Alec Baldwin made a comeback to Saturday Night Live in a new role after manslaughter charges were dismissed against him, as reported by The Independent. Following the fatal Rust shooting, where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins lost her life, charges against Baldwin were dropped in July by a judge in New Mexico. It was revealed that crucial evidence was withheld by the state concerning how live rounds ended up on the movie set.
The actor, who previously portrayed Donald Trump on SNL from 2016 to 2021, returned to the show in the latest episode but did not reprise his Trump role. Trump is now played by cast member James Austin Johnson. Baldwin took on the character of Fox News host Bret Baier, who recently faced criticism for his interview with Kamala Harris where he constantly interrupted the Democrat.
In the opening skit, with Maya Rudolph playing Harris, Baldwin received a warm welcome from the audience and joked that he resembled a character made in Minecraft. The skit humorously mocked Baier’s real-life behavior towards Harris, with Baldwin interrupting Rudolph repeatedly. The skit also included a parody of a mistake by Baier in playing the wrong clip of a Trump response.
SNL incorporated mini-skits as well, featuring Dana Carvey as Joe Biden. The episode concluded with Harris, portrayed by Rudolph, exclaiming the iconic line, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” alongside Baldwin. The hosting duties for this week’s episode were undertaken by Michael Keaton, known for his roles in Batman and Beetlejuice, with musical performances by Billie Eilish.
Baldwin, who has previously hosted SNL 17 times, had been absent from the show due to the legal case against him. The film’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was sentenced to 18 months in April for involuntary manslaughter in connection to the tragic incident on set. During a rehearsal, Baldwin fired a prop gun that unknowingly contained a live round, resulting in the death of Hutchins, a mother of a young child.
The episode received a positive response from viewers and marked Baldwin’s return to the sketch comedy show after a challenging period in his career. Beyond the entertainment, the incident also shed light on the importance of safety protocols on film sets and the need for accountability in such tragic events.