"Actor is 10% responsible" — Quentin Tarantino says Alec Baldwin shares some blame for tragic death on the set of Rust

Quentin Tarantino shared his thoughts on the fatal shooting that occurred on the set of Rust in October 2021, indicating that actor Alec Baldwin is to be partly blamed for the incident.

The Hollywood director made these comments while appearing on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast on Monday, August 26. He discussed the events leading to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and the injury of director Joel Souza. Tarantino stated:

“It’s a situation I think I am being fair enough to say that the armorer, the guy who hands him the gun, is 90% responsible for everything that happens when it comes to that gun. But the actor is 10% responsible.”

The tragedy happened when Baldwin, who was pointing a firearm that was supposed to contain blank cartridges, accidentally discharged a live bullet, which resulted in Hutchins' death and Souza's injury.

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Quentin Tarantino weighs in on Rust tragedy, says actors share responsibility in on-set firearm safety

Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, known to be a perfectionist when it comes to directing and producing films, chimed in on the case. While he emphasized that the primary danger and fault belonged to the armorer, he also noted that Baldwin could not be entirely exonerated from the blame. He said:

“The actor is 10% responsible. It’s a gun! You are a partner in the responsibility to some degree.”

Quentin Tarantino went out of his way to insist that actors who work with weapons on the set, particularly guns, are usually expected to go through the walkthrough to ensure they know this docket. He explained the routine practice that entails pointing at the actor at the barrel of the gun as an indication of the lack of bullets and subsequently pointing at it again to make sure that it contains blank bullets.

According to Quentin Tarantino, this process is crucial in preventing such tragic accidents.

Alec Baldwin in one of his court appearances (Image via Getty)

Consequently, the event resulted in severe legal implications for everyone who was part of it. Earlier this year, Alec Baldwin faced allegations and criminal charges related to the shooting, including a charge of involuntary manslaughter. However, the charges were dismissed in July 2024 due to mishandling of evidence on the part of the prosecution.

While Alec Baldwin, one of the actors in the movie, got off without having to go to prison for the fatal shooting, the armorer of the movie, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has been sentenced to spend 18 months in prison for her involvement in the shooting.

Gutierrez-Reed, who was supposed to ensure the safety of the firearms used in the production of the show, has been heavily blamed for the mishandling of the unfortunate circumstances.

2012 BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards Presented By BBC AMERICA (Image via Getty)

The conversation between Quentin Tarantino and Maher also touched on the broader issue of firearm safety in the film industry. Maher questioned why real guns are still used on set when digital effects could easily replicate gunfire in post-production.

Quentin Tarantino responded with a mix of practicality and artistic preference, arguing that shooting blanks on set provides a level of realism that is difficult to achieve digitally.

“I guess I can add digital erections to porno movies, but who wants to f***ing watch that?” Tarantino quipped, highlighting the importance of authenticity in filmmaking.

He added:

“It’s exciting to shoot the blanks and to see the orange, the real orange fire, not add orange fire.”

In regards to the real firearms used on the set, Quentin Tarantino justified this practice by highlighting the fact that fatalities as a result of shootings are rare compared to the use of fake firearms in most movies and television shows. He referenced the Rust shooting and the death of Brandon Lee in 1994 while filming The Crow, stating, “That's a pretty f***ing good record.”