Alec Baldwin to give first interview after fatal 'Rust' shooting

Actor will sit down for first in-depth discussion since accidental shooting in October

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Actor Alec Baldwin will give his first structured interview since the fatal shooting on the film set of the movie Rust on Thursday with ABC's George Stephanopoulos.

Baldwin fired a prop gun loaded with live ammunition on the Rust set in New Mexico on October 21, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

It will be the first time Baldwin has spoken in depth about the shooting. The interview will air on ABC at 8pm EST on Thursday and stream on Hulu later that evening.

ABC said a two-hour special episode of 20/20 next week will feature a thorough examination of the investigation into the shooting and more clips from the Stephanopoulos interview.

“I have done thousands of interviews at ABC News over the last 20 years. This was the most intense that I have ever experienced,” Stephanopoulos said on Good Morning America on Wednesday morning.

In previewing the interview, Stephanopoulos described Baldwin as “raw” and “very candid".

Thursday's interview will be the first time Baldwin publicly comments on the shooting since speaking to reporters who had intercepted him and his wife Hilaria in Manchester, Vermont.

“There are incidental accidents on film sets from time to time, but nothing like this. This is a one in a trillion episode,” Baldwin said.

A lawsuit filed last month accused the actor of recklessly firing the gun that killed Hutchins and injured Mr Souza. It was the second lawsuit to be filed against Baldwin following the shooting.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer responsible for weapons on the film set, said she had “no idea” why live rounds were present.

On Tuesday, authorities searched the premises of an Albuquerque-based firearms and ammunition supplier though no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Updated: December 01, 2021, 6:05 PM