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Actor Alec Baldwin (right) hugs his lawyer Alex Spiro after the involuntary manslaughter case was dropped on the set of the 2021 western.
Baldwin burst into tears in court. There were emotional scenes. The actor hugged his lawyers and his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, who was also in the courtroom. Some time later he left the building a free man.
The trial, which has been ongoing since Tuesday, revolved around the question of whether the 66-year-old actor acted negligently in the fatal shooting of a camerawoman on the set of the 2021 western film “Rust” and whether he should go to prison as that. The lead actor Baldwin pulled out a revolver during rehearsals, as requested by the director. But instead of harmless blank cartridges, live ammunition was fired. Halyna Hutchins (42) was hit by a camerawoman’s bullet and fatally wounded. If convicted, Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison.
Baldwin’s defense attorneys are now claiming that the prosecution withheld important evidence from them. It concerns a set of cartridges that came to light a few months ago and were presented by the judge in court in an envelope on Friday. From the point of view of the defense attorney, the cartridges should have been part of the earlier ballistic investigations – but the public prosecutor’s office hid them, the “New York Times” explained the argument of Baldwin’s lawyers. It constitutes a significant procedural error on the part of the state not to provide potential new evidence to the defense.
Bushido announces the end of a career
Bushido’s latest album “King Forever” was released in May.
«28 years of career – and now I think it’s just time to say goodbye, that’s why it’s really official this time, before we were just discussing an idea, now the journey last in January 2026, that his career is over,” explains Bushido, whose real name is Anis Mohamed Ferchichi.
Bushdio lives in Dubai with his wife Anna-Maria Ferchichi and their children. In March 2024, after a long break from concerts, he started his tour “King Forever!” in Berlin. Bushido previously wrote that this will be his last tour. His latest album “King Forever” was released in May.
Actress Shelley Duvall dies at 75
Shelley Duvall at the film Three Women von 1977.
she. The American actress Shelley Duvall, known from “The Shining” and “Annie Hall” is dead. Duvall died in her sleep from complications of diabetes at her home in Blanco, Texas, her partner Dan Gilroy told the media.
“Alf” star Benji Gregory dies aged 46
Alf and Benji Gregory.
The family suspects that he fell asleep in the car and died of heat stroke due to the high temperatures, they also wrote on Facebook. His assistance dog Hans was found lifeless in the vehicle. According to his sister, Gregory struggled with bipolar disorder and depression and suffered from a sleep disorder.
He probably drove to the bank the night before to make a deposit but didn’t get out of the car. Broadcaster KABC and the newspaper “USA Today”, citing the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office, reported that the cause of death was not yet determined.
Gregory played Brian, the son of the Tanner family, in the sitcom. She brings in the alien Alf when he accidentally crashes his spaceship into the garage. The shaggy monster from the planet Melmac makes a big mess of the Tanners’ lives, and Alf (an extraterrestrial life form) is also after their cat Lucky, because cats are his favorite food. His trademark also included a lot of cheeky words. In German the expression “Zero Problemo!” legends.
The series ran on NBC from 1986 to 1990 in 102 episodes and was also a great success on television in Germany. Gregory was eight years old when he took on the role of Brian.
Although he later appeared in other series such as “The A-Team”, “Punky Brewster” and “Amazing Stories”, it was not a great success. According to industry portal imdb.com, he was also temporarily employed in the US Navy weather service.
“Titanic” and “Avatar” producer Jon Landau is dead
Jon Landau in a photo from December 4, 2022, when he attended an event in London to celebrate the new film Avatar.
His family announced the death on Saturday, as reported by several US media. Alan Bergman of Disney Entertainment, which is behind the “Avatar” movies, also announced Landau’s death in a statement.
«Jon was a visionary and his extraordinary talent and passion brought some of the most unforgettable stories to the screen. His significant contribution to the film industry left an indelible mark and will be greatly missed. He was a famous and successful producer, but an even better person and a true force of nature who inspired everyone around him,” Bergman praised Landau in the statement, which was cited by several media outlets.
James Cameron: Landau spread warmth and joy in filmmaking
James Cameron, with whom Landau headed the production company Lightstorm Entertainment, also emphasized Landau’s personal qualities to the industry portal “Deadline”. Landau was “doomite, caring, integrated, restless, sensitive and truly unique.” «He produced great films not by spending power, but by spreading the warmth and joy of filmmaking. He inspired us all (…). I have lost a dear friend and my closest colleague, with whom I worked for 31 years.”
Actress Zoe Saldana, who works on the “Avatar” movies, remembered Landau on Instagram. “Your wisdom and support have shaped so many of us,” the 46-year-old wrote, among other things.
The third “Avatar” movie is scheduled to hit theaters in December 2025, followed by “Avatar 4” in 2029 and “Avatar 5” two years later. All three theatrical releases were postponed last year due to the double strike by writers and actors in Hollywood.
Investigations against the French director Jacquot
Jacquot is considered one of the most famous directors in France (“School of Desire”). Actress Judith Godrèche previously accused the 77-year-old of abusing a minor under the age of 15. With her statements at the beginning of the year, she sparked a new MeToo debate about sexual violence in the film industry.
The public prosecutor’s office is now investigating, among other things, rape, sexual assault and the rape of a minor, but only in relation to Roy and Le Besco. The incidents are said to have taken place between 1998 and 2019.
Meanwhile, Jacquot was placed under judicial supervision: For example, he is not allowed to work as a director and he is not allowed to contact minors.
Screenwriter and Oscar winner Robert Towne has died
Oscar winner Robert Towne has died at the age of 89.
His most famous work is the script for the crime film “Chinatown” (1974) about power, corruption and affairs in Los Angeles in the 1930s. The film was directed by Roman Polański and starred Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. The film received eleven Oscar nominations, but Towne was the only nominee to win the trophy for the original screenplay.
Towne has written several scripts for Tom Cruise movies, including “Days of Thunder,” “The Firm” and “Mission: Impossible.” He also worked several times with Warren Beatty (“Shampoo”, “Heaven Should Wait”) and Jack Nicholson. Towne was also hired to put the finishing touches on scripts, such as the production of such classics as “Bonnie and Clyde” and “The Godfather.”
The author also stood behind the camera as a director. He made the action film “Tequila Sunrise” (1988) with Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell. In 2006, he brought stars such as Salma Hayek, Colin Farrell and Donald Sutherland in front of the camera for the immigrant drama “Ask the Dust”.
Oscar nomination under a pseudonym
In addition to his Oscar win with “Chinatown,” Towne had three other Oscar chances with the scripts for “The Last Command,” “Shampoo” and “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.” Towne had been writing the script for the Tarzan comic for several years, but then fell out with the producers. He withdrew his author name and instead added his dog’s name – “PH Vazak” – in the film’s credits. Towne was in the Oscar race in 1985 under this pseudonym. In the end, the prize went to the script for “Amadeus”.