Hot take: Actors who are fully 'in-character' as a villain shouldn't be the last to check if a gun is loaded

Here’s a take on gun safety on film sets that we weren’t sure if it was a parody or if we were just interpreting it incorrectly. Jumping off of an AP Entertainment tweet in which Lady Gaga stayed in character for “House of Gucci,” Geoff Pilkington seems to be suggesting that it would be dangerous to have an actor who is fully in character as a villain be the last to check if a gun is loaded. Is that what he’s getting at?

Gun safety experts such as @AdamBaldwin want in character actors being the last to check firearms.

Not a good idea because thats very dangerous!

“Gun safety” should make exceptions in this case. The gun armorer should control the weapons safety not a fully in character villain. https://t.co/WuE47p88u9

— Geoff Pilkington (@geoffpilkington) November 9, 2021

Now I have a million gun safety experts tweeting at me telling me about gun safety as if I don’t understand gun safety.

I understand the rules of gun safety! You’re not acknowledging my suggestion! (Which doesn’t have to be implemented. It’s just a suggestion!)

My God.

— Geoff Pilkington (@geoffpilkington) November 9, 2021

It’s just a suggestion, guys.

So they are so in character as the villain, they might not want to go through a simple gun safety check? Am I reading this right?

— Luke (@LukeP_81) November 9, 2021

Or maybe so in character they would kill someone?

— CelticGypsy (@GypsyCeltic) November 9, 2021

This is an ignorant take, at best.
⬇️https://t.co/Mnv6dg5px0

— Adam Baldwin (@AdamBaldwin) November 9, 2021

Check his ratio. Ouch…

— Help Me Rhonda (@dealwithityall) November 9, 2021

There’s no exceptions in gun safety. Everyone should be act as a safety officer at every level that handles a weapon.

— Mark Soto (@WarOUSMC) November 10, 2021

If there is one chance in ten billion that a "safe" gun that I've been handed might have a real bullet in it that can kill someone if I fire it – you're damned right I will be the last check on that gun to make sure that it is safe to use in the scene.

End of story.

— JereCTN (@JereCTN) November 9, 2021

Yep. Even the squid monster needs to check the firearm. Every gun is loaded every time unless you know otherwise.

— Evan (@ThatFakeGuyDan) November 9, 2021

He's 100% correct. A gun should be checked by everyone, every time it passes hands. It's the responsibility of the person holding the gun. Every. Time.

If a Hollywood actor doesn't like it, they can get a job in coding.

— FaceFacts (@BillAbleTimes2) November 9, 2021

The person handling the firearm is responsible for that firearm.

— Carver (@Carver93170215) November 10, 2021

Maybe actors should not be using real guns, since they are so ignorant on gun safety! There was no reason for Alec Baldwin to shoot a gun at a crew member.

— Mim (@mom_USA_2019) November 9, 2021

If I were to handle a firearm I would be triple checking that it was SAFE to use in the scene. Yes, it is good to trust people but multiple layers of safety redundancy are CRITICAL to a safe set. What if you were the last line of safety and you said "Nah" and hurt someone?

— Calvin Witt (@CWCrawlers) November 9, 2021

Any time a person picks up or is handed a firearm it is that person's responsibility to check that it is safe.
Even if you just watched 5 people check it, you check it yourself.

— TheOldSargeSays, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES! (@theoldsargesays) November 9, 2021

If the actors are incapable of checking the gun and following basic gun safety rules, then they should never be permitted to have anything more lethal than a super soaker in their hands.

— Mira Sinclair (@MiraSinclair1) November 9, 2021

Gun accidents don't make exceptions. Why should movie sets?

— Glitter (@Glitter71548943) November 10, 2021

There are no exceptions for gun safety.

— HiRatio Llamas (@Qdiddly42) November 9, 2021

If you are handed a firearm, whether its for a movie, or in normal life YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO CONFIRM IT IS SAFE.

I don't care if you trust the person handing it to you. You are carrying a weapon that can be dangerous if improperly handled

But go figure you can't understand it

— EvidenceOverYourFeelings (@NoStepOnSnek76) November 10, 2021

It's pretty simple, the weapon armorer checks the firearm to ensure it's empty or has blanks, then the actor confirms before accepting the firearm, an in character actor is not going to falsely accept a wrongly loaded firearm, ever.

— Joel Stoner (@MayorJoelStoner) November 9, 2021

Wrong. Gun safety is everyone’s job. I don’t care if the weapon has been cleared ten times. I am clearing that bitch myself AND showing someone else it is clear so they can verify.

— American Partisan (@AmericanPartis1) November 9, 2021

@AdamBaldwin is an actor. You’re not. I’ll take his word over yours.

— Joey Bananas (@BZurunkel) November 9, 2021

It’s an interesting take to be sure.

Related:

Alec Baldwin says Hollywood needs to have police on film/TV sets where any kind of guns are being used https://t.co/B6moMXOzv2

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) November 8, 2021