LOS ANGELES: US actor Alec Baldwin said he does not believe anyone will be criminally charged over the fatal shooting on the set of Western film “Rust,” telling CNN he has hired a private investigator to assess culpability for the tragedy.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died after being hit by a live round that came from a gun Baldwin was holding as he rehearsed on the New Mexico set of the low-budget movie last October.
A criminal investigation into the shooting is still ongoing, and prosecutors have not yet ruled out charges against those involved.
“I sincerely believe... (investigators are) going to say that this was an accident. It’s tragic,” said Baldwin in a rare interview about the episode, a portion of which was aired Friday.
Baldwin told CNN he had replayed the events leading up to the shooting over and over for the past 10 months.
While insisting he does not want to “condemn” Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film set’s armorer and props assistant, Baldwin pointed the finger of blame at her and assistant director Dave Halls, who handed him the gun moments before the shooting.
“Someone put a live bullet in the gun who should have known better,” Baldwin said.
“That was (Gutierrez-Reed’s) job. Her job was to look at the ammunition and put in the dummy round or the blank round, and there wasn’t supposed to be any live rounds on the set.
“There are two people who didn’t do what they were supposed to do,” he added.
“I’m not sitting there saying I want them to, you know, go to prison, or I want their lives to be hell.
“I don’t want that, but I want everybody to know that those are the two people that are responsible for what happened.”
Baldwin, who was both the star and a producer of “Rust,” has been the subject of a number of civil lawsuits over the shooting, including from Hutchins’s family.
He has previously said he was told the gun contained no live ammunition, had been instructed by Hutchins to point the gun in her direction, and did not pull the trigger.
But a recent FBI forensic report concluded that the gun could not have been fired “without a pull of the trigger.”
Meanwhile, Gutierrez-Reed has sued the film’s ammunition supplier, accusing him of leaving real bullets among the dummy cartridges.
On Thursday, her lawyer criticized the FBI for failing to carry out DNA or fingerprint testing to establish who had handled the live rounds found on set.
“It is inconceivable that the sheriff would not seek answers to this fundamental question and it raises a serious problem with the entire investigation,” said a statement from Jason Bowles.
Following Baldwin’s latest interview, lawyers for both Gutierrez-Reed and Halls told CNN that the actor was trying to deflect blame away from himself.
Baldwin also used the CNN interview to address former US President Donald Trump’s public intimation that he could have killed Hutchins on purpose.
Trump last year told a podcast that Baldwin — who frequently impersonated and ridiculed the president on “Saturday Night Live” — was a “troubled guy,” suggesting that “maybe he loaded” the gun.
Baldwin told CNN he was consequently worried that some of Trump’s supporters would “come and kill me.”
“Here was Trump, who instructed people to commit acts of violence, and he was pointing the finger at me and saying I was responsible for the death,” said Baldwin.
“There is just this torrent of people attacking me who don’t know the facts.”
Baldwin expects no charges over fatal movie set accident
https://arab.news/m5txz
Baldwin expects no charges over fatal movie set accident
- A criminal investigation into the shooting is still ongoing, and prosecutors have not yet ruled out charges against those involved
- "I sincerely believe... (investigators are) going to say that this was an accident. It's tragic," said Baldwin in a rare interview
Macklemore shares teaser for new song in support of Gazans
DUBAI: American rapper Macklemore is set to release a new song this week in support of Palestine.
Titled “Hind’s Hall,” the track honors Hind Rajab, the 6-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza while waiting to be rescued.
Drawing its inspiration from the global student protests, the singer released a teaser of the track on his Instagram feed and said that all proceeds from its sale would be donated to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
“The people, they won’t leave / What is threatening about divesting and wanting peace? / The problem isn’t the protests, it’s what they’re protesting / It goes against what our country is funding / Block the barricade until Palestine is free,” he sings.
“What you willing to risk? / What you willing to give? / What if you were in Gaza? / What if those were your kids? You’d want the world to stand up / And the students finally did.”
The full song has yet to be released on streaming platforms.
Green Day announce Dubai gig
DUBAI: US punk band Green Day are headed to Dubai in January next year.
The Grammy Award winners will make their Middle East debut at Expo City Dubai on Jan. 27 in an open-air venue that can host up to 30,000 people.
Renowned as one of the most iconic punk rock bands in recent decades, Green Day will play a selection of their biggest hits. These are expected to include “American Idiot,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends” from their eight-time platinum album “American Idiot”, as well as tracks from the 10-time platinum diamond “Dookie” and their most recent studio album, “Saviors.”
The Offspring will be the support act on the night. The US rock band has enjoyed huge success since forming in 1984, releasing 10 studio albums and selling over 40 million records worldwide.
Their biggest hits include “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy),” “Why Don’t You Get a Job?” and “Original Prankster.”
Metal bands battle it out in Jeddah
- Saudi band Wasted Land emerged as champions of the 2024 Wacken Metal Battle Middle East
JEDDAH: Wacken Metal Battle Middle East arrived in Jeddah’s Makan Music Center on Friday night, providing a platform for local metal bands to showcase their musical prowess.
The battle of the bands event featured Jaheem, Volfram, Kaizer, and Wasted Land aiming for top spot, creating a memorable experience for regional metal fans.
Wacken Metal Battle Middle East — supported by the German Consulate in Jeddah and European Weeks in Saudi, and a competition connected with Germany famous Wacken music festival — featured a jury of music experts and international guests, including judges from Germany, who evaluated the bands based on technical ability, song composition, and musical interpretation. They also took into account the band’s uniqueness, stage presence, audience interaction, execution of sound checks, communication, punctuality, and overall attitude.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Wacken Metal Battle Middle East was supported by the German Consulate in Jeddah and European Weeks in Saudi Arabia, and a competition connected with Germany’s famous Wacken music festival.
• Saudi band Volfram described the night as a ‘unique and unforgettable experience.’
The jury selected Wasted Land as the champions of the competition, meaning they now have the chance to perform at the Wacken festival, which takes place annually in Hamburg. Adding to the excitement, the winners of the 2023 event, Egyptian band Erasing Mankind also took to the stage as guest performers.
Promoter Monika Bremer said, “Since its inception 10 years ago, Metal Battle Middle East has provided numerous emerging bands with the opportunity to showcase their talent and advance their careers. This anniversary edition is an important milestone for the regional metal scene.
“Thanks to the support of our partners, emerging metal bands have the opportunity to participate in this competition and gain valuable experience,” she added.
Emad Ashor, guitarist and vocalist of Jeddah-based death metal outfit Immortal Pain and one of the judges at the event, said, “Talent, passion, and professionalism are key. This platform allows all bands to explore new experiences and pursue their dream of victory.”
Karim Mounir, composer and bassist of Erasing Mankind, who was also a judge at the event, said: “Wacken is all about embracing the present moment and fostering camaraderie between bands and the audience. Live performances truly distinguish bands, and the Saudi metal scene’s exceptional talent and musicianship have demonstrated their worthiness for such a significant event.
“The band that can most effectively captivate Wacken’s lively and inclusive crowd would be a perfect representative from the Middle East.”
Saudi band Volfram described the night as a “unique and unforgettable experience.”
Reflecting on the band’s journey to the final of the Wacken Metal Battle, a member of Kaizer said, “Being part of this competition is an honor in itself, and sharing the stage with incredible bands is an experience we will always treasure.
“Kaizer is just beginning and has so much more to offer. Our goal is to represent the Saudi metal scene in the most intense and impactful way possible. Earning the title of Jeddah’s Heaviest Music from the crowd is a recognition we deeply appreciate.”
London’s Arab Film Club launches podcast focusing on Palestine
DUBAI: The Arab Film Club, a monthly gathering in London celebrating Arab cinema, launched a podcast on May 1.
Spearheaded by the club’s founder, Sarah Agha, an Irish Palestinian actress and writer, the inaugural five-episode season of the interview-based podcast will focus on Palestinian filmmakers and cinema’s role in cultural resistance.
The debut episode features Darin J. Sallam, director of “Farha,” Jordan’s Oscars entry in 2022. In other episodes, Agha interviews Lina Soualem, (“Bye Bye Tiberias”), Ameen Nayfeh (“200 Metres”) Annemarie Jacir (“Wajib”) and Farah Nabulsi (“The Teacher”).
Agha told Arab News, “It is so urgent right now to do anything and everything we can to keep talking about Palestine. So I thought, ‘Why not do some interviews with some of my favorite Palestinian directors and put them online so everyone can listen to them?”
Reflecting on Sallam’s episode, Agha highlighted the transformative potential of cinema. “She is linking educational talks with her film, and I do believe her film is like a tool of change,” the presenter said.
Agha said she found Soualem’s documentary particularly intriguing, due to its departure from the scripted films typically showcased at the Arab Film Club.
“I wanted to make an exception for Soualem’s film because it’s another portrayal of the Nakba, but in very different terrains — like, totally different,” she explained. “My father is from Tiberias, so I was also attracted to it for that reason.”
Agha believes her podcast is launching at a time when Palestinians are being censored in the arts.
“There’s been a lot of cancellations of events to do with Palestine and Palestinian narratives,” she said. “So I think the best thing that we can do is not succumb to hopelessness. The fact that they’re trying to silence voices means those voices are significant. You don’t silence something that’s irrelevant. For example, the fact that the Israeli government tried to pressure Netflix into removing Darin’s film shows that it’s important.”
Agha hopes the podcast will appeal to a diverse audience, including non-Arabs.
“That, for me, is a really big thing. If we just talk to ourselves all the time, we won’t really get any further with reaching a wider audience,” she said.
Robert De Niro’s publicist denies video shows actor shouting at Pro-Palestine supporters
- Footage shared online was scene from upcoming Netflix series, Stan Rosenfield says
- ‘Someone copied the post and fabricated an entirely different and bogus meaning,’ he says
DUBAI: Robert De Niro’s publicist has shut down a rumor that a video clip widely shared online shows the 80-year-old actor confronting pro-Palestinian protesters in New York.
The 34-second clip has been shared on social media with the caption: “Robert De Niro stands with Israel!”
But publicist Stan Rosenfield told CNN that the Hollywood veteran was actually rehearsing a scene for his upcoming series in which he plays a former president.
“What you saw was a direct scene from the Netflix series ‘Zero Day,’ with Robert De Niro reading lines as written in the script,” he said.
The video was shot on the streets of New York on Saturday and in the clip, De Niro’s character was confronting a crowd of people, he said.
“Someone copied the post and fabricated an entirely different and bogus meaning,” he said.
Netflix supported the story, according to a report by Just Jared.
In the clip, De Niro yells at the crowd: “This is not a movie! This is not a movie! Move behind the barricade. You like talkin’ nonsense? Then you gotta go home!
“That’s dangerous and they say they’re gonna do it again! Again! You don’t want that. You don’t want that. None of us want that. C’mon. Let’s all get serious.”
The footage was shared by various pro-Israel accounts on social media with some claiming the words “They say they’re gonna do it again” were a reference to the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
