Alec Baldwin admits he is happier asleep as he reveals mental health spiral following Rust shooting

Alec Baldwin has opened up about the disastrous impact the Rust shooting had on his mental health, admitting that he is happier when he's asleep than in his waking life. In October 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died when a gun the A-list actor was using as a prop discharged on the set of the western film.

The following October, Alec reached an undisclosed settlement with Hutchins' family in their wrongful death lawsuit. His trial for involuntary manslaughter was thrown out in August 2024. In his new TLC reality show The Baldwins, Alec spoke candidly about how he was mentally drained by the shooting, while wife Hilaria Baldwin revealed how he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

'This past year was just terrible,' Alec admitted while speaking in his confessional. 'There were times I'd lay in bed and I'd just go "I can't get up." And that's not like me at all. I'm not like that in any way. Never.'. Speaking in her own confessional, Hilaria, 41, added: 'Everyone who is close to Alec has seen his mental health decline.

Alec Baldwin has opened up about the impact the Rust shooting had on his mental health. In October 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died when a gun the A-list actor was using as a prop discharged on the set of the western film. 'He was diagnosed with PTSD, and he says in his darkest moments, if an accident were to have happened this day why am I still here, why couldn't it have been me?'.

Hilaria noted her husband's change in character was 'painful.'. Addressing him, she continued: 'You wake up in the morning and you're like, "Oh God, why did I wake up?" You get to the point where you're so dark… it's so painful.'. Alec replied: 'My good friend said to me the other day, "How are you doing?" and I said, "I'm happier when I'm asleep than when I'm awake."'.

'Even though this is hard and there are moments where I don't know how we're going to continue on, I look at the kids and I see how hard we're trying to create happiness for them, even if we're masking stuff for ourselves,' Hilaria said. 'I know what we're going through is maybe unique, but every family goes through hard times….

'All we can do is do our best and try and make our kids happy. And so that's what we're doing.'. Alec and Hilaria tied the knot in 2012 and are parents to seven children. Alec spoke about how he was mentally drained by the shooting and the subsequent trial.

Speaking in his new reality show, Alec admitted: 'There were times I'd lay in bed and I'd just go "I can't get up". And that's not like me at all'. In an emotional moment, Alec added: 'I honestly, from the bottom of my soul, I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have you and our kids if I was going through this.

Elsewhere in her confessional, Hilaria said: 'Halyna lost her life in the most unthinkable tragedy. 'A son lost his mom. We're going to feel and carry this pain forever. This will be part of our family's story.'. 'This has just been surreal, I mean I can't even believe that we're going through this,' Alec said to his wife in another scene.

'And I always feel more in pain about you than me because I think to myself, I'm going to try my best just to get through it, and when I think about what it's done to you and how much it's hurt you and everything.'. The Baldwins premieres Sunday, February 23 at 10/9c on TLC, with new episodes airing weekly. Episodes are available to stream on Max.