Alec Baldwin was hailed for his kindness by Brett Ashley McMillan, the mother of two child actors working on his tragically-troubled film Rust.

The Western film has been in the headlines for nearly three years after the shooting death of the movie’s cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October of 2021 in which Baldwin was holding the gun, as the criminal case in Santa Fe, New Mexico against the actor was thrown out of court earlier this month.

McMillan on Wednesday evening posted a slideshow of images of her son Easton with the Oscar-nominated actor, 66, on the set of the movie, in which production resumed in the spring of 2023 in Montana.

‘On the movie set RUST,’ McMillan captioned the post. ‘Easton made friends for life with Patrick and Alec Baldwin has been the kindest actor we have ever worked with. Easton misses you, Alec. Thanks for being such a light and friend to him.’

In reference to her children, McMillan wrote, ‘My talented boys. Dalton appeared in the film, too (see him in picture 6 – he’s the handsome blonde).’

Alec Baldwin, 66, was praised by Brett Ashley McMillan, the mother of two child actors working on his film Rust. Baldwin pictured with costars Patrick Scott McDermott (L) and McMillan’s son Easton on the set of the movie, which resumed production in 2023 in Montana after the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October of 2021 

McMillan posed with her son Easton on the set of the motion picture

McMillan said in the comment thread that ‘every picture posted, content and memory has Halyna Hutchins in our hearts. 

‘She wanted this film finished and what an absolute HONOR to be a small piece of her incredible project. Nothing but love for her and her family.’

In the slideshow, McMillan – an actress herself who has been seen on the show Yellowstone and in the film Finding Love in Big Sky, Montana – was seen posed on the set with her son Easton, who was in Western costume for his role in the movie.

In one image, Easton posed with Baldwin and Patrick Scott McDermott, while in another shot, the child actor was seen looking at a phone alongside Baldwin.

The post drew a variety of responses in the comment section, as some people thought it was inappropriate in the wake of Hutchins’ tragic on-set death in the fall of 2021.

One user said, ‘This is in extremely poor taste,’ while another added, ‘Out of respect they should not finish that film.’

Said one user: ‘I would never mention this film again bad karma, bad taste put it in the can and throw it away.’

Another user commented, ‘Trying to show the happy times, I understand. However, the outcome was not happy. Think about Halyna’s family and stop making it all about you.’

McMillan praised Baldwin and thanked him ‘for being such a light and friend’ to her son

McMillan said in the comment thread that the post was put up with ‘Hutchins in our hearts’

The child actor was seen looking at a phone alongside Baldwin in one of the images 

McMillan was with her son on the set of the movie as crew workers prepared for a scene 

The child actor was posed on a horse alongside a costar on the set of the Western film 

McMillan, an actress herself who has been seen on the show Yellowstone and in the film Finding Love in Big Sky, Montana, shared a selfie from the set of the movie 

One user had more of an optimistic take, saying, ‘Love these! Hoping something beautiful roses above the dark and comes out of it.’ 

Another user said: ‘I hope the little guy was not there that day the tragedy happened that would be even more [heartbreaking] then it already is. That being said it’s great for him to learn from someone with such experience what a great opportunity for [him]!’ 

One user tagged Baldwin into their comment, writing, ‘You definitely did not deserve all of this. What an unfortunate accident.’ 

In related news, movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has asked a judge to dismiss her involuntary manslaughter conviction or convene a new trial in the shooting death of a cinematographer by Baldwin, alleging suppression of evidence and misconduct by the prosecution.

In a court filing July 16, defense counsel for Gutierrez-Reed argued her case should be reconsidered because prosecutors failed to share evidence that might have been exculpatory.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer earlier this month brought Baldwin’s trial to a sudden and stunning end based on misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense in the 2021 shooting.

‘This court stated on July 12 that the integrity of the judicial system demanded that the court dismiss Mr. Baldwin´s case with prejudice,’ said defense attorney Jason Bowles in the new court filing. ‘How can it be any different with Ms. Gutierrez-Reed´s case, with this proven litany of serious discovery abuses?’

Kari Morrissey – lead prosecutor in both the Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed cases – said her written response would be filed in court, declining further comment.

The case-ending evidence at Baldwin’s trial was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff´s office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins´ killing. 

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of the film in October of 2021. Pictured in Utah in 2019 

Mourners attended a vigil for the late filmmaker in Burbank, California on October 24, 2021 

A number of users in the comment thread were critical of the post and decision to continue with the film following the tragic on-set death 

Some users were a bit more optimistic about the film continuing in the wake of the tragedy 

Baldwin was seen weeping after the case against him was thrown out on July 12 

Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has asked a judge to dismiss her involuntary manslaughter conviction or convene a new trial in the shooting death, alleging suppression of evidence and misconduct by the prosecution. Pictured during her trial in March 

Prosecutors said they deemed the ammo unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin’s lawyers alleged they ‘buried’ it and filed a motion to dismiss the case.

Gutierrez-Reed was convicted by a jury in March in a trial overseen by Judge Marlowe Sommer, who later assigned the maximum 18-month penalty. Gutierrez-Reed already has an appeal pending in a higher court on the involuntary manslaughter conviction.

Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set of Rust, where it was expressly prohibited, and for failing to follow basic gun safety protocols.

She was acquitted at trial of allegations she tampered with evidence in the Rust  investigation. She also has pleaded not guilty to a separate felony charge that she allegedly carried a gun into a bar in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where firearms are prohibited.

Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for Rust, was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on a movie set outside Santa Fe in October 2021 when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.