Alec Baldwin returned to the Western film’s set on Friday with the announcement that criminal charges against him in the Rust case had been dropped, nearly two years after a gun he was playing with accidentally killed photographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021.
Baldwin’s comeback to the set, which was relocated from New Mexico to Montana, marks a significant victory for the 30 Rock star, who has battled a protracted legal struggle ever since the sad tragedy.
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Following the dismissal of criminal charges against him, Baldwin rushed to Instagram to praise his wife Hilaria Baldwin for her unwavering support, writing, “I owe everything I have to this woman. (and to you, Luke),” presumably referring to his lawyer, Luke Nikas. Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro hailed the decision to drop Baldwin’s allegations.
“We are pleased with our choice to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin, and we encourage a proper investigation into the details and events of this tragic accident,” they said.
Although Baldwin claimed he did not fire the gun that killed Hutchins, the actor was practicing with it at the time. In a December 2021 interview with ABC News host George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin claimed he was practicing a scenario in which he had to pull his revolver, cock the hammer, and Hutchins told him where to aim it for the greatest shot. According to him, he was unaware that the rifle had a live round in it, and “the idea that there had been a live cartridge in that weapon did not register in me till maybe 45 minutes to an hour later.”