American actor Alec Baldwin fires prop gun on set and kills his film's cinematographer and wounds director.

by Thinus Ferreira

American media reports that the American actor Alec Baldwin has accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer on set and wounded the director of the film Rust after he fired a prop gun on the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico on Thursday.

Alec Baldwin shot and killed the Rust director of photography Halyna Hutchins (42) and wounded director Joel Souza (48). Halyna Hutchins was flown by helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque where she was pronounced dead while Joel Souza was hospitalised and is in a critical condition.

Production on Rust has immediately and indefinitely been paused that Alec Baldwin wrote, produced and had a role in as the infamous outlaw Rust whose 13-year-old grandson is convicted of an accidental murder.

Halyna Hutchins is Ukrainian-born and has been working in Los Angeles. She grew up on a Soviet military base in the Arctic Circle and attended the Kyiv National University where she graduated with a degree in international journalism before working for a period of time on British documentary productions as an investigative journalist 

"The entire cast and crew has been absolutely devastated by today's tragedy, and we send our deepest condolences to Halyna's family and loved ones," says Rust Movies Productions LLC in a statement.

"We have halted production on the film for an undetermined period of time and are fully cooperating with the Santa Fe Police Department's investigation."

"We will be providing counselling services to everyone connected to the film as we work to process this awful event."

The Santa Fe Sheriff's Department in a statement said that "Alec Baldwin was questioned by investigators and released. No arrests or charges have been filed. This investigation remains open and active. No charges have been filed in regard to this incident. Witnesses continue to be interviewed by detectives."

America's SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, in a statement, say: "We are devastated by this tragic news".

"Our hearts go out to the family of director of photography Halyna Hutchins who has passed away and to director Joel Souza who is injured and hospitalised."

"This is still an active investigation and we do not yet have all the facts. We will continue to work with production, the other unions, and the authorities to investigate this incident and to understand how to prevent such a thing from happening again."

Archenemy director Adam Egypt Mortimer, a film on which Halyna Hutchins worked previously, wrote on Twitter "I'm so sad about losing Halyna. And so infuriated that this could happen on a set. She was a brilliant talent who was absolutely committed to art and to film".

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that Alec Baldwin could be seen outside the the sheriff's office headquarters and was distraught and in tears while talking on his cellphone.

The accidental firing of guns that killed people on set in America have happened before, for instance the death of actor Jon-Erik Hexum in 1984 who accidentally shot himself on the set of the TV series Cover Up when he fired a gun loaded with blanks.

In 1993 the son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee, died after he was accidentally shot on set during filming of The Crow.

BREAKING. Up Late with Alec Baldwin pulled and cancelled by MSNBC after actor's public tirade.

Up Late with Alec Baldwin on MSNBC (TopTV 410) won't be back after it was temporarily; Up Late has been pulled from the MSNBC schedule permanently and the actor's show cancelled.

MSNBC and Alec Baldwin's publicist Matthew Hiltzik say in a joint statement that "We are jointly confirming that Up Late will not continue on MSNBC." The show started on MSNBC in October.

Earlier this month Up Late was pulled off MSNBC's schedule and Alec Baldwin suspended from appearing on the American news channel following his derogatory outburst at New York paparazzi.

MSNBC then said that Up Late would return to the schedule on 29 November but the show has now been cancelled.

BREAKING. MSNBC suspends Alec Baldwin's talk show, Up Late, temporarily, after his derogatory outburst at paparazzi.

MSNBC (TopTV 410) has suspended Alec Baldwin's talk show Up Late temporarily and the show which was not broadcast Friday night will also not be broadcast next Friday, following derogatory comments Alec Baldwin made to paparazzi this week following a court appearance.

Up Late with Alec Baldwin is seen on MSNBC on TopTV in South Africa on Saturday mornings at 05:00.

In a statement on MSNBC's website Alec Baldwin says "I did not intend to hurt or offend anyone with my choice of words, but clearly I have – and for that I am deeply sorry."

"Words are important. I understand that, and will choose mine with great care going forward. What I said and did this week, as I was trying to protect my family, was offensive and unacceptable. Behavior like this undermines hard-fought rights that I vigorously support."

"I understand Up Late will be taken off the schedule for tonight and next week. I want to apologize to my loyal fans and to my colleagues at MSNBC – both for my actions and for distracting from their good work. Again, please accept my apology."

On Thursday tabloid website TMZ published a video showing the often combative Alec Baldwin hurling gay slurs at a paparazzi photographer who had been in a confrontation with Baldwin.

MSNBC says Up Late will return to the schedule on 29 November.

Alec Baldwin getting a weekly talk show entitled 'Up Late with Alec Baldwin' on MSNBC from October.

Actor Alec Baldwin is getting his own weekly talk show on MSNBC (TopTV 410) from October, the American 24 hour TV news channel announced.

Up Late with Alec Baldwin will start in October as a weekly hour long talk show and will be shown on Friday nights late in America and will be seen in South Africa on MSNBC on Saturday mornings at 04:00.

Up Late with Alec Baldwin will focus on current events and popular culture.

"I've been talking with Alec for a while and can't wait to bring his personality and eclectic interest to MSNBC," says Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC in a statement. "He's got such passion for ideas and what's going on in the world - he's going to be a great addition to our line-up."

"I've developed a fondness for hosting a show that involved talking with smart, talented and engaging people in every imaginable field," says Alec Baldwin in the statement who've been doing a podcast show in New York for the past two years. "I'm grateful to MSNBC for helping me bring a similar show to television."