Cleared of 'Rust' charges, Alec Baldwin joins film about 1970 Kent State shootings

A month after prosecutors dropped criminal charges against Alec Baldwin in the fatal "Rust" tragedy, he's joined the cast of an upcoming film about the 1970 Kent State shootings.

The movie, written and directed by Karen Slade, depicts the tragic events of May 4, 1970, when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on an anti-Vietnam War student protest at Kent State University, killing four and wounding nine others.

Baldwin will play Kent State University President Robert I. White, per the Hollywood Reporter.

The film will also star Clancy Brown, Zachary Gordon, Christopher Ammanuel, Andrew Ortenberg and Jacqueline Emerson. Dermot Mulroney had been attached to the project last year when Briarcliff Entertainment announced it had acquired the North American rights to "Kent State."

The film is currently in preproduction with worldwide sales underway at the Cannes market and is produced by Kristen Moser of Autumn Moon Productions, with executive producers including Tom Ortenberg ("Snowden," "Spotlight").

The move is the latest in Baldwin's attempt to repair his career even as "Rust" legal investigations continue.

In April, prosecutors in New Mexico dropped criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter against the "30 Rock" alum in the deadly 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the western "Rust," on which Baldwin served as star and producer.

"This decision does not absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled," said special prosecutors Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis.

Baldwin wrapped filming on "Rust" this week. The production resumed in April with Hutchins' widower Matthew Hutchins onboard as executive producer, and is being sold at Cannes by sales company Goodfellas, formerly Wild Bunch International.

In the media firestorm that followed the shocking "Rust" tragedy, Baldwin was dropped from several projects, but continued to work on a slew of low-budget features, including the action thriller "97 Minutes," from "Rust" producer Anjul Nigam.

Completed work on upcoming projects include tornado disaster movie "Supercell" and animated pics "Kid Santa" and "Billie's Magic World."

Civil cases against the actor and other "Rust" producers are still expected to come, including lawsuits from Hutchins' mother and sister, and the production's former script supervisor, represented by lawyer Gloria Allred.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.