Like him or not, Alec Baldwin has been around for a long time. As an outspoken part of the infamous Baldwin brothers, he has created a successful career for himself in film and television. All successes and achievements aside, however, many who have known, associated, or worked with him in the past attest to a violent temper, unpredictable mood swings, and social media rants that could easily shut any opponent down.
It seems that karma has caught up with Baldwin this past week on the set of his new film, Rust. This historical Western set in the late 1880s chronicles a 13-year-old boy on the run with his aging grandfather after being accused of the killing of a local rancher. How ironic that now Baldwin himself is the subject of an investigation involving a prop gun misfire that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded film director Joel Souza.
Events leading up to the shooting were also unfortunate. Assistant director David Halls grabbed the “hot” gun off a prop cart containing two other prop guns, calling out “cold gun!” as he handed it to Baldwin. Everyone on set assumed that there were no live rounds in the gun as filming continued.
Bad choices…..silent voices
Halls’ decision to grab that gun changed lives forever. As Baldwin pointed the gun at Hutchins, he pulled the trigger, hitting her square in the chest and wounding Souza, who was standing directly behind her. Hutchins was promptly airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she was pronounced dead by medical personnel. Souza is currently undergoing treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to fully recover.
Long-reaching damage
Baldwin, upon realizing what had transpired after gunfire erupted, was said to be “distraught and inconsolable.” With as many questions for film producers and set assistants as law enforcement, he spent the next several hours trying to piece together the unfortunate missteps that led to the tragic shooting. He has now reportedly taken some time off to “regroup and recover” with his family, cooperating with investigators and law enforcement as necessary.
Souza is understandably shaken by the debacle, and the future of Rust is unclear at this point. With psychological and physical scars to process, he has some soul searching to do before opening the set once more.
Hutchins and her family, by far, are the most significantly impacted by the fatal shooting. Hutchins had been praised for her work in cinematography, being hailed as a “rising star” in her field, someone who was going to do great things in the art of cinema. Not only is her loss felt in the film industry, but she also leaves behind a loving husband and young son, who are devastated by her death.
Ironic….isn’t it?
Critics of Baldwin aren’t being too kind at such a volatile time. While Baldwin isn’t known to be particularly savvy on social media, critics are pouncing on a series of tweets that he sent out back in 2017 after pondering what it must be like “to wrongfully kill someone.” The tweet also contained a link to a Los Angeles Times article regarding a Huntington Beach officer captured on video, struggling with and eventually shooting a robbery suspect several times, killing him.
Oh, the irony. Or was it foreshadowing current events? Baldwin also reportedly tweeted shortly after Dick Cheney’s hunting accident, giving him very little compassion for such a traumatic event. Little did he know that he would be facing the same onslaught of criticism from disapproving fans and critics alike who struggle to understand how such an event can take place.
Other issues….other concerns
Rumor has it that this hasn’t been the only issue on the Rust set since production began. Over the past few weeks, several crew members reportedly quit over concerns that work conditions and safety issues—including prior gun safety procedures and Covid protocols weren’t being followed daily. Rust Movie Productions continues to diligently declare that they had not been made aware of formal complaints, and that they will be conducting internal reviews of procedures while the movie is shut down. And we have to wonder…..just who is this Hannah Guiterrez, who reportedly had the job of filling the props cart “outside the building” where filming was set to take place? Why was the cart out of sight? Why was it placed where just anyone could walk by and tamper with set materials? How long was it left unattended? Most importantly, why isn’t Guiterrez being pulled in for questioning after this grave error in judgment?
Despite telling various media outlets that Rust Movie Productions continues to cooperate with all law enforcement and media reporting companies, they have yet to return phone calls from The Associated Press to cover ongoing developments.
Brandon Lee’s family gets involved……
Martial arts fans everywhere mourned the loss of famed martial arts guru Brandon Lee at the tender age of 28, also killed by a props gun during the 1993 filming of The Crow. Sister Shannon reached out on social media with a statement of shock and sadness, reading,
“Our hearts go out to the family of Halyna Hutchins and to Joel Souza and all involved in the incident on ‘Rust.’ No one should ever be killed by a gun on a film set. Period.”
Foul manners, foul play…….what’s to come?
Regardless of what you think of Baldwin and his foul-mouthed social media antics, some questions are burning in the minds of critical thinkers everywhere. Was there foul play involved? Was this a set-up, or just a very unfortunate accident? How will this incident change safety protocols in the film industry, and what will happen to our friend Alec? Will this event be used to push a radical gun control agenda sponsored by our friends at the Deep State who wish to control everything? Stay tuned for this and many more events as our crazy world keeps turning.
Stay sane, my friends. And for the love of God, if you handle a gun, know what you are doing.
Until next time,
-KK
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