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Alec Baldwinhas had more run-ins with the law than his fans might recall.
Since the mid-’90s, Baldwin’s history of fiery behavior and legal woes have been mounting in the media, largely stemming from his contentious relationship with reporters and photographers.
Although some of the30 Rockstar’s scandals have resulted from innocuous bike-riding violations and parking space conflicts, theOscar-nominated performer has also faced involuntary manslaughter charges for an on-set shooting incident in which a crew member was killed.
Here’s a breakdown of Alec Baldwin’s controversies over the years.
Oct. 26, 1995: Alec Baldwin gets into a scuffle with a photographer
Baldwin approached the car where freelance photographer Alan Zanger was camped out and sprayed shaving cream over all the windows. A scuffle ensued, during which Zanger claimed Baldwin punched and broke his nose. The actor argued he merely slapped the camera out of his hands.
Baldwin was later acquitted of misdemeanor battery charges in the case and won an invasion-of-privacy suit against Zanger; however, Zanger won a civil case against Baldwin for $4,500 in damages.
In a statement released through his publicist,per theLos Angeles Times, Baldwin disputed the claim that he had seriously injured Zanger.
Dec. 6, 2011: Alec Baldwin kicked off an American Airlines flight
Baldwin was booted from an American Airlines flight for refusing to turn off his cell phone after the plane’s doors were closed for departure.
“The passenger was extremely rude to the crew, calling them inappropriate names and using offensive language,” the companysaid in a statementon its Facebook page at the time.
Baldwin wrote on X (formerly Twitter) about the incident, revealing he was playing Words with Friends, a popular word-building game, on his phone.
“Flight attendant on American [Airlines] reamed me out 4 playing WORDS W FRIENDS while we sat at the gate, not moving,” he wrote in a since-deleted tweet,per theNew York Post. “Last flight w American. Where retired Catholic school gym teachers from the 1950’s find jobs as flight attendants.”
June 2012: Alec Baldwin allegedly punches photographer in New York City
Daily Newsphotographer Marcus Santos alleged that Baldwin got physical with him outside Manhattan’s Marriage License Bureau on June 19, 2012.
“He comes after me, starts shoving and punching me — one time, right in the chin,” Santostold the newspaper.
“I want you to shut the f— up,” Baldwin tells Prahl in the clip, grabbing onto the photographer’s arm. “Leave my neighbor alone. Did you hear what I said? You little girl.”
The day before,Baldwin tweetedthat reporters were “stalking” him outside his home and following him in their car “only to harass and disturb.”
“If only a meteor would hit that car…” he added.
Aug. 27, 2013: Alec Baldwin clashes with photographer in Manhattan
Baldwin confronted a photographer, Paul Adao, who was trailing him and his wife, Hilaria, in Manhattan, allegedlypinning the man against a carfor a short time in front of numerous witnesses.
Police responded to the scene, but both parties ultimately decided to walk away from the situation without pursuing charges,TMZ reported.
November 2013: Alec Baldwin calls photographer homophobic slur
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation also condemned the actor’s choice of words, writing: “It’s clearly time Mr. Baldwin listens to the calls from so many LGBT people and allies to end this pattern of anti-gay slurs. … Mr. Baldwin can’t lend his support for equality on paper, while degrading gay people in practice.”
Less than two weeks later, his short-lived MSNBC interview show,Up Late,was canceled.
May 13, 2014: Alec Baldwin arrested for illegal biking in New York City
Baldwin was arrested around 10:15 a.m. in Manhattan for riding his bike the wrong way down Fifth Avenue. A New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson said Baldwin was informed that he was going the wrong way and was asked to produce ID but refused,according to TIME.He was given two summonses, one for biking the wrong way and one for disorderly conduct.
“He got belligerent and began arguing with the officers,” the spokesperson said. “He was taken into custody at the 13th precinct [for identification].”
Baldwin tweeted his side of the story, denouncing the NYPD and the press.
“Officer Moreno, badge number 23388, arrested me and handcuffed me for going the wrong way on Fifth Ave,” he wrote,per TMZ. “Meanwhile, photographers outside my home ONCE AGAIN terrified my daughter and nearly hit her with a camera. The police did nothing.New York City is a mismanaged carnival of stupiditythat is desperate for revenue and anxious to criminalize behavior once thought benign.”
The actor wasgranted a conditional pardon, and the charges were eventually dropped.
Nov. 2, 2018: Alec Baldwin strikes man over parking space
Baldwinwas arrestedat around 1:30 p.m. after he allegedly punched a man on East 10th Street between University Place and Broadway, an NYPD spokesperson told PEOPLE. He wascharged at the 6th Precinctand later photographed arriving at his Manhattan apartment.
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After pleading guilty to harassment in January 2019, Baldwin was ordered to pay a $120 fine and take anger management classes. Months later, Cieszkowski brought an assault case against the actor, who responded with a defamation lawsuit claiming Cieszkowski lied about the supposed punch. By January 2022, both parties agreed to resolve the matter before the Manhattan Supreme Court.
“Alec Baldwin and Wojciech Cieszkowski have agreed to resolve all litigation concerning the incident that occurred between them on November 2, 2018,” a joint statement from their lawyers read,per Page Six. “The terms of the resolution are private and confidential. Neither party will have any further comment.”
Oct. 21, 2021: Alec Baldwin andRustshooting incident
While rehearsing a scene on the New Mexico set of the Western filmRust, Baldwin was holding a prop gunwhen it discharged, wounding writer-director Joel Souza and killing 42-year-old cinematographerHalyna Hutchins.
On Oct. 22, Baldwinreleased a statement on Xfollowing the tragedy: “There are no words to convey my shock and sadnessregarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours. I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred, and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son and all who knew and loved Halyna.”
In his first interview since the incident, Baldwin claimed he didn’t pull the trigger of the prop Colt .45 revolver that caused Hutchins’ death. “I would never point a gun at anyoneand pull the trigger at them,”he told ABC News. “Someone put a live bullet in a gun, a bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property. Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me.”
In January 2022, Hutchins’ familyfiled a wrongful death lawsuitagainst Baldwin for his alleged responsibility in the shooting, whichreached an undisclosed settlementin October of that same year.
Baldwin expressed he was “pleased” with the outcome of the civil suit,writing on Instagram: “Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best forHalyna’s son. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation."
The following month,Baldwin filed a negligence lawsuitagainst several of theRustfilm’s crew members, including armorerHannah Gutierrez Reedand armorer assistantSeth Kenney, in addition to Kenney’s prop weapon and ammunition supply store company.
NBC News reportedin October 2023 that New Mexico prosecutors still plan tobring involuntary manslaughter against Baldwinin connection to Hutchins’ death.
While walking through a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Manhattan in December 2023, the actor traded heated words with several protestors,reported NBC News. The exchange was captured on video, with one of the protestors asking Baldwin if he condemned Israel.
“You’ve already made up your mind … every question you’ve got, right?” Baldwin responded. “I’m in Hollywood’s pockets, you said? You ask stupid questions. Ask me a smart question! Ask a smart question!”
source: people.com
