Posted on 11/27/2021 9:00:47 PM PST by SeekAndFind
The recent ruling represents a significant shift in the insulated nature of actors.
This week a hearing delivered a small surprise when it ruled on a case involving Hollywood star Kevin Spacey in a case brought against the actor by the production studio MRC. The arbitration found that Spacey will be responsible for tens of millions of dollars payable to the studio because of the manner that he impacted the production of the television show “House Of Cards”.
It was in 2017 when Spacey was taken down for inappropriate sexual behavior, as the MeToo movement provoked a number of individuals to testify that Spacey behaved in an inappropriately aggressive fashion with some on set, as well as in his past. As a result of his actions, the actor ended up needing to depart the show and impacting the production. Due to the fallout, MRC has brought suit against Spacey and his production company — and this is a ruling that should have Alec Baldwin deeply concerned.
The arbiter found that Spacey’s actions and his production connections to the show led to his being responsible for the negative impact he caused.
A document filed in Los Angeles Superior Court requesting a judge’s approval of the ruling says that the arbitrators found that Spacey violated his contract’s demands for professional behavior by “engaging certain conduct in connection with several crew members in each of the five seasons that he starred in and executive produced House of Cards.”
The change that needs to be recognized is that for as long as most remember, celebrities have managed to elude responsibilities for anti-social behavior. This represents a shift, and not because of MeToo, though that was the impetus. The shift worth noting is that many established stars have moved into producing these days and that connective tissue brings a new level of responsibility. Beyond a morals clause that could have a paycheck affected, this professional involvement carries a deeper level of culpability.
And this is where Baldwin could be facing some serious accountability. The story of the on-set shooting during the independent film production for “Rust’’ is one filled with its own drama and intrigue. The cinematographer was killed and the director seriously wounded, with a gun mishap where Baldwin fired a weapon mistakenly loaded with live rounds. So much of this needs to be cleared up still, but there are numerous signs of negligence and this is where the Spacey case could impact future decisions.
Not simply the star of the small film, Alec Baldwin was the producer — it was his pet project. This means that he is facing accountability well beyond being responsible as the one who fired the weapon. Baldwin is more than a performer who was mistakenly handed a live weapon; he was the name behind the entire production and as such, becomes the one who needs to answer for anything that transpired.
He hired the crew, including the armorer who was in charge of the weapons, a 24-year-old with a problematic work history. As the producer of the small-budget project, he needed to be in control of the set and those in charge of the shoot. That is why the Spacey result is impactful, because of the level of involvement the actor also had in the TV show’s production. His merely partnering with the “House Of Cards” show behind the camera meant he bore a level of responsibility when the show was adversely affected.
Like Spacey, Baldwin’s actions led to a direct negative impact on the filming. However, Baldwin was not just working in tandem with the shooting of his film; he was the primary force behind “Rust”, and as such, bears an even greater level of responsibility. Now, take into consideration that a life was lost and the level of accountability is even greater, one that falls squarely on Baldwin himself.
This will not be the usual celebrity excusal, where some form of poor behavior is bypassed because of the elevated nature of a star. In the growing desire by some to acquire more power in Hollywood, they are beginning to learn they have also acquired more responsibility.
I know. That is just wishful thinking on my part. It is good to have a dream.
SUMMARY: You break it, you buy it.
I think he gets criminally charged. Santa Fe County DA gonna make a name for herself by getting Baldwin’s scalp.
One can have hope.
In this case, I wonder does Santa Fe County have the financial and prosecutorial resources to try the case ?
Both always had ick vibes emanating.
I guess that Baldwin would be the sloppy one, and Spacey the prissy one.
Regards,
I guess that Baldwin would be the sloppy / murdery one, and Spacey the prissy / molesty one.
Regards,
[Baldwin] hired the crew, including the armorer who was in charge of the weapons, a 24-year-old with a problematic work history. As the producer of the small-budget project, he needed to be in control of the set and those in charge of the shoot... Like Spacey, Baldwin’s actions led to a direct negative impact on the filming. However, Baldwin was not just working in tandem with the shooting of his film; he was the primary force behind “Rust”, and as such, bears an even greater level of responsibility.
LOL
So the individual lawsuits brought by the aggrieved individuals didn’t work but this did?
It irks me when I see gun hating commies like Alec Baldwin playing a character using a gun. They have no business handling a gun when they obviously despise them and likely have no training on how to safely handle one. I don’t know all the facts but what I do not understand what live ammo was doing anywhere near the film set. Someone is responsible for the death and injury that resulted from that reckless abandonment of common sense gun safety. Finally, where did they dig up that 24 year old guy assigned as armorer? Sounds like someone hired a relative or friend who could not get a job anywhere else. He was oviously over his head and had no idea what he was supposed to be doing. Sorta like our current President.
Don’t think the results of arbitration make case law.
The armorer was a woman, not a man.
The 24 year old was a woman and I assume she slept with the “right” person to get the job.
Sant Fe, the capital of New Mexico, is in that county. Only possible hurdle is that the Hollyweird film/TV industry pours a lot of money into that county as it uses facilities there for many productions.
Agree
The civil suits have already started.
One item that has come out is that Baldwin was performing completely unauthorized activity with the pistol. The scene did not require him to fire the weapon or to point it at any person.
My assessment is that he was being an arrogant jerk and pretending to shoot the cinematographer out of some minor personal animosity. He was casually ignoring decades of safety rules established in the film industry because, as the Producer, he could. There was nobody else on set who would dare reprimand him, as he out-ranked them all.
A long chain of negligent practices by the management lead to a weapon in his hand loaded with a live round. Baldwin is ultimately responsible for all of it.
Excellent analysis and the personal animosity with the cinematographer may have been her dissatisfaction with his performance in a previous scene requiring a retake.
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