Guns used in 'Rust' after the death of Halyna Hutchins were "basically paperweights".

Production on the Western was paused in October 2021 when a prop gun being held by lead actor Alec Baldwin discharged, killing the cinematographer and injuring director Joel Souza and when shooting resumed 18 months later, the filmmaker was determined all weaponry would be "profoundly inert" but he praised the armorer who stepped in to replace Hannah Guiterrez-Reed - who is in jail for involuntary manslaughter as a result of the tragedy - for "relentlessly and meticulously" treating the props as real.

Joel told The Hollywood Reporter: "I don't know if you've ever picked up a gun, but I have in my past. I didn't grow up with them. It's very daunting to me to even hold something like that in my hand.

"The second time around, when we came back to production, we had this amazing armorer.

"We worked only with fake guns and everything was so profoundly inert. They were basically paperweights, incapable of doing anything. But our armorer still relentlessly and meticulously treated everything like it was real -- because that's how you're safe and that's how it should be done.

"But even so, it was a large moment for everyone in the beginning.

"And then, at a certain point, you sort of get into the rhythm of filmmaking. These are actors and it starts taking on a normalcy for them. But I can't imagine it wasn't big for anybody at the start."

Alec was also charged with involuntary manslaughter, but has repeatedly maintained his innocence and the case collapsed in July due the prosecution failing to disclose evidence.

And Joel admitted the actor found it "tough" to return to work on the movie.

He said: "It was tough for him, you know. I think he was going through all of his own stuff the whole time. I can only imagine how difficult that was. But we got through it."

Of him having to hold a gun again, Joel said: "I'm sure we had conversations about it. I can't remember the substance of them. But I have zero doubt that it was an unnerving thing for him to do and a large moment for him."