Alec Baldwin claimed Americans are “uninformed” as they appeared at the 42nd Turin Film Festival in Turin, Italy, on Monday.
The Rust actor, 66, gave his scathing assessment of the American worldview during a press conference, stating that Americans “know little or nothing” about world issues.
“There is a gap, a vacuum… a gap in information for Americans,” he said in a clip shared by The Hollywood reporter on X.
“Americans are very uninformed about the reality, what’s really going on: climate change, Ukraine, you name it. The biggest topics in the world, Americans need a little information.”
‘You know what’s going on from the news, but information in America is driven by money. It’s a business.’
He went on to say that the vacuum is being “filled by the film industry.” Not just the independent film industry, not just the documentary film industry, but also narrative films.”
Alec Baldwin, 66, claimed Americans were ‘uninformed’ as they appeared at the 42nd Torino Film Festival in Turin, Italy on Monday (pictured)
The father of eight children was honored with the Lifetime Award at the festival.
He appeared at the press conference on the condition that questions about the fatal shooting in Rust, which killed cameraman Halyna Hutchins, would not be allowed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Rust halted production after the Still Alice star’s prop gun went off on October 21, 2021, killing cinematographer Halyna and injuring director Joel Souza.
During the conference, he was also asked about his hopes and concerns for Donald Trump’s administration, and he said there are “many challenges ahead.”
The Golden Globe Award winner cited “the environment, the problem of plastic, of permafrost” as “real problems that need to be solved.”
He then mentioned the need to use more renewable energy sources such as solar energy. However, he believes that we cannot completely stop the use of oil and gas, especially when it comes to emergency vehicles that need to be ready to go at any time.
Elsewhere during the conference, he was asked about the importance of female directors, with the actor saying he thinks it’s ‘a good thing’ that there are more women behind the camera these days.
He adds: ‘For some films you obviously need an energetic director who moves the camera continuously and perhaps a male director is better: but for a comedy or a drama with a lot of talking, what is the difference between a male director and a film director? female director?’
The Rust actor gave his scathing assessment of the American worldview during a press conference, stating that Americans ‘know little or nothing about the world’.
“There is a gap, a vacuum… a gap in information for Americans,” he said in a clip shared by The Hollywood Reporter
“Americans are very uninformed about the reality, what’s really going on – climate change, Ukraine, you name it,” the Golden Globe winner said
‘You know what’s going on from the news, but information in America is driven by money. It’s a business,” the actor added
Baldwin was honored with the Lifetime Award at the festival
The actor put his best foot forward as he posed for photographers in Turin amid claims he is trying to save his career following the fatal shooting in 2021.
The star looked dapper in charcoal gray trousers and a navy blue blazer with a matching gray and navy blue striped tie to rally the life of Stella della Mole for his acting career.
He went solo for his performance at the festival after claiming he was using his family to rebuild his reputation through their new reality show.
During the filming of Rust, a live bullet had somehow ended up in the vintage Colt revolver Alec was holding.
Hutchins, 42, had been demonstrating how she wanted him to hold the gun when it went off, fatally shooting her in the chest.
In the immediate aftermath, the Boss Baby actor said he was sad, but he denied responsibility and was released on a charge of involuntary manslaughter on a technicality.
While Alec flew around the world to accept awards, he was noticeably absent from the emotional Rust premiere in Poland.
During the event, the injured director and friends of the late cinematographer Halyna gathered in her honor.
The film premiered on Wednesday at the EnergaCAMERIMAGE Film Festival in Toruń, Poland, but without Alec.
The actor was not invited to the event for fear that his presence would overshadow the premiere.
More than three years after the shooting, the Hollywood veteran does not retreat into the shadows.
He appeared at the press conference on the condition that questions about the fatal shooting in Rust, in which cameraman Halyna Hutchins (photo 2019) was killed, would not be allowed, according to THR.
Rust halted production after Baldwin’s prop gun went off on October 21, 2021, killing Halyna and injuring director Joel Souza; Baldwin seen on the set of Rust
Baldwin was noticeably absent from the emotional Rust premiere in Poland on Wednesday; Souza pictured at the event
Instead, he finds himself in the throes of a multi-pronged effort to revive his career.
He has a new role in legendary American comedy show Saturday Night Live, a reality TV show starring himself, his wife Hilaria, 40, and their seven children, and is about to receive a ‘Lifetime Achievement’ in Cinema Award to receive.
And the actor is continuing with his new reality show despite the ongoing problems.
The cameras started rolling on The Baldwins – seen on cable network TLC – earlier this year before he was charged with manslaughter.
A trailer suggests it will depict the chaos of extended family life in their New York home and that the clan has filmed outdoor cookouts in The Hamptons.
Alec and his wife Hilaria share daughters Ilaria Catalina Irena, two, María Lucía Victoria, three, Carmen Gabriela, 11, and sons Eduardo ‘Edu’ Pao Lucas, four, Romeo Alejandro David, six, Leonardo Ángel Charles, seven, and Rafael Thomas , nine.
He is also father to daughter Ireland Baldwin, 29, with ex-wife Kim Basinger, 70.