"The shot happened by accident": Alec Baldwin said he was not to blame for the death of the cameraman of the film "Rust"

American actor Alec Baldwin gave an interview to ABC channel, in which he spoke about the incident that took place on the set of the film "Rust" on October 21, 2021.

Then, as a result of a pistol shot in the hands of Baldwin, cameraman Galina Hutchins was killed and director Joel Sousa was wounded.

The artist spoke about the circumstances of the incident and stressed that he did not feel guilty for the incident.

According to Alec Baldwin, he was sure that the pistol given to him was loaded with a blank cartridge.

In addition, the artist stated that he was pointing the weapon in accordance with the instructions of the operator, who was arranging the frame for shooting, and did not even pull the trigger.

“She (Galina Hutchins. -

) supervised the whole process.

Explained how I should hold the gun for this angle.

I take it out and find the right position ... I held the pistol the way she asked.

It ended up targeting just below her armpit.

So I was told (later. -

), but I don't know, "recalls Baldwin. 

He added that “the shot happened by accident.

When staging shots that might not have been included in the film at all. "

“I took out a pistol and began to cock the trigger, but

I was not going to press the

trigger (in colloquial speech it is called the trigger

).

I ask: "How can you see?"

She: "Tilt it a little lower and hold it like this."

I cock the trigger (and ask. -

): “Now how?

And now?"

She answers ... Then I release the trigger, and the pistol goes off.

I let go of the trigger and there is a shot, ”Baldwin says.

The artist stressed that "I would never point a gun at a person and pull the trigger in my life."

According to the artist, immediately after the shot, he himself did not understand what had happened and thought that Galina Hutchins had fainted.

The actor realized what was happening only after at least 45 minutes.

Alec Baldwin also commented on the claims of the former assistant cameraman of the film "Rust" Lane Looper, who quit the day before the tragic event.

In an interview with ABC, Looper said that insufficient attention was paid to safety on the site, and all complaints from the team were ignored.

In addition, according to the filmmaker, accidental shots on the set of the film happened before.

“In my letter of resignation, I indicated the following: weak anti-coronavirus measures, the living situation - the need to travel to Albuquerque and back, and in particular the security measures when handling weapons, the lack of rehearsals and preparation of the film crew for what we were supposed to do during the day, ”Looper said.

He was also dissatisfied with the fact that the shooting took place in a great rush, and because of the volume of work he did not have time to rest.

Looper also said that he was not provided with housing near the location of the filming and that cash payments were delayed - they were made not only with a delay, but also in a smaller volume. 

Alec Baldwin said that during the work on the project "did not notice any security problems", and also explained his tasks as one of the producers of the project.

According to the artist, he was solely responsible for casting and questions related to the script.

Baldwin allegedly has nothing to do with finances.

At the same time, the actor stressed that filmmakers always strive to save money, regardless of the budget of a particular project.

“Speaking of cutting costs, both Spielberg and Tom Cruise want to save money — and I look at it without any judgment or cynicism — each in filmmaking is responsible for not spending the money given to you recklessly and imprudently.

You know these people are making films with a budget of $ 205 million, and I with a budget of $ 5 million or so, ”Baldwin says.

• Photos from the filming of the film "Rust"

• AP

• © Jae C. Hong

On the eve of the release of the interview, some details of the investigation related to the incident on the set of "Rust" became known.

According to Variety, investigators are primarily trying to understand how live ammunition could have ended up on the site.

Seth Kenny, the expert in charge of supplying weapons for the shooting of the film, said that about two years ago he received reloaded live cartridges that looked exactly like empty and blank.

According to Kenny, they could also be on the set.

However, the expert later stated that the ammunition found by the police did not belong to him.

Gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, in turn, said that she had no idea where the live ammunition came from, and Sarah Zakri, who was in charge of the props, suggested that several people could have brought them.

Among them - Kenny and father Gutierrez-Reed, who previously participated in the organization of preparatory shooting for the actors.

The tragedy gave rise to a discussion about the prohibition of real firearms - filmmakers made an appeal to abandon their use on film sets.

More than 200 cameramen, including Edward Lachman ("Carol"), Rachel Morrison ("Mudbound Farm"), Greg Fraser ("Dune") and Ellen Coeras ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"), have signed an open letter to the letter.

They also stated that they will not participate in projects where the relevant requirement is not met. 

After the incident, Baldwin himself spoke in favor of inviting police officers to shoot scenes with weapons. 

“Any filming of a movie or TV show that uses weapons, fake or otherwise, must have a police officer hired by the producers to monitor security,” the actor wrote on Twitter.

In November, Baldwin and a number of crew members were sued by their colleagues.

In particular, the chief illuminator of the film "Rust" Serge Svetnoy argues that not only Baldwin was responsible for the death of Hutchins, but also the gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, assistant director Dave Halls, producers and other employees who are responsible for handling weapons.

Svetnoy claims that Baldwin himself had to check that there were no live cartridges in the pistol.

The illuminator of the tape notes that in the filming of the scene during which the tragedy occurred, there was no need to pull the trigger - according to the text, the actor had to simply point the weapon at the camera.

Another lawsuit came from assistant screenwriter Mamie Mitchell, who worked on Rust.

The plaintiff stated that the tragedy on the set of the tape caused her physical and emotional trauma.

Defendants include Alec Baldwin, along with producers Ryan Smith, Nathan Klinger, Anjul Nigam, Allen Cheney, Emily Hunter Salvson, Ryan Winterstern, Jennifer Lamb, Chris M.B.

Sharpe and Matt Delpiano, as well as assistant director Dave Halls and gunsmith Hanna Gutierrez-Reed.

According to Mitchell, during the incident, she was present on the set and saw Galina Hutchins being fatally wounded in the chest.

The assistant writer claims that the incident caused her emotional damage.