Alec Baldwin “really, really, really didn’t like” The Trial of Alec Baldwin, director Rory Kennedy said during a Q&A at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. The documentary follows the actor in the aftermath of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ death on the set of Rust in 2021 and examines the criminal case and public response that followed.
Kennedy and her husband and producing partner, Mark Bailey, discussed how they approached Baldwin as a subject. Kennedy said the filmmakers were not always sure when he was performing or speaking candidly, and wanted viewers to consider those questions rather than treat the film as a definitive account of events. She added that audiences might retain their existing opinions of Baldwin, but many would also feel that an injustice had occurred.
The filmmakers began following Baldwin in March 2023, as Rust was preparing to resume production and an initial involuntary manslaughter charge against him had been dropped. A grand jury indicted him again on the same charge in January 2024, while filming continued. The documentary also looks at Baldwin’s acting career, upbringing and complicated feelings about his profession and public scrutiny.
Bailey said he found Baldwin sincere in the moment, even when his comments appeared to conflict with one another. He also pointed to the actor’s emotional state during filming, describing him as under significant strain after Hutchins’ death and saying Baldwin had allowed the filmmakers unusually close access during a crisis.
The film concludes with Baldwin’s acquittal during trial proceedings and his awareness that his public image would remain difficult to change. Kennedy said he objected to the documentary’s attention to episodes such as a voicemail in which he insulted his daughter Ireland, as well as other moments when he had behaved poorly. She said his reaction had become more complicated as the film reached festivals and people he respected watched it.
The documentary premiered at Doc NYC the previous November and was released worldwide by Abramorama on Oct. 1, 2026.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter.