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A week before a tragic on-set shooting accident involving Alec Baldwin would claim the life of one crew member and injure another, his co-star Jensen Ackles discussed his weapons training for the film, Rust, while at a fan convention.
The 43-year-old was at a Denver event for Supernatural, his former long-running CW show, when he told the crowd about a big ‘shootout’ he had the next morning for his upcoming film.
A day prior, Rust star Alec Baldwin accidentally killed Halyna Hutchins, a 42-year-old married mother-of-two and the Director of Photography on his new movie on a ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and injured the director in a gun mishap.
Tragic irony: A week before a tragic on-set shooting accident involving Alec Baldwin would claim the life of one crew member and injure another, his co-star Jensen Ackles discussed his weapons training for the film, Rust, while at a fan convention
Ackles, who frequently used a gun playing Dean Winchester for 15 seasons on Supernatural, regaled a crowd of fans with an anecdote about his brief gun training for Rust a week before Baldwin’s tragic gun accident.
‘I’ve got a 6 AM call tomorrow to have a big shootout,’ Ackles was heard saying in a video captured by a fan. ‘They had me pick my gun, they were like, “Alright, what gun would you like?” and I was like, “I don’t know?” and the armorer was like, “Do you have gun experience?”‘
‘I was like, “A little.” And she’s like, “Okay, well, this is how you load it, this is how we check it and make sure it’s safe.”‘
The crowd, as well as Jensen’s Supernatural co-star Jared Padalecki, burst out laughing since the actor had so much on-camera experience shooting.
He continued with the story, telling the group that the armorer told him to fire off some blank rounds over in a field.
‘So she’s like, ‘I’ll just put some blanks in there and just fire a couple of rounds towards the hill.’
‘I’ve got a 6 AM call tomorrow to have a big shootout,’ Ackles was heard saying in a video captured by a fan. ‘They had me pick my gun, they were like, “Alright, what gun would you like?” and I was like, “I don’t know?” and the armorer was like, “Do you have gun experience?”‘
‘I walk out and she’s like, ‘Just make sure you pull the hammer all the way back and aim at your target’.
Demonstrating how he did it in training, Jensen said he whipped the gun out of his holster and expertly fired the weapon, leading the armorer to jokingly call him ‘an a**hole’ for pretending like he was inexperienced.
During the appearance, Jensen didn’t mention the name of the film but said he was thrilled to be doing a Western.
He revealed that before landing the role, his manger had him on a Zoom call with the director and Alec Baldwin. That same director, Joel Souza, was injured in the shooting accident that claimed the life of the director of photography on Thursday.
A distraught Baldwin said on Friday there are ‘no words to convey his shock and sadness’ after accidentally shooting and killing the female cinematographer on the set of his new movie Rust, and that he was cooperating fully with the police investigation into what happened.
He is believed to have fired a single round from a prop gun that somehow struck both Hutchins and the movie’s director.
Witnesses cited by Showbiz 411 said the single bullet struck Hutchins in the body, and pierced Souza’s clavicle. Hutchins was airlifted to the hospital but was pronounced dead. Souza was taken to the hospital by ambulance but was released on Thursday evening.
Behind the scenes: Demonstrating how he did it in training, Jensen said he whipped the gun out of his holster and expertly fired the weapon, leading the armorer to jokingly call him ‘an a**hole’ for pretending like he was inexperienced
Baldwin, 63, was taken to the sheriff’s department to be questioned. He was released without charge after giving a tearful interview. Afterwards, he was photographed doubled over in shock and grief as he spoke on the phone.
In two tweets on Friday, Baldwin said described the shooting as a ‘tragic accident.
‘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. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna,’ he said.
Hutchins’ grieving husband Matthew told DailyMail.com on Friday morning that he had spoken with the actor.
‘I have spoken with Alec Baldwin and he is being very supportive,’ he said.
It remains unconfirmed if it was a live round or a blank that was fired; a prop masters’ union described it on Friday morning as a ‘live round’ and Baldwin was heard asking people around him why he’d been handed a ‘hot gun’.
Tragic: A distraught Baldwin said on Friday there are ‘no words to convey his shock and sadness’ after accidentally shooting and killing the female cinematographer on the set of his new movie Rust, and that he was cooperating fully with the police investigation into what happened (Baldwin pictured in tears after being questioned by police)
‘In all my years, I’ve never been handed a hot gun,’ he was heard saying.
A spokesman for both the film production and Baldwin said on Thursday night that it was an accident involving a ‘gun loaded with blanks’.
It is common on movie sets for actors to use real guns loaded with blanks or dummy bullets to give a more lifelike effect in shooting. But it remains unclear how a blank could have killed Hutchins, or how a live round accidentally ended up in the gun’s chamber when Baldwin pulled the trigger.
The movie’s prop master – who is ordinarily in charge of the weapons – has not yet been named.
Police have disclosed few details about the shooting, saying only that a ‘projectile’ was fired by a ‘prop gun’ and they are investigating.
Prop masters union IATSE 44 told members on Thursday night in an email that a ‘live’ round was fired.
DailyMail.com has also obtained a portion of the 911 call that was placed from the set. In the three-second long clip , a woman can be heard saying: ‘We have two people accidentally shot.’
The production employed ’73 New Mexican crew, 22 New Mexico principal actors, and 230 New Mexico background talent’ according to a press release issued earlier this month.
According to the prop masters’ union email, the ‘Props, Set Decoration, Special Effects and Construction Departments were staffed by New Mexico crew members’ – none of whom belonged to the union.
Mike Tristano, 60, a Hollywood armorer with 30 years’ experience who spoke to the Dailymail.com, said ultimate responsibility for gun safety on movie set rests with the armorer.
The movie’s armorer or weapons master has not been been named. Sante Fe Sheriff’s Department says it will continue to interview ‘witnesses’ on Friday.
Tragic: Halyna Hutchins, 42, (left) was shot dead in the incident on Thursday at the Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where writer-director Joel Souza, 48, (right) was also injured
‘There should have been blanks in the gun, the on-set armorer’s job is to check that before handing the weapon over,’ Tristan said.
‘They then make sure that the actor stands on a mark and never points the gun at the crew or cast… the editing makes it seem like they were pointing at their co-actor.
‘That’s why everyone in the industry is very confused. How this happened is a total mystery at the moment.’
Tristan added that he has worked with Baldwin before, on the set of 1998 film Thick as Thieves, calling him ‘very safe’ and a ‘total professional’.
‘I was surprised to hear it was him,’ he added.
DailyMail.com has also obtained a portion of the 911 call that was placed from the set. In the three-second long clip , a woman can be heard saying: ‘We have two people accidentally shot.’
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