Quentin Tarantino has sparked controversy by claiming that while Alec Baldwin is not solely responsible for the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust, he is partly to blame.
The Pulp Fiction director discussed the 2021 fatal shooting on Sunday’s episode of Bill Maher’s podcast Random clubwhere he placed 90% of the responsibility on gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, while placing the remainder of the blame on Baldwin.
“It’s a situation, I think I’m being fair enough in saying it, that the gunsmith, the guy who handles the gun, is 90% responsible for everything that happens when it comes to that gun… but but but but but… the actor is 10% responsible,” Tarantino said.
He added: “You are a partner in responsibility to a certain extent.”
Tarantino went on to say that he believes actors should personally inspect their guns to make sure there are no bullets in the barrel or other problems before using them in scenes.
Quentin Tarantino has sparked controversy by claiming that while Alec Baldwin is not solely responsible for the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust, he does bear some blame.
The Pulp Fiction director discussed the 2021 fatal shooting on Sunday’s episode of Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, where he placed 90% of the responsibility on gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, while placing the rest of the blame on Baldwin; (Baldwin in Rust)
In July, a New Mexico judge dismissed the murder case against Baldwin after it was discovered that prosecutors had placed crucial evidence in an improper file, effectively hiding it from Baldwin’s legal team.
The extraordinary decision came after a day-long hearing without the presence of the jury on bullets that should have been in evidence and that Baldwin’s lawyers say were “hidden” and “buried” in another file in the case.
The matter had overshadowed Baldwin’s trial, who pleaded not guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter after being accused of negligence for accidentally firing live ammunition on the set of the film Rust in October 2021.
Prosecutors had planned to present evidence at trial that they say shows the firearm “could not have been fired without pulling the trigger” and was functioning properly before the shooting.
In April this year, Guttierez-Reed, the set’s gunsmith, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death and sentenced to 18 months.
She is currently serving her sentence at the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Center and was due to be called to the stand to testify in the Baldwin case.
In October 2021, Baldwin was rehearsing a cross-draw maneuver with the revolver when the gun went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Baldwin pleaded not guilty, saying the gun accidentally went off after he pointed it at Hutchins and pulled the hammer, at which point it discharged.
“It’s a situation, I think I’m being fair enough in saying, that the gunsmith, the guy who handles the gun, is 90% responsible for everything that happens when it comes to that gun… but but but but but… the actor is 10% responsible,” Tarantino said.
Tarantino went on to say that he thinks actors should personally inspect their guns to make sure there are no bullets in the barrel or other problems before using them in scenes; (Baldwin on the set of Rust)
Halyna Hutchins, 42, was a mother of one and an up-and-coming cinematographer when she was fatally shot on the set of ‘Rust.’
The infamous gun fired on set that ended up killing cinematographer Hutchins
Gunsmith Hannah Guttierez-Reed was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the manslaughter of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins
The night before the incident, six members of the film crew resigned due to safety concerns.
Baldwin had been charged twice in Hutchins’ death. Prosecutors dismissed a previous charge and refiled it after receiving a new analysis of the revolver Baldwin pointed at Hutchins.
Since filming in 2021, filming on Rust has resumed, but has been moved to Montana under an agreement with Hutchins’ husband, Matthew Hutchins, who made him an executive producer.
The finished film has not yet been released for public screening.