With Rust having its premiere just last week and its eventual release coming soon enough, many will see the movie for its tragic link to the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. And while many of us won’t be able to separate the film from Hutchins, one person who won’t even try is star Alec Baldwin, who says he has no plans to see Rust just yet.
Speaking with Variety, Alec Baldwin got candid about Rust and the tragedy of Hutchins’ 2021 death, caused by a discharged round from a prop gun that Baldwin himself had fired. As for his intentions on seeing the final cut – after having seen a rough cut – he said, “Right now, no. Only because this is obviously the most difficult thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life. Beyond the victims themselves, the thing that most pains me is what it did to my wife…We are trying to get the wind in our sails, to get away from this stuff. Because the film doesn’t stand by itself. It’s always going to be overshadowed by this.”
Rust being overshadowed by Hutchins’ death is inevitable, especially as the film likely would have flown much farther under the radar without that happening. Even still – and whether he decides to watch the released version of Rust – Alec Baldwin does want the film out there, cautious to note that it has nothing to do with financial reasons. “I hope the film is released, that it comes out. That it makes its money back for its investors. You never want these people who believed in your project to be left high and dry. And I hope the movie is sold, and that he [Matt Hutchins, Halyna’s husband] gets his money. We all made a deal with him and we all want to follow through. But this idea that people — who shall remain nameless — say, ‘You are profiting from this!’ That is absolutely wrong.”
Any promotion Alec Baldwin does for Rust will see him being hit with question after question about Hutchins’ death. It’s a tough situation for anyone to be in, but it’s nearly impossible to sidestep without sounding callous, especially if you’re as blunt as Baldwin tends to be.
Will you be seeing Rust when it’s eventually released?
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