Quentin Tarantino's Controversial Stance On 'Rust' Filming May Not Sit With Alec Baldwin

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Director Quentin Tarantino has made controversial statements regarding the 2021 shooting on the set of “Rust,” suggesting that while Alec Baldwin is not entirely responsible for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, he bears some responsibility.

The director appeared on Bill Maher's “Club Random” podcast, which aired Sunday, August 25, where Maher called the prosecutors charging Baldwin in the case “morons.”

Quentin Tarantino believes that 90% of the responsibility for the accident lies with the gunsmith

Quentin Tarantino offered a somewhat different view, placing 90% of the blame for the accident on the gunsmith, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. He suggested that the remaining responsibility lies with the actor and producer for not checking the safety of the weapon.

The 61-year-old director stressed that actors must inspect their weapons to ensure the barrel is free of bullets and to check for any other problems with the firearm during a scene.

It's worth noting that SAG-AFTRA, the film industry union, has previously stated that it does not consider it the actors' responsibility to inspect gun safety on set, which contrasts with Tarantino's views on the matter.

For those unaware, Baldwin's manslaughter charge was dismissed by New Mexico Judge Marlowe Sommer in July. This came after it was revealed that prosecutors intentionally withheld crucial evidence from the actor's legal team.

Baldwin, who faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted, reportedly shed tears of joy in the courtroom when the verdict was delivered. According to TMZ, he has since filed a lawsuit against Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey and Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed sentenced to 18 months in prison for fatal crash

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced to 18 months in prison in April, with Judge Sommer blaming the accident on her actions that rendered a safe weapon deadly.

At her sentencing hearing, she described herself as “young and naive,” criticizing the media for portraying her as a “monster.” She told the court she had been overworked and under-resourced during the film's production.

According to Deadline, Judge Sommer, unconvinced by the arguments, criticized Gutierrez-Reed for not taking responsibility and instead blaming the presence of the live round in the gun on others.

Alec Baldwin 'should be in jail', says internet

As soon as the news surfaced on the Daily Mail platform, readers began to blame the actor. One user wrote: “Baldwin is 100% responsible for Hutchins' death. He should have made sure the gun was not loaded.” [sic]

Another added: “And as producer and director, Alec is 100% responsible.”

One commenter noted, “Baldwin is MORE than 10% responsible. The armorer wasn't even on set that morning, she was told there was no more money for her armorer position and she was reassigned to props and wardrobe.”

“Baldwin skipped safety training. Workers had walked out that morning, citing “extremely dangerous” shooting conditions and noting that there had already been accidental mishaps. Every corner was cut in this rushed production to save money, and the results cost a young mother her life. Tragic for her husband, son and family members,” the commentator added. [sic]

“Baldwin pointed a gun at her and pulled the trigger, he bears full responsibility for that. You never do that, even with an empty gun, that's the first rule of gun safety,” one said.

Someone asked: “Baldwin should be in jail.”

Another added: “Baldwin is largely responsible, mainly because he violated the first rule of gun safety: never point a gun at anyone unless you intend to shoot.”

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