Quentin Tarantino Explains Why Alec Baldwin Was '10% Responsible' For 'Rust' Shooting
Quentin Tarantino thinks Alec Baldwin holds some responsibility for the fatal shooting that occurred on the set of his western film, “Rust,” back in 2021.
The director discussed the incident and Baldwin’s subsequent criminal trial during an appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast. The episode was released on Sunday.
Though Maher thought it was absurd that Baldwin was charged with mishandling the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza, Tarantino disagreed.
“I think I am being fair enough to say that the armorer, the guy who handles the gun, is 90% responsible for everything that happens when it comes to that gun,” said the “Pulp Fiction” director, who has had prop firearms on many of his film sets.
“But the actor is 10% responsible,” Tarantino added. “The actor is 10% responsible. It’s a gun. You are a partner in the responsibility to some degree.”
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer for “Rust,” was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March, having been found responsible for accidentally loading live ammunition into the prop gun used on set.
While Baldwin faced the same charges, his case was dismissed after the defense accused police and prosecutors of hiding evidence during his trial last month.
Tarantino also explained how actors need to be properly trained and briefed before handling any firearms while filming, telling Maher that “if there’s steps to go through, you go through them. It’s done with due diligence, and you know it’s fucking for real.”
“Here’s how an actor can handle it,” Tarantino continued. “If he went through the steps that he was supposed to go through … they show you that the barrel is clear, that there’s not anything wedged in between the