Alec Baldwin Reveals He Wants to ‘Retire’ After ‘Unspeakably Difficult’ Fatal ‘Rust’ Incident

Alec Baldwin wants to step back from acting to spend more time with his family following the fatal shooting on the film set of Rust.

The 30 Rock alum, 68, admitted he has struggled to cope with the aftermath of the incident on the set of the western in October 2021. Baldwin was holding a prop gun when it discharged, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

During an appearance on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast on Monday, April 13, Baldwin explained, “We had this incident, this tragedy, in New Mexico, where Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of the film, and that was unspeakably difficult to deal with.”

“Because of the situation in New Mexico, which was very painful, I wound up staying home a lot,” he continued. “I was home with my kids for three-and-a-half years — I hardly worked at all — and that’s just changing now. I’m going to go off and do a bunch of things.”

“But I was home and I got used to it, and I don’t want to leave my house anymore. I don’t. I don’t want to work anymore. I don’t. I really don’t,” the Beetlejuice actor admitted. “I want to retire and stay home with my kids.”

Baldwin also recalled “eight days” where he was unable to get out of bed, and struggled to walk after he went back to finish the film, which he said he had to do as part of the agreement in the settlement.

“I had to go to physical therapy for two weeks,” he shared. “And I had to get up on a horse and go back there to Montana to finish the film, or they were going to sue the s out of me.”

“I get there, and I don’t give the performance I want to give because I’m sick, but I did the best I could,” he added.

Baldwin married his wife Hilaria Baldwin in 2012 and they share seven children under 13. He also has a 30-year-old daughter,  Ireland, with ex-wife Kim Basinger.

As per a People report, involuntary manslaughter charges against him were dismissed with prejudice in 2024 after a judge ruled prosecutors had sat on evidence which could have helped explain how live ammunition ended up being on the film set.

He also used the podcast appearance to speak about the new documentary The Trial of Alec Baldwin, which is yet to be released publicly but was shown at a New York film festival in November 2025.