Mickey Rourke offers to testify for Alec Baldwin
Mickey Rourke has offered to testify in Alec Baldwin's defence in his trial over the death of Halyna Hutchins, insisting actors shouldn't be responsible for weaponry on set.
Mickey Rourke has offered to testify in Alec Baldwin's defence in his trial over the death of Halyna Hutchins.
The former '30 Rock' actor has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after a gun he was holding discharged and killed the cinematographer on the set of 'Rust' in October 2021, and when the case comes to court in July, the 'Wrestler' star is happy to take to the stand and argue the responsibility for weapon usage while making a movie or TV show shouldn't lie with the cast.
Mickey told TMZ: "Whatever Alec needs I’ll be there 100%. The armorer is 100% responsible for any gun handed to an actor. Especially, to an actor who didn't have experience with guns."
According to the outlet, Alec's team are considering putting together a list of famous people who could potentially testify on his behalf, eyeing people who have previously spoken out in his defence, including Mickey, his 'Rust' co-star Frances Fisher, Debra Messing and DJ Qualls.
However, the 71-year-old star confirmed he has yet to be asked to give evidence.
Mickey previously sprung to defend Alec on Instagram when he was first charged over the tragedy.
He wrote in January 2023: "I usually never put my 2 cents in about what happens on someone’s movie set.
"It’s a terrible tragedy what happened to a cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. But no way in hell actor Alec Baldwin should be charged with any negligence whatsoever.
"Most actors don’t know anything about guns especially if they didn’t grow up around them.
"Alec didn’t bring the gun to the set from his house or his car,when weapons are involved on a movie set,the guns are supposed to he handled only by the “weapon armor” .
"In some cases the 1st AD might pass a gun to an actor,but most of the time the gun is handed to the actor directly by the “gun armor”. There’s what “armor’s job is on the set. To have an expert around any type of dangerous weapon. The actor then has an option of dry firing the gun him or himself to double check.
"Noway in hell should Alec Baldwin be blamed for this unfortunate tragedy. Why “the powers to be charging Baldwin with this responsibility is terribly wrong.
"I am sure Alec is already suffering enough over what happened. But to lay a blame on him is terribly terribly wrong...
"With my deepest condolences to Halyna Hutchins,to her family and her friends.(sic)"
Earlier this week, the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and could be jailed for up to 18 months when she is eventually sentenced.
First assistant director Dave Halls previously entered a plea of no contest to a misdemeanour charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon and was sentenced to a six-month suspended sentence with unsupervised probation, a $500 fine, 24 hours of community service and a firearms safety class.
