Yahoo Finance Alec Baldwin Says He 'Didn't Pull the Trigger' in First Sit-Down Interview Since Rust Shooting
Jeffrey Neira/ABC
Alec Baldwin says he "didn't pull the trigger" on the gun that killed Halyna Hutchins on the set of his movie Rust.
Baldwin, 63, sat down with George Stephanopoulos for his first interview since the deadly shooting occurred on Oct. 21. On Wednesday, ABC News released its first preview for the hourlong sit-down.
When asked if he pulled the trigger on the gun that killed Hutchins, the cinematographer who worked on Rust, Baldwin said, "The trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger. I would never point a gun at someone and pull the trigger on them, never."
The preview didn't include Baldwin's explanation as to how the shot was fired from the gun.
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Baldwin also said he had "no idea" how a bullet made its way into a gun that was intended to be a prop on the set of the Western film.
Asked by @GStephanopoulos how a real bullet got on the "Rust" set, Alec Baldwin says: “I have no idea. Someone put a live bullet in a gun. A bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property.”
Watch TOMORROW 8pm ET on ABC and stream later on @hulu. https://t.co/fJQly1za1T pic.twitter.com/OnpDuYERiC— ABC News (@ABC) December 1, 2021
"Someone put a live bullet in a gun," he said. "A bullet that wasn't even supposed to be on the property."
"Even now, I find it hard to believe that [the incident occurred]," he continued. "It doesn't seem real to me."
Through his tears, Baldwin also recalled Hutchins as "someone who was loved by everyone who worked with [her], liked by everyone who worked with and admired."
In the interview, airing tomorrow, Baldwin will also answer why he's speaking out now, how he believes the shooting occurred, how he's come to terms with the fatal accident and how he responds to actors like George Clooney, who say they always check guns on set before filming.
This is Baldwin's first interview since he fired a gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza on Oct. 21.
RELATED: Alec Baldwin's First Sit-Down Interview Since Rust Shooting Is 'So Raw,' Says George Stephanopoulos
The primetime special airs on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, streaming the next day on Hulu.
On Good Morning America on Wednesday, Stephanopoulos, 60, said the interview (recorded on Tuesday afternoon) is the "most intense" he has done in his career.
"It is so raw. I mean, as you can imagine he's devastated. But he was also very candid, he was very forthcoming, he answered every question. He talked about Halyna Hutchins, talked about meeting with her family as well," said Stephanopoulos. "He went through, in detail, what happened on set that day. I have to tell you I was surprised in many places over the course of that hour and 20 minutes that we sat down yesterday."
Jim Spellman/Getty; Fred Hayes/Getty
The actor publicly addressed the accident twice. In a statement posted to Baldwin's official Twitter account one day after Hutchins' death, Baldwin spoke out about the shooting for the first time, writing, "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours."
"I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family," the 30 Rock alum continued. "My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna."
After the on-set shooting occurred, a source told PEOPLE Baldwin was struggling with what happened to Hutchins and Souza.
"Alec is still trying to get his head around everything that happened," the source said. "This has been devastating. It's been incredibly difficult."
RELATED VIDEO: Alec Baldwin Seen Distraught After Accidental Shooting on Set of Rust Movie, Killing Cinematographer
On Nov. 17, Baldwin and Rust producers were named in a lawsuit filed by script supervisor Mamie Mitchell, who was allegedly standing in the line of fire when the gun went off.
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Baldwin's ABC interview will air on Thursday at 8 p.m. EST and will begin streaming later that evening on Hulu.
Next week, a two-hour 20/20 special will delve into the events ahead of the shooting on Rust and the investigations. The episode will air on Friday, Dec. 10 at 9:01 p.m. EST on ABC and be available to stream on Hulu the next day.
