Alec Baldwin has spoken candidly about the immense personal suffering he and his family endured following the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust, stating he believes the stress ‘took 10 years off my life’.
The Tragic Incident and Legal Aftermath
The actor was charged with involuntary manslaughter after the prop weapon he was holding discharged on the New Mexico film set in October 2021, killing 42-year-old Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Hutchins left behind her husband, Matthew, and their young son, Andros.
Baldwin’s criminal trial in July 2024 was dramatically dismissed after just three days when the judge ruled prosecutors had improperly withheld evidence. However, the actor described the severe impact of being charged a second time in January 2023.
A Personal Toll: Depression and Suicidal Thoughts
During an appearance on the Dopey: On the Dark Comedy of Drug Addiction podcast, Baldwin revealed he experienced symptoms of depression and other health issues. ‘The people I was most concerned about, the people I had the deepest pain for, were my wife and my kids,’ he told host Dave Manheim.
Baldwin, who shares seven children with wife Hilaria and has a daughter from a previous marriage, said his family witnessed his struggle firsthand. ‘My kids would see me sitting in a corner. I couldn’t even move,’ he admitted. He took a daily nap for a year following the re-filing of charges.
The 67-year-old also confessed to battling suicidal thoughts in the wake of the tragedy. ‘I used to lie there in bed and go, “Oh God, I can’t wake up another day and have it be the same,”’ he shared, adding that he relied on his faith to persevere.
Ongoing Civil Cases and Industry Reckoning
While the criminal case against Baldwin is closed, several civil lawsuits remain pending. These include actions filed by Hutchins’s widower, Matthew, and her parents against Baldwin and other Rust producers.
The film’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March 2024 and served an 18-month prison sentence before being paroled in May 2025. Meanwhile, Matthew Hutchins has become an advocate for improved safety standards for firearms on film sets.
Rust eventually resumed production and was released in US theatres in May 2025, but it was a commercial failure, grossing only around $27,000 against an $8 million budget.
Baldwin, who has always denied pulling the trigger, concluded that the ordeal ‘broke every nerve in my body, spiritually, financially, work-wise, my career, my wife, my kids, my friends, my health.’ His reflection underscores the lasting human cost of the on-set tragedy that continues to reverberate through Hollywood.
