Alec Baldwin has given his first comments on-camera regarding the tragedy on the set of “Rust,” in which a prop gun held by the actor and producer accidentally discharged, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
In an intense but polite conversation with paps on a roadside in Vermont, Baldwin addressed the fatal incident and explained his relationship with Hutchins. The video was distributed by TMZ.
“She was my friend. The day I arrived in Santa Fe and started shooting I took her to dinner with Joel [Souza], the director,” Baldwin said. “We were a very, very well-oiled crew shooting a film together and then this horrible event happened.”
Baldwin also affirmed that he was unable to make comments about the ongoing investigation on orders by the sheriff’s department in Santa Fe.
The actor later touched on the growing movement for the industry to rethink its use of firearms in film and television production. A Change.org petition created in Hutchins’ name calling for a ban on real firearms on sets and demanding better working conditions for crew members has garnered over 81,000 signatures at the time of this writing.
“An ongoing effort to limit the use of firearms on film sets is something I’m extremely interested in,” Baldwin said. “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.”
When asked if he thought production on “Rust” will start up again in the future, Baldwin gave a simple “I doubt it.”
According to affidavits in the case, Baldwin had been informed that the prop was “a cold gun,” and was unaware that it contained a live round before the accident. The actor gave a written statement on Hutchins’ death last Friday.
“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,” he wrote. “My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”