A clip from Alec Baldwin's first sit-down interview one month after the "Rust" tragedy has just been released. George Stephanopoulos interviews Baldwin, and his full interview will air on ABC this week.
In the teaser, Baldwin said that he did not pull the trigger. He also denied pointing a loaded gun at assistant director Halyna Hutchins. When Stephanopoulos asked Baldwin how the live rounds got into the prop gun, the actor said he had no idea.
"Someone put a live bullet into a gun. A bullet that wasn't even supposed to be on the property," Baldwin said via the BBC.
Baldwin also talked about Hutchins and said that the assistant director was well-loved by everyone on set, according to CNN.
The actor is also expected to share his thoughts about George Clooney's recent statement regarding gun safety. The "Ocean's Eleven" actor said that as someone who has worked with guns on set for years, it was his practice always to check the prop to ensure that there are no live rounds.
George Stephanopoulos calls Alec Baldwin interview intense
During his appearance on "Good Morning America," Stephanopoulos also talked about his interview with Baldwin. He said that it's one of his most intense interviews to date. The host also described Baldwin's demeanor as forthcoming and said that the actor was devastated throughout their conversation.
However, Baldwin's denial that he didn't pull the trigger didn't sit well with his critics. On Twitter, some people couldn't help accuse the actor of lying about what really happened on the set of "Rust" in New Mexico two months ago.
One person said that Baldwin's tears were fake and just as bad as his acting career.
Another person said that Baldwin's claims that he didn't pull the trigger are just surprising even though what transpired might have really been an accident.
Another critic said that the gun was in the actor's hand, so he cannot deny that he pulled the trigger. The same person also slammed Stephanopoulos for not calling Baldwin out on his lie.
More people called Baldwin irresponsible for not checking the gun beforehand and for not admitting to his wrongdoing.
Others are also calling out for a thorough investigation that could prove or disprove Baldwin's claims. They also want the actor to go to jail if he is proven guilty.
His lawyers advised Baldwin not to respond to queries about the incident after he initially spoke with reporters hours after the accidental shooting.
At the time, a devastated Baldwin told reporters that their set was a well-oiled machine, but this statement reportedly put the actor in a much bigger dilemma.
'Rust' armorer's lawyers claimed there was a sabotage
Following the incident, "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's lawyers claimed that there must have been sabotage on the movie set.
Jason Bowles said that there was a box of dummy rounds labeled dummy on the set of "Rust." He said that no one knows how the live rounds got into the box, but it's highly likely that someone put it there, according to NBC News.
Related Article: George Clooney Weighs In on 'Rust' Shooting, Says Friend's Death Encouraged Him To Follow Safety Protocols
