Alec Baldwin is making the most of the few short weeks before his showdown jury trial next month in New Mexico. The actor faces up to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter on the set of his film Rust.
Friends say the father-of-eight, 66, is “hoping for the best but preparing for the worst” outcome and is getting in as much family time as he can.
Last week, daughter Ireland posted a pic of doting grandad Alec swooning over his only grandchild, one-year-old Holland, at the Museum of Ice Cream in New York while his wife Hilaria shared a sweet clip of him playing with their youngest Ilaria.
CHERISHING EVERY MOMENT
“He’s stopped being angry about it all and is now quite literally cherishing every moment he has with his family,” says a long-time pal.
“His lawyers are all confident he won’t see a jail cell, but they also said his case would be dismissed last month and it wasn’t. He’s not taking any chances and if he’s going to be locked up for any period of time, he wants to have everything sweet with his loved ones, even Ireland and her mum Kim [Basinger].
“Everyone’s worried about him, but he’s being surprisingly positive. He refuses to talk about it in front of the kids, and he’s all about quality time. He’s never been this happy since he filled his house with Hilaria and all their kids. And he can’t bear to think he might be completely separated from them.”
‘TERRIFIED’ OF PRISON
Alec’s bid to have the involuntary manslaughter charge dismissed last month was denied by a New Mexico judge, who ordered the case go to a jury trial in July. This follows an 18-month sentencing given to Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armourer, for the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.
“Don’t kid yourself, Alec is absolutely terrified of going to prison,” says an insider. “He knows he’s not tough enough, and he’s unsure if he has the mental capacity to be locked up for any period of time. He’s been talking to his [religious] brother Stephen a lot, hoping for some kind of spiritual guidance to get him through.
“It’s absolutely possible he could be hauled off for 18 months the moment the jury’s verdict is reached so as frightened as he is, he knows he’s got to put his family first.
“He’s doing everything he can to set Hilaria up so she has nothing to worry about financially. He’s not leaving any stone unturned, in case his worst nightmare comes true next month.”
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