman: Baldwin distances himself from Rust

After the death of the camerawoman: Baldwin distances himself from Rust

Alec Baldwin, the lead actor in the western “Rust,” has revealed that he doesn’t want to watch the finished version of the film for the time being. This decision follows the tragic incident during filming in October 2021, in which camerawoman Halyna Hutchins was killed by a gunshot from Baldwin's hand. 

The actor, who has been married to Hilaria Baldwin since 2012, said in an interview with the industry magazine “Variety” that it was the most difficult situation he had ever faced. Baldwin recalled how the tragedy took a toll on his family, especially his wife. “Aside from the victims themselves, what hurts me the most is what it did to my wife,” he said, noting that Hilaria is “very, very traumatized” by the whole situation.

The tragedy and its consequences

Baldwin was not only involved in the incident during filming, but also had to deal with legal responsibility. The manslaughter case brought against him was surprisingly dropped in the summer. The weapons master responsible on the set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in April for involuntary manslaughter.

“Rust” recently premiered at the Camerimage festival in Poland, but Baldwin wants to stay away from the film because, for him, it will always be associated with tragedy. "Because the film doesn't stand on its own. It will always be overshadowed by this thing," he explained. Despite the pain, Baldwin is happy that the film was completed and sees positive aspects in the subsequent filming: "In many aspects, 'Rust' is a better film." 

The actor makes it clear that he currently wants to invest his energy primarily in raising his seven children. After the emotional challenges of the last two years, he is looking for ways to distance himself from the intense and painful past. “Right now I want anything to do with ‘Rust’ to be off my radar for now,” Baldwin said.

The discussion surrounding Baldwin and the tragic incident on the set of "Rust" continues as many raise related questions about safety on film sets and the responsibility of handling weapons in the film industry. The incident has left a lasting impression on the industry and people remain emotionally affected. Details about the incident and the reactions of those involved continue to be of interest to the public, as the tragedy itself affects not only those involved, but the entire film community.  For further information, see the current reporting on www.gmx.at.