Alec Baldwin making acting comeback after Rust tragedy with Italian Christmas comedies

Alec Baldwin is set to resume his acting career five months after the Rust shooting tragedy by filming two Italian Christmas comedies.

The 30 Rock actor is scheduled to arrive in Rome, Italy on Saturday to film Kid Santa and Billie's Magic World, two family Christmas comedies that are described as live-action/animation hybrids, Variety reports.

Alec will star alongside his brother William as well as Irish actress Elva Trill in both films, and the brothers are expected to be in the Eternal City for four weeks to shoot the live-action portion of the comedies.

Kid Santa and Billie's Magic World are being directed by Italian filmmaker Francesco Cinquemani. Alec previously worked with Cinquemani on the 2015's sci-fi movie Andron: The Black Labyrinth, while William collaborated with the director on the 2021 family comedy The Christmas Witch.

The Italian production company Minerva Pictures and producers Monika Bacardi and Andrea Iervolino of ILBE announced the projects on Wednesday. According to Italian news agency ANSA, filming has already begun on the films in Rome.

Minerva boss Gianluca Curti insisted Alec's involvement with the comedies was organised before the Rust incident in October.

The actor was holding a firearm during a rehearsal for a scene for the western in Santa Fe, New Mexico when the gun fired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

The incident is still being investigated by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and no charges or arrests have been made. Alec and Rust producers were named as defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the cinematographer's widower Matthew Hutchins in February.

Alec has consistently maintained his innocence and recently said he feels "very hopeful" that he won't be held criminally responsible for the fatal shooting.