Alec Baldwin Says He ‘Didn’t Pull the Trigger’ in First Interview Post-‘Rust’ Shooting

Martin Holmes December 1, 2021, 1:37 pm

Alec Baldwin attends the World Premiere of National Geographic Documentary — Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images for National Geographic

Alec Baldwin is opening up about the tragic shooting on the set of the movie Rust as he sits down with ABC News‘ George Stephanopoulos for a one-hour special.

Stephanopoulos spoke about the interview on Good Morning America on Wednesday, saying it was “the most intense” interview he’d ever experienced in his 20 years at ABC. In the interview, which Stephanopoulos said lasted for one hour and 20 minutes, Baldwin is said to be “very candid” and “very forthcoming” as he goes into detail about what happened on the set that day.

In October, Baldwin accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when a prop gun misfired on the set of the film Rust. The 30 Rock actor has since met with Hutchins’ family, which he is expected to talk about in the upcoming interview.

In the first footage from the interview (below), Baldwin opens up about the incident. “Even now, I find it hard to believe that. It just doesn’t seem real to me,” he says. When Stephanopoulos notes that it wasn’t in the script to pull the trigger, Baldwin insists, “the trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger. … I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger.”

The actor also says that this is the worst thing to happen to him, “because I think back and I think of what could I have done?” Watch the video below for more of Stephanopoulos’ questions.

Asked by @GStephanopoulos how a real bullet got on the “Rust” set, Alec Baldwin says: “I have no idea. Someone put a live bullet in a gun. A bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property.”

Watch TOMORROW 8pm ET on ABC and stream later on @hulu. https://t.co/fJQly1za1T pic.twitter.com/OnpDuYERiC

— ABC News (@ABC) December 1, 2021

The interview, which is being produced by George Stephanopoulos Productions, is set to air on Thursday at 8 PM ET and will also stream on Hulu later in the evening. In addition, ABC News announced that 20/20 will focus on the shooting in a two-hour special airing on December 10.

Baldwin had previously posted a statement about the incident on Twitter. “There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” he wrote.

“I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family,” he continued. “My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”