Alec Baldwin has shared a photograph of his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and their six-year-old son Leo in his first personal social media post since it was announced he faces involuntary manslaughter charges.
Prosecutors in New Mexico announced last Thursday (19 January) that Baldwin is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental shooting on the set of Rust which led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The 64-year-old actor shared a picture of Hilaria sitting on the floor of their home as Leo stands behind her with his hands on her shoulders.
He captioned the post: “The old ‘let me give you a back rub’ ploy… Potato chips to follow.”
Baldwin previously posted about the forthcoming third season of his podcast, Here’s The Thing, and reposted a video about an eight-year-old cancer patient receiving a surprise video from Tom Higgenson of the band, Plain White T’s.
It comes after Melina Spadone, Rust’s production attorney, told CNN that Baldwin will continue shooting the western film despite facing up to 18 months in jail if convicted of the involuntary manslaughter charges.
Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the film’s former armourer, and first assistant director David Halls were also charged over the fatal accident. Giuterrez Reed was charged with involuntary manslaughter, while Halls already agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.
However, Oscar nominee Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintains he was told on the set that the gun was “cold”.
Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas, condemned the charges and called the prosecution’s case “a terrible miscarriage of justice” in a statement to The Independent.
He said: “Mr Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun – or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
Baldwin shares seven children with Hilaria, 39, to whom he has been married since 2012. Their children include Carmen Gabriela, nine, Raphael Thomas, seven, Leonardo Angel, six, Romeo Alejandro David, four, Aduardo Pao Lucas, two, 22-month-old Maria Lucia Victoria and three-month-old Ilaria Catalina Irena.
Over the weekend, Hilaria approached photographers in New York City while carrying Catalina to ask them to “leave my family in peace” amid the charges against her husband.
She told members of the press: “I’m going to tell you what I’m going to say, you’re not going to ask me questions. I want you guys to realise we have seven kids and you being here to escort them to school and to be there when they come home is not good.
“So, on a human level, you know that I’m not going to say anything to you. You know that. So please, leave my family in peace and let it play out.”
