Alec Baldwin says he’s not liable in fatal ‘Rust’ shooting, plus more news |

Alec Baldwin claims ‘Rust’ contract protects him from liability in Halyna Hutchins’ fatal shooting

In a new court filing related to the “Rust” set shooting death of Halyna Hutchins, lawyers for Alec Baldwin seek to distance the star from culpability for the cinematographer’s death. On March 11, Alec filed an arbitration demand against the other producers in which his lawyers argue he bears no financial responsibility for Halyna’s death, given the terms of his contract, the New York Times reported. The filing offers new details about the shooting; it also seeks coverage of Alec’s legal fees amid multiple lawsuits, including a wrongful death suit filed by Halyna’s husband and estate. Alec’s attorneys argue the star was responsible for “creative matters,” while “others had authority over hiring and budgets,” according to the Times. Some of the lawsuits have come from crew members who alleged cost-cutting measures enacted on the set ultimately created an unsafe working environment. The court docs also assert Alec bore no responsibility for checking firearm safety on set — that duty largely fell to armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who allegedly told Alec directly “it was her job to check the gun — not his,” the filing said. In breaking down the events that led to Alec fatally shooting Halyna and injuring director Joel Souza, the filing stated: “[Halyna] directed [Alec] to hold the gun higher, to a point where it was directed toward her. She was looking carefully at the monitor and then at [Alec], and then back again, as she gave these instructions. In giving and following these instructions, [Halyna and Alec] shared a core, vital belief: that the gun was ‘cold’ and contained no live rounds.” The docs continued: “Mr. Baldwin then asked Ms. Hutchins if she wanted him to pull back the hammer, as the script instructed, and she said yes. … Baldwin then pulled back the hammer, but not far enough to actually cock the gun. When Baldwin let go of the hammer, the gun went off.” Later in the filing, Alec’s lawyer wrote: “Someone is culpable for chambering the live round that led to this horrific tragedy, and it is someone other than [Alec].” The arbitration filing also reveals text messages between Alec and Halyna’s widow, Matthew Hutchins, that allegedly suggest Matthew did not initially seem to blame Alec for Halyna’s death. That apparently changed after Alec’s interview with George Stephanopoulos, in which he said he was not responsible for Halyna’s death. Finally, the documents deny claims made by some crew members that Alec failed to attend weapon safety trainings. The actor’s lawyers argue he asked about taking the training lessons about a month before he arrived on the New Mexico set. Halyna, who shared a 9-year-old son with her husband, died on Oct. 21. She was 42.

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Ben Affleck cameos in new Jennifer Lopez video decades after ‘Jenny From the Block’

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are poised to fuel a new round of engagement rumors, thanks to Ben’s subtle cameo in Jen’s latest music video. And if the thought of Ben appearing in a J.Lo video gives you flashbacks to the on-again couple’s first stab at romance in the early aughts, you’re not alone. During their “Bennifer” heyday nearly 20 years ago, Ben appeared as the singer’s love interest throughout her 2002 “Jenny from the Block” music video. Now, he’s back as Jen’s main squeeze in the new video for the ballad version of her song, “Marry Me” from her recent movie. In the new video, released on March 11, Ben’s screen time is much more subdued now than it was in his 2002 video cameo. In fact, we don’t see Ben’s face — just snaps of Jen with a guy (who’s clearly Ben, given what we do see) as they commence snuggling, holding hands and playfully flirting in bed. Jen and Ben previously called off their engagement in 2004. Though they haven’t confirmed whether marriage is on the table in 2022, Jen said on the “Today” show last fall, “I still believe in happily ever after, for sure,” when asked if she’d consider another trip down the aisle. The actress and singer also gushed about Ben to People earlier this year. “I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with him,” she said at the time. “It’s a beautiful love story that we got a second chance.”

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Ukraine-born Mila Kunis says the Russian people are not ‘enemy’

On March 11, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher announced they’ve raised more than $20 million in less than one week to support refugees fleeing Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion. As the couple…