Alec Baldwin Breaks Silence, Smiles as He Enjoys Dinner After Rust Trial’s Stunning Ending

Alec Baldwin’s lawsuit against Rust is over — and the actor has thanked his many supporters over the past three years.

The father-of-eight took to social media to break his silence following the trial’s shocking end on Friday, July 12, where he broke down in tears as the judge dismissed the case.

“There are too many people who have supported me for me to thank now. You all will never know how much I appreciate your kindness to my family,” the 66-year-old shared on Instagram Saturday morning.

The night before, he was seen smiling as he headed to dinner with his brother Stephen and sister Beth Keuchler, who are in court every day with the actor, and a group of friends. Alec wore black pants and a T-shirt, with a dark blue blazer for dinner at Mexican restaurant Casa Chimayo.

The case saw the state charge Alec with involuntary manslaughter after a gun he was rehearsing with while filming the 2021 film Rust fired a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

He insisted he was told the gun was “cold,” meaning it would have been impossible to fire.

On Friday, new evidence was presented in court, with a manila envelope opened by Judge Sommer. Inside the envelope were live rounds that the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office had taken possession of but had not entered into the official record or disclosed to the actor’s defense team.

“They buried him, they put him under another case with a different number,” Alec’s attorney, Luke Nikas, said.

The case was later dismissed with prejudice, meaning a second case cannot be brought against Alec.

Kari Morrissey, the special prosecutor in the case, insisted the ammunition was not related to the case and had not been withheld from Baldwin’s attorneys. “I think the significance of the evidence was misinterpreted by the defense attorneys,” she told reporters after the hearing.

Alec broke down in tears as his wife Hilaria was seen with her head in her hands as the decision was read out.

Alec and Hilaria share seven children: Ilaria Catalina Irena, 19 months, María Lucía Victoria, three, Eduardo “Edu” Pao Lucas, three, Romeo Alejandro David, five, Leonardo Ángel Charles, seven, Rafael Thomas, eight, and Carmen Gabriela, 10.

Alec is also dad to daughter Ireland, 28, with ex-wife Kim Basinger.

In March 2024, on-set gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who placed the live round in the gun, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

She is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence, the maximum sentence. It is believed that the dismissal of Alec’s case could lead to her own case being reopened.