He learned of Hutchins death in his ER room.
Asked if he felt grateful to be alive, Souza said no.
I hoped I would just bleed out overnight because I didnt want to be around anymore.
Alec Baldwin and Joel Souza.Ross D. Franklin - Pool/Getty Images; Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal/AP, Pool
It was a very difficult moment.
I remember just thinking, Maybe Ill just sort of bleed to death that would suit me just fine.
When he woke up, grief struck him.
The event ruined him on a personal level, stretching beyond his career.
He wantsRust, which is complete but still needs a distributor, to make a profit for Hutchins family.
And I know this can sound trite for people who arent creative, but her last work matters.
People seeing her last work matters.
That was the tipping point for me in the decision.
The productions armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, willserve 18 months in prisonfor involuntary manslaughter.
Assistant directorDave Halls took a plea dealfor negligent use of a deadly weapon.
And Baldwin, who has said he believed the gun wasnt loaded, was charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Souza toldVanity Fairhe felt ambivalent about all of the controversy.
No one feels good about someone going to jail.
If you feel good about that, take a hard look in the mirror.
He also would not place judgment on Baldwin.
Does it matter if I think its fair or not?
And then there is another thing that says its common sense, Jesus Christ.
Be careful with this goddamn thing.
So I dont know anymore, to be honest with you.
The charges got filed.
Thats what they decided to do.
The filmmaker described his relationship with Baldwin as nonexistent; theyre neither friends nor enemies.
My recommendation is this: that no guns should ever be allowed, he said.
Nothing real that can fire anything.
It should all be fake from here on to eternity.
In May 2023, Baldwin posted onsocial mediathat filming was finished forRust.
He called the completion nothing less than a miracle.
