London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 24, 2025

Guns Can Be Used Safely On Film Sets, Says Actor Matthew McConaughey

Guns Can Be Used Safely On Film Sets, Says Actor Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey's comments come after nearly 80,000 people have signed a petition to permanently remove firearms from sets after Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer on a film set last week.
Real guns can safely be used on movie sets so long as protocols are followed, US actor Matthew McConaughey has told AFP in an interview, as calls mount to ban firearms from filmmaking in the wake of the deadly "Rust" shooting.

Nearly 80,000 people have signed a petition to permanently remove firearms from sets after Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer on the New Mexico set of the low-budget Western last week.

Baldwin fired the Colt .45 during a rehearsal after being told it was safe, with the man who handed him the gun later admitting to police he had not fully checked it for live rounds.

"There's a safety protocol, and if it's followed, it can be safe on set," McConaughey said Thursday in the interview, conducted via Zoom.

The Oscar-winning "Dallas Buyers Club" actor described the incident as a "horrible accident that could easily have not happened."

"I've been on many sets where I'm dealing with firearms. There is an understood protocol. When any firearm is handed from one person to another, when it gets on set, there's a means of communication," he said.

"One of the beautiful things about how film sets work -- the organization is incredible. And they missed protocol. Somewhere. I don't know if they were in a rush."

The "Rust" armorer responsible for weapons on the film set said Friday she has "no idea" why there were live rounds present.

Prosecutors have refused to rule out criminal charges including against Baldwin, who was a producer on "Rust" as well as the lead actor.

Baldwin had been told by assistant director Dave Halls that it was a "cold gun" -- industry lingo for an inert firearm.

While not criticizing Baldwin, McConaughey said he "personally would try to always take even more steps" as an actor using a gun, including checking the weapon himself.

"You hear 'cold' -- now I want a visual," said the Texan star.

"If you and I are in a scene together, I need to give you visual. If it's a six shooter, do you see light through all six holes? Let me look you in the eye, you confirm, and you yell it out, 'cold.'"

He added, "You can't over-confirm it."

Advocates of a ban of real firearms on Hollywood sets say that gunshot effects such as the loud bang and muzzle flash can easily be added to fake rubber guns in post-production with modern technology.

"What do I think about that? I think you should follow protocol. And it should be non-negotiable," said McConaughey.
Comments

Oh ya 4 year ago
More people are killed in car accidents driving to see a movie so let ban cars also. This likely sounds reasonable to the 80.000 stupid people in this story

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
China and Russia Deploy Seductive Espionage Networks to Infiltrate U.S. Tech Sector
Apple’s ‘iPhone Air’ Collapses After One Month — Another Major Misstep for the Tech Giant
Graham Potter Begins New Chapter as Sweden Head Coach on Short-Term Deal
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Alleges Poison Plot via Chocolate and Jam
Lakestar to Halt External Fundraising as Investor in Revolut and Spotify
U.S. Innovation Ranking Under Scrutiny as China Leads Output Outputs but Ranks 10th
Three Men Arrested in London on Suspicion of Spying for Russia
Porsche Reverses EV Strategy as New CEO Bets on Petrol and Hybrids
Singapore’s Prime Minister Warns of ‘Messy’ Transition to Post-American Global Order
Andreessen Horowitz Sets Sights on Ten-Billion-Dollar Fund for Tech Surge
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
×