Alec Baldwin Celebrates Last Day of Filming ‘Rust’: ‘It Felt Good to Shave Off That Beard’

Alec Baldwin took to Instagram to celebrate his last day of filming “Rust,” his upcoming Western film on the set of which cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot.

Filming restarted last month on “Rust,” a year and a half after Hutchins was killed when a prop gun held by Baldwindischarged.

“God it felt good to shave off that beard,” Baldwin wrote on Instagram accompanied by a photo of his clean-shaven face. The actor, who also produces and co-wrote the story of “Rust” with director Joel Souza, also reposted an Instagram story that pictures him embracing his young co-star Patrick Scott McDermott, who wrote in the caption with a heart emoji, “Alec’s last day. I’ll miss you.”

Several hours earlier, Baldwin uploaded a photo of him and McDermott posing with a smile, writing, “Last day on the set of ‘Rust’ with this guy. A very talented actor and lovely young man with a bright future ahead. My love to you, [Patrick Scott McDermott].”

After a lengthy investigation by New Mexico authorities, Baldwin was criminally charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter on Jan. 31, 2023. One month later, he pleaded not guilty, and in April, prosecutors dropped all charges against the actor. Charges proceed against “Rust’s” armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who is set to appear at a preliminary hearing in New Mexico’s First Judicial District Court on Aug. 9.

In October, a year after Hutchins was killed, her family settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the production. As part of the settlement, Hutchins’ husband Matthew Hutchins boarded the film as an executive producer.

“Rust” takes place in 1880s Kansas, where an outlaw named Harland Rust (Baldwin) comes out of hiding to save his teenage grandson, Lucas (McDermott). The movie also stars Travis Fimmel, Frances Fisher, Jensen Ackles and Devon Werkheiser.