Alec Baldwin is facing backlash over his bizarre tribute to late “The Hunt for Red October” co-star Sam Neill.
Baldwin, 68, shared a nearly 3-minute Instagram video Monday after the “Jurassic Park” actor died at 78 earlier that day, but he only mentioned Neill in the first 10 seconds and final 5 seconds of the clip.
The tribute drew a wave of backlash online, with social media users accusing Baldwin of focusing more on his memories of the 1990 thriller that he starred in with Neill rather than on honoring the late actor.
“I just wanted to come on here quickly and say, how stricken I was to learn of the death of Sam Neill,” Baldwin began the video.
“When I did ‘The Hunt for Red October,’ we shot in ’89, it came out in 1990, a long time ago.”
Baldwin then reminisced about his own experience making the film, recalling it as one of his first major film roles, praising director John McTiernan, talking about meeting author Tom Clancy and name-dropping 14 castmates including Sean Connery, Tim Curry and James Earl Jones — while barely mentioning Neill at all.
Baldwin, who played Jack Ryan, also recalled a moment involving actor Ronald Guttman smoking a cigarette and doing a Russian accent before performing an impression of James Earl Jones.
He finally returned to Neill, who played Captain Vasili Borodin in the film, at the end of the video.
“That is one of the few movies I have ever done where I remember the whole movie,” he said. “That’s what a fan I am of that work. Not me. I’m not a fan of my work but I am a fan of their work.”
“Anyway, oh my God. My God. Sam Neill. My love to his family, My love to his family,” he added.
Users on X blasted Baldwin’s tribute, with one commenter writing, “It is classic Baldwin to make everything about himself, even when the goal is supposed to be honoring a legendary co-star.”
“He forgot what he was supposed to be talking about? He had zero to say about Sam,” another posted.
“I think he remembered the purpose of the video in the last 15 secs,” a third user said.
But some people defended Baldwin’s tribute, with one Instagram follower writing: “You always talk so calming and compassionate and so kindly about all the people you have worked with.”
“You didn’t say much about Sam Neill but good introspection about Red October. I should see it again! Sam Neill was magnificent. Had a crush on him for decades!” another replied.
Neill died at 78 earlier this week after only recently revealing he was cancer-free following treatment for blood cancer.
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau [family] of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” Neill’s family said in a statement Monday.
“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life. The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.”
