In a recent appearance on Bill Maher’s podcast, Club Random, Tarantino shared his views, asserting that while Baldwin isn’t solely responsible, he still bears some level of blame.
Discussing the incident, Tarantino attributed the majority of the responsibility to armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, explaining, “It’s a situation, I think I’m being fair enough to say, that the armorer — the guy who handles the gun — is 90% responsible for everything that happens when it comes to that gun… but but but but but…. the actor is 10% responsible.” He emphasized that actors share in the responsibility to ensure the safety of firearms on set, suggesting that Baldwin should have personally verified the weapon’s safety.
The conversation took place against the backdrop of recent developments in the legal proceedings surrounding the fatal 2021 shooting. In July, a judge in New Mexico dismissed the manslaughter case against Baldwin after discovering that crucial evidence had been improperly handled by prosecutors, effectively concealing it from Baldwin’s defense team. The actor had faced two counts of involuntary manslaughter, accused of negligence for firing a live round during a rehearsal, which resulted in Hutchins’ death and the injury of director Joel Souza.
The dismissal came after a hearing where Baldwin’s lawyers argued that evidence was hidden, describing it as “concealed” and “buried” in another case file.
Bill Maher, during his podcast, questioned the logic of blaming Baldwin, asking, “How can it be his fault? Like, either you think he purposely shot that cinematographer or you think he didn’t purposely shoot her. And if he didn’t purposely shoot her, then it’s all f*cking bullshit. Am I wrong?”
Tarantino responded by maintaining his stance that there is shared responsibility, pointing out that while the armorer’s role is critical, the actor must also engage with safety procedures: “It’s a gun. You are a partner in the responsibility to some degree… They show it to you, if there’s a step to go through, you go through them. It’s done with due diligence.”
