After the filming of ‘Rust,’ Alec Baldwin vows not to let negativity “destroy” him in 2022
(image credit: Getty Images)
The actor referred to the shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins as “the worst situation I’ve ever been involved with.”
Following the deadliest October shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust, Alec Baldwin is offering somber contemplation on the coming year.
On Saturday, the actor shared a nearly 13-minute Instagram video in which he updated fans on his emotional state of mind and thanked them for their continued messages of support.
“I’ve had more people who have been kind and thoughtful and generous of spirit than I’ve had people who are malignant about the death of Halyna Hutchins,” Baldwin said in the footage. “I’m not afraid to say that and to couch that in some euphemisms — somebody died very tragically. And I’ve gotten so much, I mean so much, goodwill from people. It’s just incredible.”
The actor continued, “This has been, surely, the worst situation I’ve ever been involved with, and I’m very hopeful that the people in charge of investigating this whole thing get to the truth as soon as possible. No one wants the truth more than I do.”
On the set of Rust’s Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe on Oct. 21, Baldwin accidentally killed the film’s director of photography Hutchins, and injured director Joel Souza. The Sante Fe Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s Office are investigating the incident, as are Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed and assistant director Dave Halls.
In his new video, Baldwin explained that while he’s not typically one for New Year’s resolutions, he does hope to find better ways to deal with negativity in 2022. He went on to describe phone conversations he’s had recently with spiritual and philosophical thinkers on how to “manage your feelings better and not let it destroy you or get the better of you. We live in a world where there are just oceans of negativity, online and so forth, and one must find a way to manage that.”
On Dec. 23, Baldwin posted a similarly reflective Instagram video in which he said that, for those involved in the Rust incident, it is “never going to be behind us.” He added, “Not a day goes by I don’t think about that.”
The actor gave his first official interview about the tragedy to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on December 2. When the firearm went off in his hands, Baldwin recalled Hutchins instructing him on how to hold it for a better camera angle.
Baldwin told Stephanopoulos, “The notion that there was a live round in that gun did not dawn on me until 45 minutes or an hour later.”
