Alec Baldwin says ‘Rust’ death haunts him daily

Alec Baldwin says ‘Rust’ death haunts him

Alec Baldwin says the tragedy on the set of Rust haunts him every day. He spoke about how the event has affected his life and how it’s something he still thinks about constantly, even years after the incident.

At Comic-Con in San Diego, Baldwin shared how his life had changed since the charges were dropped. He said the experience had an “immeasurable” impact on him and how he now views life, what he wants, and how he chooses to live.

Reflecting on life after ‘Rust’ dismissal

Baldwin said the year after his Rust trial ended was much better than the difficult years before. He mentioned feeling very different from who he was three and a half years ago, before the tragedy and the legal battles.

He said, “You don’t know how much it changes you.” The event shifted his values, emotions, and choices. The dismissal of the trial allowed him to begin healing, but he explained that some scars may never fully disappear.

A new focus found at Comic-Con panel

While speaking at Comic-Con, Baldwin joined a panel about the 75th anniversary of Peanuts, the comic by Charles Schulz. The simple ideas and quiet wisdom of Peanuts gave Baldwin comfort and made him think deeply about life.

He shared how Schulz’s thoughts on life and morals have helped him reflect. He now thinks more about what truly matters, especially after going through such a hard time with the Rust case and public attention.

Baldwin’s legal fight isn’t over yet

Although the criminal case was dropped, Baldwin later sued the prosecutors. He said they tried to blame him unfairly for the shooting and were focused on winning instead of finding the truth.

In his lawsuit, Baldwin accused them of hiding key evidence and violating his rights. His legal team said the case wasn’t handled fairly, and that prosecutors used him as a scapegoat to cover up their own mistakes.

Prosecutors’ missteps come to light

One of the biggest claims in Baldwin’s lawsuit is that the prosecutors knew about evidence that could help his defense but kept it hidden. They allegedly wanted a conviction, even if it meant bending the rules.

The judge later dismissed the trial after finding that police and prosecutors hid information about the ammunition. This mistake helped end the criminal case against Baldwin.

Baldwin fights to share the full truth

Baldwin says the full truth about what happened on the Rust set still hasn’t been told. On a podcast with David Duchovny, he said more information will be coming out soon through legal filings.

He believes the media hurt his chances of being understood by hiding helpful stories and spreading bad ones. Baldwin wants to “expose what really happened” and hopes to set the record straight in the near future.

Baldwin’s side of the story begins

Baldwin explained he used to feel like he was only reacting to attacks. He called this time “counterpunching” because he was always on defense. Now, he’s ready to speak out more clearly.

He believes some people in the media and the public wanted to see him suffer. He said, “In this country, when people hate you… they want you to die.” That kind of hate affected him.

Media’s role in Baldwin’s struggles

Baldwin thinks many stories that could have cleared his name were ignored by the press. Instead, stories that made him look bad were shared more widely. He believes this was unfair and harmful.

He said the last three years have been hard because of this media pressure. He’s angry that people were quick to judge before all the facts were out. He says his full story hasn’t yet been heard.

What happened on the ‘Rust’ set

On October 21, 2021, Baldwin fired a gun on the set of Rust during a rehearsal. The shot killed Halyna Hutchins and hurt the film’s director, Joel Souza. Baldwin said he never pulled the trigger.

The FBI later examined the gun and found the trigger had to be pulled for the gun to fire. This raised questions about what really happened and whether Baldwin’s claim could be true.

Others involved faced sentencing

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on Rust, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She was found guilty of loading a live bullet into the gun that Baldwin fired. She also faced charges of evidence tampering.

Baldwin’s charges were dropped after new evidence came to light, but Gutierrez-Reed’s case ended differently. This showed that not all parts of the Rust shooting case had the same outcome.

Baldwin’s career was affected

After the shooting, Baldwin said some people tried to remove him from Hollywood. He described it as feeling “invisible,” like he was “dead” but still walking the earth. The emotional toll was intense.

He said he believes people in the industry judged him unfairly. But now, he’s getting signs that things are turning around and that work opportunities may be returning to him.

A new acting role and career hope

Despite the setbacks, Baldwin will return to acting in a film called The Cutting Room Floor. He’ll star alongside Michael Boatman and Karen Allen. It’s a psychological drama about a young editor’s troubled life.

This marks one of his first movie roles after the case dismissal. The film is set to begin production in summer 2025. Baldwin has said he feels hopeful about working again after years of uncertainty.

Baldwin joins a new audio drama

Baldwin is also working on a podcast called The Ides of April, which tells the story of events in April 1865, including Lincoln’s death. It’s a historical drama filled with sound effects and acting.

He’s both the executive producer and narrator. The show marks his return to narrative audio storytelling. Baldwin says he’s excited to bring history to life and focus on new creative work again.

Baldwin signs new talent contract

In June 2025, Baldwin signed with UTA, a major talent agency, for full representation. UTA will help him with acting, TV, film, theater, and voice roles. This is a sign that his career is being rebuilt.

His past work includes 30 Rock, The Hunt for Red October, and The Boss Baby. UTA’s support may help him return to top projects, especially after the damage from the Rust case.

Baldwin talks about family and priorities

In March 2025, Baldwin said he was thinking about retiring to focus on his family. He has seven kids with his wife, Hilaria, and said they are his main priority now, more than his acting career.

On his TLC show The Baldwins, he said he doesn’t want to miss his children’s childhoods. He explained how many actors regret missing time with their kids, and he doesn’t want that same regret later.

In other news, Hilaria’s reality show premiere in March saw her finally address long-running backlash over her ever-changing accent.

Baldwin defends himself in public

In February 2025, Baldwin argued with a Trump impersonator in New York who accused him of “murdering” Hutchins. Baldwin got angry and warned the impersonator to stop mocking the tragedy.

Baldwin’s outburst caused debate online. Some defended him, saying the impersonator crossed a line. Others felt Baldwin overreacted. But most agreed the Rust tragedy still weighs heavily on him every day.

This evergreen roundup highlights couples who define relationship goals with authenticity and long-lasting love. See who’s featured in celebrity couples serving major relationship goals.

Do you think Alec Baldwin deserves a second chance after everything he’s been through? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

Read More From This Brand:

• Remembering Judy Garland on her Death Anniversary
• Celebrities React to the Death of Pope Francis
• Dolly Parton Appears Publicly After Husband’s Death

Don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content right here on MSN

If you liked this story, you’ll LOVE our FREE emails. Join today and be the first to get stories like this one

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.