Brian Cox calls ‘Rust’ shooting incident “horrifying”

Brian Cox has called the shooting incident on the set of ‘Rust’ “horrifying” in a recent radio interview.

The actor, known for his role as the patriarch Logan Roy on HBO’s hit television series, ‘Succession’, said he hoped the incident would be a “big wakeup call” for the industry.

Earlier this month, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died on the set of the movie ‘Rust’, when Alec Baldwin discharged a prop gun. It has since emerged that the firearm contained a “live single round”. 

Cox told host Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB: “I hear all kinds of rumours, all kinds of things about this gun that had possibly been previously used. I haven’t got the facts, I just know it’s horrifying.” 

He added, “Alec’s turned his life around in so many different ways as he got older. He’s got a wonderful family. Since his late 50s he’s had five kids, his life has changed in so many ways. He’s got an incredible wife… it’s so tragic.” 

In the wake of the shooting, court documents revealed that the film’s director, Joel Souza, had been told the gun was safe and that it had been described as a “cold gun” in safety briefings. Souza was shot in the shoulder but was released from hospital the following morning.

During the interview, Cox also reflected on the safety of firearms on movie sets: “There is a certain carelessness on cinema sets … this will certainly be a big wakeup call. I’ve fired guns on sets and they’re usually incredibly strict. You check the weapon, you never hand anybody a gun like that. I find it astonishing.” 

The actor worked with Alec Baldwin on the television series ‘Nuremberg’, which aired in 2000 and told the story of the Nuremberg Trials, which took place between 1945 and 1946.

Cox is currently on a book tour for his autobiography, ‘Putting the Rabbit in the Hat’. ‘Succession’, aired its first episode of Season 3 on October 17. The season’s premiere was the biggest digital premiere for an HBO series since the first episode of Season 2 of ‘Big Little Lies’.