Alec Baldwin says tragic Rust shooting ‘took 10 years off my life’ as he reveals toll ordeal took on his health

Alec Baldwin said his health has suffered tremendously in the four years since the tragic fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film Rust, in which the gun was in his hand.

The Oscar-nominated actor, 67, spoke with the podcast Dopey: On the Dark Comedy of Drug Addiction on Friday about what he experienced personally in the wake of the traumatic incident, in which director Joel Souza, 52, was also injured. 

‘What it’s done to my health,’ the Glengarry Glen Ross actor said on the podcast. ‘I mean, if I told you what my health conditions have been since October 21st of 2021 – it’s taken 10 years off my life – it’s taken at least 10 years off my life.’

Baldwin added, ‘I can tell you, it broke every nerve in my body, spiritually, financially, work-wise, my career, my wife, my kids, my friends, my health.’

The Cooler star was legally cleared last year in the involuntary manslaughter case brought against him in connection with the shooting.

The 30 Rock actor said that his primary focus amid the years of legal proceedings linked to the shooting was the well-being of his family.

Alec Baldwin, 67, said his health has suffered tremendously in the four years since the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchinson the set of his film Rust. Pictured earlier this month in NYC 

Baldwin was legally cleared last year in the involuntary manslaughter case brought against him in connection with the shooting. Pictured in New Mexico in July of 2024 

‘The people I was most concerned about, the people I had the deepest pain for, were my wife and my kids,’ Baldwin said on the podcast.

Baldwin and wife Hilaria, 41, are parents to seven children: daughters Carmen, 12, and María Lucía, four, and Ilaria, two; and sons Rafael, 10, Leonardo, nine, Romeo, seven, and Eduardo, five. 

Baldwin is also father to Ireland Baldwin, 30, with ex-wife Kim Basinger, 72. 

Baldwin said that his children caught on to his change in mood as result of the complications stemming from the on-set shooting.

‘My kids would see me sitting in a corner, I couldn’t even move,’ Baldwin said. 

The veteran actor said that ‘there was a point in time where I took a nap every day for a year, right after they announced they were going to raise the charges again.’

On the podcast, Baldwin ripped the prosecutors in New Mexico, as he said they ‘wanted to get their names in the paper’ by moving forward with the ultimately-unsuccessful case against him.

‘That’s what they wanted,’ Baldwin said, referring to fame and attention.

Late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins attends the SAGindie Sundance Filmmakers Reception at Cafe Terigo on January 28, 2019 in Park City, Utah 

Baldwin, seen on the set of the western, said the ordeal has ‘taken at least 10 years off my life’

Baldwin, who faced up to 18 months in prison, added: ‘Thank God for this judge who called in on them and said, you know, what you’re doing is reprehensible.’

He continued, ‘I don’t want to dwell on this, I just want to say that this was very painful for my wife and my family, my sisters and brothers and so forth, my colleagues.’

Baldwin admitted to having suicidal ideations in the wake of the incident.

‘It’s really kind of unappealing to me because to talk about killing yourself and to actually kill yourself are two so profoundly distinctive things,’ Baldwin said. ‘I think a lot of people – I think countless people think about killing themselves and ending their life, and then very few do.

‘And for me, I remember, I used to lay there in bed and go, “Oh God, I can’t wake up another day and have it be the same. It’s the same every day.”‘

He added, ‘And I can’t do it. But somehow I found the faith in God to, you know, not kill myself tomorrow. Let’s wait one more day.”‘

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.