Alec Baldwin had at all times maintained his innocence over the demise of Halyna Hutchins.
“Someone is responsible for what happened and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me,” he mentioned in an interview in December 2021, six weeks after the tragedy on the set of Rust in New Mexico.
This was the first on-set taking pictures in Hollywood in virtually 30 years. The principal query that wanted answering, he mentioned, was how the bullet ended up there in the first place.
The movie’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez, was jailed earlier this yr for her position in Ms Hutchins‘ demise, however the query of the dwell spherical – one in all not less than six, it was found by investigators – has nonetheless by no means formally been answered.
Baldwin didn’t converse to reporters outdoors courtroom following the dismissal of his hugely high-profile case. As a family title for virtually 40 years, he’s greater than used to having all eyes on him – however this was a really totally different form of highlight. In the courtroom, he was Alexander Rae Baldwin, not Alec Baldwin, Hollywood star.
The actor was first charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in 2023 – one requiring proof of underlying negligence, and a second requiring proof there was greater than easy negligence, together with a firearm enhancement that made the crime punishable by a compulsory 5 years in jail.
The second cost was dropped in February that yr – after which in April, all the felony expenses in opposition to him had been dropped.
He was then charged once more in January this yr and the case went to trial, regardless of motions to dismiss earlier than it started. There have additionally been lawsuits filed by numerous crew members and Ms Hutchins’ household.
But Baldwin, who is understood for movies together with The Departed, It’s Complicated and The Hunt For Red October, in addition to his performances on Saturday Night Live, has continued to work; he has a movie out next week, Clear Cut, alongside Stephen Dorff, and plans for a reality TV show with his family in 2025. He shares seven younger youngsters together with his spouse Hilaria, who supported him in courtroom.
Other upcoming movies, in accordance to film database IMDb, embody Atrabilious, alongside Leon Addison Brown, Whoopi Goldberg and Jeffrey Wright; Kid Santa, additionally starring his brother Billy Baldwin; and Hollywood Heist, with Nick Cannon, Mickey Rourke and Tara Reid.
And amongst the tasks he has in the pipeline is Rust, the movie at the centre of this case. In the film, Baldwin stars as Harland Rust, an outlaw popping out of hiding to rescue his grandson – who has been sentenced to demise over an unintentional killing. It shouldn’t be recognized when the movie will be launched.
Filming of the Western moved from New Mexico to Paradise Valley in Montana and restarted in April 2023, with Ms Hutchins’ husband Matthew listed as an government producer and Joel Souza, who was wounded in the taking pictures, returning as director.
“Though bittersweet, I am grateful that a brilliant and dedicated new production team is joining former cast and crew to complete what Halyna and I started,” Mr Souza mentioned at the time.
“Following a tragic accident, our foremost priority has always been to complete this film as a tribute to Halyna Hutchins’ vision and artistry,” mentioned Melina Spadone, legal professional for Rust Movie Productions, following the dismissal of Baldwin’s case. “Working alongside Halyna’s husband, Matthew, we look forward to sharing this film with the world.”
Ms Hutchins, 42, was thought-about a rising star in her subject, an skilled cinematographer and crew member with earlier motion movie credit who was used to being on location, serving to to convey tales to display.
On 21 October 2021, she turned up to the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico for what ought to have been a standard day at work. She died after a dwell spherical was loaded right into a gun on a movie set that ought to solely ever have seen blanks and dummy rounds.
Ms Hutchins’ household and family members now solely have their reminiscences.
For Baldwin, the felony case has been dismissed and he can now begin to put the proceedings behind him. But virtually three years on from the tragedy, the query of how the dwell ammunition obtained to the set nonetheless stays.