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
‘The Zone of Interest’ director’s Oscars speech slammed by hundreds of Hollywood insiders in open letter
DUBAI: More than 450 Hollywood professionals have slammed “The Zone of Interest” writer-director Jonathan Glazer’s speech at the 2024 Academy Awards, in an open letter published by Variety.
While accepting the award for best international feature, Glazer connected his Holocaust film with the attack on Gaza and said: “Our film shows where dehumanization leads at its worst. It’s shaped all of our past and present.
“Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people.
“Whether the victims of October — whether the victims of Oct. 7 in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims of this dehumanization, how do we resist?”
In the open letter, movie industry figures said: “We refute our Jewishness being hijacked for the purpose of drawing a moral equivalence between a Nazi regime that sought to exterminate a race of people, and an Israeli nation that seeks to avert its own extermination.”
US actors Debra Messing, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julianna Margulies, and Brett Gelman, director Eli Roth, writer Amy Sherman-Palladino, and producer Amy Pascal were some of the Hollywood stars who signed, as did many other creatives, executives, and Hollywood professionals.
The letter added: “The use of words like ‘occupation’ to describe an indigenous Jewish people defending a homeland that dates back thousands of years and has been recognized as a state by the United Nations, distorts history.
“It gives credence to the modern blood libel that fuels a growing anti-Jewish hatred around the world, in the United States, and in Hollywood.
“The current climate of growing antisemitism only underscores the need for the Jewish state of Israel, a place which will always take us in, as no state did during the Holocaust depicted in Mr. Glazer’s film.”
Netflix drops trailer for ‘Rebel Moon 2’ starring Sofia Boutella
DUBAI: On Tuesday, Netflix dropped the full trailer for “Rebel Moon — Part 2: The Scargiver,” starring French Algerian actress Sofia Boutella.
The science fiction epic, directed by Zack Snyder, is set to premiere on April 19, 2024.
“Rebel Moon — Part 2: The Scargiver” continues the saga of Kora, played by Boutella, and the surviving warriors as they prepare to fight alongside the people of the settlement of Veldt to defend a once peaceful village, a newfound homeland for those who have lost their own in the fight against the Motherworld.
The film also stars Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae and Anthony Hopkins.
Netflix dropped the teaser trailer in December. “A gift for the fans — and rebels,” Boutella wrote on her Instagram Stories at the time, sharing the clip.
The first part of “Rebel Moon,” which ended on a cliffhanger, was released on Dec. 22, 2023, on Netflix.
In a previous interview, Boutella told Arab News that she was drawn to playing a strong female lead.
“Various aspects drew me to Kora; a big one was the chance to play a lead female character,” Boutella said. “I think that’s important. I’m grateful for Zack for thinking of having a woman as the lead character in his movie — whether it was me or someone else.”
Aside from the rare opportunity to lead an action movie, Boutella also welcomed the chance to shape a character who diverges from the archetypal hero.
“What drew me to the project was playing a character that was complicated and conflicted,” she explained. “From a drama perspective, it was ticking all the boxes: I get to do an action film with the best visual guy ever and play the most dramatic character ever.”
Boutella drew on her history as an immigrant. She grew up in Algeria during its civil war and later moved to France, and found herself navigating the complexities of adapting to a different culture. This personal connection became the emotional anchor for her portrayal of Kora, who was abducted at a young age and had to adapt to a new world.
“Having left Algeria young, when I go back there I don’t feel like I belong to Algeria. And then, in France, I don’t feel like I belong to France because I didn’t grow up there,” she explained.
Yara Shahidi, Arab gowns spotted on the NAACP Awards red carpet in Los Angeles
DUBAI: Part-Middle Eastern star Yara Shahidi made an appearance at the 55th annual NAACP Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday night as a handful of stars showed off ensembles by Arab designers.
The ceremony honored the achievements of people of color in film, television, music, and literature and saw R&B icon Usher named entertainer of the year.
“Grown-ish” star Shahidi, whose father is Iranian, attended the ceremony in a look from Italian label Ferragamo’s Spring/Summer 2024 ready-to-wear collection. Meanwhile, Usher’s wife Jennifer Goicoechea walked the red carpet by the award winner’s side in a tailored, blazer-like gown from Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad’s Resort 2024 line.
Actress Queen Latifah stunned in a lilac look by Lebanon’s Georges Hobeika, from his Fall/Winter 2023 Couture collection, and model Madisin Rian showed off a dramatic burgundy jumpsuit by Lebanese designer Saiid Kobeisy, complete with an oversized cape and beaded detailing on the bodice.
For his part, Usher hit the stage and reeled off several of his recent big moments including his sold-out residency in Las Vegas, getting married, releasing his ninth studio album “Coming Home” and his Super Bowl halftime performance, which became the most-watched in the game's history.
Usher beat out Colman Domingo, Fantasia Barrino, Halle Bailey and Keke Palmer.
“I don't know how many people do that much stuff in one setting,” said the multi-Grammy winner, who was presented the award by Oprah Winfrey. After being surprised by Winfrey's presence, he thanked those who have supported him throughout the years.
“This is for you, you, my number ones,” the singer said as the audience repeated his words back to him. The final words of his speech were recited lyrics from his popular song “Superstar” from his 2024 album “Confessions,” which has sold more than 10 million units in the US.
Earlier in the ceremony, Usher was honored with the President's Award for the singer's public service achievements through his New Look Foundation. He thanked the women in his life, including his mother and wife Jenn Goicoechea, whom he married after his Super Bowl halftime performance last month.
“The say behind or beside or with every strong man is a stronger woman,” he said.
Queen Latifah hosted the awards ceremony aired live on BET.
“The Color Purple” was awarded best motion picture. The musical film featured star-studded cast including Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Domingo, H.E.R., Danielle Brooks, Corey Hawkins and Bailey.
New Edition was inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame. The induction is bestowed on individuals who are viewed as pioneers in their respective fields and whose influence shaped their profession.
Review: Compelling documentary ‘Diaries from Lebanon’ captures hope and despair on screen
CHENNAI: A trio including two women and one man are the protagonists of Myriam El-Hajj’s documentary, “Diaries from Lebanon,” which received a fantastic reception at the recent Berlin International Film Festival. Over the span of four years, El-Hajj documents the trials and tribulations of their lives, and she spins their stories into a film of 110 minutes. Tightly knit and passionately narrated, it is a fascinating watch.
Produced by Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar and France, El-Hajj’s work begins in 2018 when a fiery feminist author and poet, Joumana Haddad, turns into a no-nonsense activist. Of course, she takes the most democratic path in the beginning and stands for election to the Lebanese Parliament, but just 24 hours later, she is thrown out in a horribly fraudulent manner. Her supporters are furious, and some months later the people’s rage snowballs into a revolution with hundreds of thousands joining in.
One among the masses is Perla Joe Maalouli. She is young and livid about the way her freedom of expression is being stifled. The camera — handled by El-Hajj, Mohamed Siam and Jihad Saad — captures her angst and her pain. In fact, she becomes the symbol of the revolution, demonstrating the frustration of the country’s youth.
The third protagonist is George, who often thinks about the past, one incident in particular. At the start of the civil war, he shoots down a bus and keeps bragging about how he could have managed the struggle much better than the current crop of protestors.
When El-Hajj explores the life and times of George, her documentary runs like an investigative reportage, which is quite interesting. This layer enriches the narrative, following the twists and turns of the political mess in Lebanon. El-Hajj's voiceover fills in and talks about her own political and private feelings. Woven into all this is the deadly 2020 explosion in Beirut’s port that destroys part of the city and also changes the lives of Haddad, Maalouli and George.
“Diaries From Lebanon” is a powerfully told story about a country in turmoil, which, as we are told, swings between hope and disappointment, passion and despair. El-Hajj captures the emotions of the everyday man in a compelling way in this must-watch.
Review: ‘The Stranger’s Case’ critiques the ‘mountainish inhumanity’ shown toward refugees
CHENNAI: Historically, refugees have borne the brunt of cruelty and most aptly “The Strangers’ Case,” which follows a family of Syrian refugees, opens with a quote from a Shakespearean play chastising the “mountainish inhumanity” shown toward refugees.
Shot in Jordan and Turkey, the film just played at the Berlin International Film Festival. The plight of refugees is examined with a lot of feeling by producer-turned-director Brandt Anderson. Though it starts and ends with Amira (Yasmine Al-Massri), a Syrian doctor who escapes from Aleppo and finds a safe haven in Chicago, “The Strangers’ Case” takes us to four countries and focuses on five families.
We see how the homeless are pressured by punishing costs of travel and the treacherous journeys they are forced to undertake in ramshackle boats. They are forever at the mercy of horrible human traffickers. Shot with a large cast — which Brandon handles with a level of confidence that is amazing for a first-timer — the movie, though, does not throw up any new angle and the screenplay runs along a familiar and well-beaten path.
The prelude begins in Chicago and introduces us to Amira, but it is not until the first chapter titled “The Doctor” that we really get to know who she is. She maintains a courageous sense of calm even when a soldier points a gun at her for saving the life of a rebel fighter. She is truly a doctor and has nothing to do with politics. However, things take a different turn when a tragedy strikes her family during a party to celebrate her birthday. Amira flees with her teenage daughter Rasha (Massa Daoud).
Several chapters follow, including the likes of “Lupin” star Omar Sy who plays Marwan, a man in charge of smuggling people across borders. He has no feeling for those hapless men, women and children. “They make it, they don't make it – the play is the same,” he growls, words laced with venomous sarcasm. Yet, Marwan is a completely different man when he is with his sick son, and he dreams of a future together in some foreign land.
One of the final chapters explores the mental anguish of a Greek Coastguard officer (Constantine Markoulakis), who cannot get over the innumerable lives lost in clandestine journeys across borders. But a shot of the Chicago Trump Tower conveys that everyone is not as sympathetic as the doctor and the coastguard who are prepared to put their own necks on the guillotine to save others.
The work may not be easy to sit through: It is intense, it is violent and gruesome, and Brandon does not hesitate to thrust in our faces the utter misery of the refugees.