Watch Alec Baldwin Puff on Cigarette After Deadly 'Rust' Shooting: 'My Hands Are Shaking'
July 11 2024, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
Alec Baldwin calmed his nerves with a cigarette on the set of Rust after the gun he was holding during a scene rehearsal fired off a live round, striking the film's director, Joel Souza, and killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
In video shown to the court in his involuntary manslaughter trial on Wednesday, and exclusively obtained by RadarOnline.com, the actor could be seen telling bystanders, "My hands are shaking" while he sat by waiting to be questioned by investigators.
On October 21, 2021, as Hutchins was airlifted from the set in New Mexico, Souza was loaded into an ambulance and officials with the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office told Baldwin to remain at the scene.
Bodycam video showed Deputy Nicholas Lefleur approaching the actor, who told the official, "I was the one holding the gun."
Baldwin spoke with crew members as he sat solemnly, still in costume from the rehearsal. When asked if he wanted water, the movie lead replied, "I want to find props and get a cigarette from them."
A man handed him one and Baldwin lit up, sitting quietly as he stared ahead and took several puffs.
During the first day of Baldwin's criminal trial on Wednesday, Deputy Lefleur told the jury that as the actor sat by and smoked, "essentially he was detained, not free to leave."
Officials told him at the scene that he needed to refrain from speaking to anyone until they could interview him, but a prosecutor pointed out that the bodycam video showed Baldwin continuing to discuss the incident with bystanders.
Baldwin appeared to take notes as he intently watched the video play out in court and listened to the prosecution's arguments. He has pleaded not guilty to the involuntary manslaughter charge, and maintains that he never actually pulled the trigger.
Hutchins, 42, succumbed to her injuries the same day she was shot, and Souza, 51, was treated and released from the hospital after the projectile became lodged in his shoulder.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Souza said he was shocked to find out there were live rounds in the Colt .45, instead of the blanks that should have been loaded into the weapon.
The movie's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter during her trial over Hutchins' death in March, and she was sentenced to 18 months behind bars.