Alec Baldwin says ‘Rust’ will forever be ‘overshadowed’ by cinematographer’s death

Alec Baldwin refuses to see a final cut of “Rust” due to the trauma inflicted on multiple people, including members of his own family, associated with the film.

Baldwin, who stars as Harland Rust in the Western movie directed by Joel Souza, was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in the on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. 

A New Mexico judge dismissed the case against the “30 Rock” actor in July following what legal experts described to Fox News Digital as a “comedy of legal errors” in the case.

“This is obviously the most difficult thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life,” Baldwin told Variety while in town for the Torino Film Festival in the northern Italian town of Turin. Baldwin, 66, skipped out on the movie’s premiere last week at the Camerimage Festival in Poland.

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“Beyond the victims themselves, the thing that most pains me is what it did to my wife,” Baldwin said of his partner of 12 years, Hilaria Baldwin. The couple has seven young children together, with a reality television show about their family dynamic set to premiere in 2025 on the TLC network. 

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“My wife has been very, very traumatized from this. There has been a lot of pain. When you are married to somebody and everything was going fairly well, and we had seven kids … and the floor falls out. It’s very frightening and very disturbing.”

“Beyond the victims themselves, the thing that most pains me is what it did to my wife. My wife has been very, very traumatized from this. There has been a lot of pain.”

— Alec Baldwin

He added, “And we are trying to get the wind in our sails, to get away from this stuff. Because the film doesn’t stand by itself. It’s always going to be overshadowed by this.”

Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter and faced up to 18 months in prison in connection to the death of Halyna Hutchins. The cinematographer died Oct. 21, 2021 after a gun Baldwin was holding discharged on the “Rust” film set.

Souza was also shot by the bullet fired out of Baldwin’s weapon during the incident at Bonanza Creek Ranch.

“We are trying to get the wind in our sails, to get away from this stuff. Because the film doesn’t stand by itself. It’s always going to be overshadowed by this.”

— Alec Baldwin

Baldwin also admitted to the outlet that completing the movie took a toll on his health, and he is still limited on what he can speak about due to pending litigation in a civil suit filed by Hutchins’ family.

“In order to finish the film – and this is the only thing I can say about it because I have another pending [civil] case – we traveled to Montana,” Baldwin said. “All my doctors told me ‘don’t go’ – mental health practitioners, cardiologists. I mean, I was very sick afterwards for a while, physically drained and ill. But I went.”

Production finished shooting in Montana, where Baldwin claimed he “waived” his fee. 

“I gave them back the fee in the budget. I waived all my backend,” Baldwin said. “I gave everything to her husband. He owns the film. Her husband, I believe, is the sole owner of the film, though I could be wrong. Everything was done with that in mind.” 

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Baldwin still faces a civil lawsuit brought against him by Hutchins’ family. The actor’s legal team filed a motion to have the lawsuit paused on Nov. 19, just a day before the “Rust” premiere in Poland.

Attorney Gloria Allred filed a lawsuit alleging battery, loss of consortium, infliction of emotional distress and more on behalf of Hutchins’ mother, sister and father in February 2023. 

“In order to finish the film – and this is the only thing I can say about it because I have another pending [civil] case – we traveled to Montana. All my doctors told me ‘don’t go’ – mental health practitioners, cardiologists. I mean, I was very sick afterwards for a while, physically drained and ill. But I went.”

— Alec Baldwin

The lawsuit, which named Baldwin, “Rust” producers and additional defendants, claimed Hutchins was financially responsible for her family and had plans to bring them with her to live in America.

He has yet to see the final cut of the Western flick but is hopeful investors make their return on the movie.

“I was sent a rough cut early on, before everything got a little more sticky and difficult,” Baldwin said. “So I haven’t seen the film. But, again, I hope the film is released, that it comes out. That it makes its money back for its investors. 

“You never want these people who believed in your project to be left high and dry. And I hope the movie is sold, and that he [Halyna’s husband] gets his money. We all made a deal with him, and we all want to follow through. But this idea that people – who shall remain nameless – say, ‘You are profiting from this!’ That is absolutely wrong.”