Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Oct 06, 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.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
×