Actor Alec Baldwin gave a brief on-camera interview Saturday to photographers about the shooting that occurred on the set of “Rust” last week, noting that he could not speak about the investigation.
>> Read more trending news
However, the 63-year-old actor spoke about Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who was killed when Baldwin discharged his prop gun on the set in New Mexico on Oct. 21, where the 1880s-style Western was being filmed.
The video, which lasted less than four minutes, was posted on TMZ’s website. Baldwin and his wife Hilaria Baldwin, were on a roadside in Vermont, with their young children when the actor asked photographers “what do you want to know?” Variety reported.
“I’m not allowed to make any comments because it’s an ongoing investigation,” Baldwin said in the video. “I’ve been ordered by the sheriff’s department in Santa Fe. I can’t answer any questions about the investigation. I can’t.”
Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded when Baldwin fired a prop gun he believed was safe to use, officials said in a search warrant filed in a Santa Fe, New Mexico, court. The bullet struck Hutchins in the chest and injured Souza, who was standing behind her, in the shoulder, according to The Associated Press and KOAT.
>> Alec Baldwin releases first statement after prop gun incident that killed cinematographer
Baldwin called Hutchins, 42, who died at an Albquerque hospital, “my friend.”
“She was my friend,” Baldwin said in the video. “She was my friend. The day I arrived in Santa Fe to start shooting I took her to dinner with Joel, the director.
“We were a very, very, well-oiled crew shooting a film together and then this horrible event happened,” Baldwin said in the video.
>> Who was cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, killed by Alec Baldwin’s ‘prop gun’?
Authorities are continuing to investigate the shooting, and Baldwin said he could not give any more details about their work.
“Now, I’ve been told, multiple times, not to make any comments about the ongoing investigation,” Baldwin said. “And I can’t.”
Here are some memorable photos of actor Alec Baldwin through the years.
1985: Author Gore Vidal poses with actors that will appear in the NBC-TV miniseries "Dress Gray" on Dec. 16, 1985. Actor Alec Baldwin is at left.
1988: Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, right, react in horror when they first encounter the demonic Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) in the supernatural comedy "Beetlejuice," 1988.
1990: Actor Alec Baldwin, left, is shown during rehearsals at NBC’s "Saturday Night Live," with musical guests the B-52s, Keith Strickland, second from left, Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider, partially obscured, in New York on April 19, 1990.
1991: Composer John Barry stands between presenters Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin as he holds his Oscar for best original score for the film "Dances With Wolves" backstage at the 63rd annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles on March 25, 1991.
1992: Actors Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin appear at a special industry screening of "Final Analysis," in which she stars, in Los Angeles on Feb. 7, 1992.
1993: Actress Julie Harris, right, poses with actor Alec Baldwin, center, and actress Joan Van Ark at the gala benefit for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, Sunday evening, Feb. 7, 1993.
1994: Actress Kim Basinger is shown in a June 26, 1994, photo with her husband, actor Alec Baldwin.
1995: Actor Alec Baldwin arrives for the 1995 Tony Awards at Broadway’s Minskoff Theater in New York on June 4, 1995.
1996: Al Pacino and Alec Baldwin star in "Looking for Richard."
1998: Married American actors Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger sit at a table during the Golden Globe Awards ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, California, on January 18, 1998.
1999: American actor Alec Baldwin and wife Kim Basinger.
2000: Actor Alec Baldwin and wife Kim Basinger arrive for the world premiere of "I Dreamed of Africa" on April 18, 2000, at Sony Theatres Lincoln Square in New York City.
2001: Actor Alec Baldwin arrives at the world premiere of Disney’s "Pearl Harbor" on May 21, 2001, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
2002: Actor Alec Baldwin speaks to delegates having dinner at the Florida Democratic Party State Conference on April 13, 2002, in Lake Buena Vista, near Orlando, Florida.
2004: Best supporting actor winner Alec Baldwin attends the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures 2003 annual Awards Gala at Tavern on the Green January 13, 2004, in New York City.
2004: Alec Baldwin and his date attend the American Theater Wing luncheon honoring Isabelle Stevenson at the Pierre Hotel on April 19, 2004, in New York City.
2005: Actor Alec Baldwin and daughter Ireland Eliesse Baldwin arrive at PETA’s 15th Anniversary Gala and Humanitarian Awards at Paramount Studios on September 10, 2005, in Hollywood, California.
2006: Actor Alec Baldwin speaks during a segment of "The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson" at CBS Television Studios on November 3, 2006, in Los Angeles.
2007: The cast of "30 Rock" poses in the pressroom with their Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series during the 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on September 16, 2007, in Los Angeles.
2008: Actors Tina Fey (left) and Alec Baldwin pose in the press room with their Emmys for Best Actor for "30 Rock" during the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre on September 21, 2008, in Los Angeles.
2009: Actor Alec Baldwin (left) and his daughter, Ireland, pose with his award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for "30 Rock" in the press room at the 15th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009, in Los Angeles.
2010: Co-hosts Steve Martin (left) and Alec Baldwin onstage during the 82nd annual Academy Awards held at Kodak Theatre on March 7, 2010, in Hollywood, California.
2011: Hilaria Thomas (left) and Alec Baldwin attend Tony Bennett’s 85th Birthday Gala Benefit for Exploring the Arts at the Metropolitan Opera House on September 18, 2011, in New York City.
2012: Alec Baldwin (left) and Hilaria Thomas attend the 2012 Ripple of Hope Gala at the New York Marriott Marquis on December 3, 2012, in New York City.
2013: Actor Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria Thomas arrive at the 19th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on January 27, 2013, in Los Angeles.
2014: Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin attend the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 13th annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street on October 28, 2014, in New York City.
2015: Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Thomas attend OCRF’s 18th annual Super Saturday NY Hosted by Donna Karan and Kelly Ripa on July 25, 2015, in Water Mill City.
2016: Alec Baldwin as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Kate McKinnon as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during the "Debate Cold Open" sketch on "Saturday Night Live" on October 1, 2016.
2017: Alec Baldwin speaks onstage during the We Stand United NYC Rally outside Trump International Hotel & Tower on January 19, 2017, in New York City.
2018: Board of Directors Co-Chair Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin and their children attend the red carpet and chairman’s reception at Suna Residence during the Hamptons International Film Festival 2018 on October 6, 2018, in East Hampton, New York.
2019: Ireland Baldwin and Alec Baldwin attend the Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin at Saban Theatre on September 7, 2019, in Beverly Hills, California.
2020: Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin and Carmen Baldwin pose backstage at the Badgley Mischka show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at Gallery I at Spring Studios on February 8, 2020, in New York City.
2021: Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin and their kids attend as DreamWorks Animation presents "The Boss Baby: Family Business" world premiere at SVA Theatre on June 22, 2021, in New York City.
Baldwin said he met with Hutchins’ husband and her son after the incident but said he “wouldn’t know how to categorize” how it went, Variety reported.
“The guy is overwhelmed with grief,” Baldwin said in the video. “There are incidental accidents on film sets from time to time, but nothing like this. This is a one-in-a-trillion episode.
Russ Backers, a stagehand and welder in IATSE Local 33, lays down his union pin for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a candlelight vigil for her, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Candles flicker during a vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Attendees embrace at a candlelight vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, pictured in photographs in the background, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Attendees kneel at a candlelight vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, pictured in photographs, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
A woman lays down a candle during a vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, seen in photographs at top right, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Attendees hold candles during a vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Attendees hold candles at a vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Attendees at a candlelight vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins look at an image of her at work, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Karin Tucker, who was head of admissions for the American Film Institute when the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was a student there, takes part in a candlelight vigil for Hutchins, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Lisa Walker, right, joins other attendees at a candlelight vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
An image of the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is projected at top left at a candlelight vigil for her, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Attendees gather in the hundreds for a candlelight vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Attendees hold candles during a vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
A man puts up a wreath before a candlelight vigil for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
“So, he is in shock. He has a 9-year-old son, and we’re in constant contact with him. We’re very worried about his family and his kid,” Baldwin said on the video. “As I said, we are eagerly awaiting the (Santa Fe) sheriff’s department telling us what their investigation has yielded.”
>> Alec Baldwin shooting: How can a prop gun, blanks kill?
Baldwin addressed the growing movement for the movie industry to rethink its use of firearms in film and television productions, Variety reported.
>> Alec Baldwin shooting: Brandon Lee’s sister speaks out
“That’s not for me to decide,” Baldwin said in the video. “It’s urgent that you understand I’m not an expert in this field, so whatever other people decide is the best way to go in terms of protecting people’s safety on film sets, I’m all in favor of, and I will cooperate with that in any way that I can.”
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office responds to the scene of a fatal accidental shooting at a Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set near Santa Fe, N.M., on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Authorities say a cinematographer has been killed and a director injured Thursday after they were shot by a prop firearm on the "Rust" movie set.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office responds to the scene of a fatal accidental shooting at a Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set near Santa Fe, N.M., on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Authorities say a cinematographer has been killed and a director injured Thursday after they were shot by a prop firearm on the "Rust" movie set.
This aerial video image provided by KOAT 7 News shows the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office responding to the scene of a fatal accidental shooting at a Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set near Santa Fe, N.M., on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Authorities say a cinematographer has been killed and a director injured Thursday after they were shot by a prop firearm on the "Rust" movie set.
An exterior view shows a lighted ’emergency’ sign near the emergency entrance to Christus St. Vincent Medical Center, where "Rust" director Joel Souza was transported, on October 21, 2021, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Souza was injured and director of photography Halyna Hutchins was killed on set while filming the movie "Rust" at Bonanza Creek Ranch on Thursday. The film’s star and producer, Alec Baldwin, discharged a prop firearm that hit Hutchins and Souza, authorities said.
An exterior view shows the entrance to Christus St. Vincent Medical Center, where "Rust" director Joel Souza was transported, on October 21, 2021, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Souza was injured and director of photography Halyna Hutchins was killed on set while filming the movie "Rust" at Bonanza Creek Ranch on Thursday. The film’s star and producer, Alec Baldwin, discharged a prop firearm that hit Hutchins and Souza, authorities said.
An exterior view shows a sign directing patients to the emergency entrance to Christus St. Vincent Medical Center, where "Rust" director Joel Souza was transported, on October 21, 2021, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Souza was injured and director of photography Halyna Hutchins was killed on set while filming the movie "Rust" at Bonanza Creek Ranch on Thursday. The film’s star and producer, Alec Baldwin, discharged a prop firearm that hit Hutchins and Souza, authorities said.
An exterior view shows a sign directing patients to the emergency entrance to Christus St. Vincent Medical Center, where "Rust" director Joel Souza was transported, on October 21, 2021, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Souza was injured and director of photography Halyna Hutchins was killed on set while filming the movie "Rust" at Bonanza Creek Ranch on Thursday. The film’s star and producer, Alec Baldwin, discharged a prop firearm that hit Hutchins and Souza, authorities said.
Authorities identified the slain victim as Halyna Hutchins, a 42-year-old cinematographer, The Associated Press reported. She is shown here in a 2019 file photo.
The film’s director, 48-year-old Joel Souza, was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for injuries, officials said. He is shown here in a 2019 file photo.
In this Sept. 21, 2015, file photo, actor Alec Baldwin attends a news conference at United Nations headquarters. A prop firearm discharged by Baldwin, who is starring and producing a Western movie, killed his director of photography and injured the director Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, at the movie set outside Santa Fe, N.M., the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said.