Rory Kennedy Says Her Family History Gave Her ‘Depth of Relatability’ While Directing New Alec Baldwin Doc

Rory Kennedy is opening up about how the defining experiences of her life have shaped her perspective in her latest documentary project.

As the youngest daughter of Ethel Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy — and one of their eleven children — Kennedy has long gravitated toward stories rooted in human struggle and resilience. During the DOC NYC Visionaries Tribute Luncheon on Nov. 12 in New York City, she discussed her documentary The Trial of Alec Baldwin, ahead of its world premiere on Nov. 13.

The project follows the aftermath of the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust in 2021 and the criminal investigation that soon focused on the film’s star, Alec Baldwin. Kennedy says she reached out to Baldwin early on, curious about what he was experiencing.

“He was, I would say, resistant at first,” Kennedy recalls. “And I said, ‘Sit on it, think about it. If you’re interested, I would love to talk more.’ ”

Baldwin ultimately agreed — but only after Kennedy laid out two key conditions: that she would retain full editorial control and that Baldwin would not receive financial compensation for participating.

“We had a contract within a week and an understanding, and I was on the journey with him, and have been on it for the last three years,” she says.

Kennedy’s upbringing in a family marked by historic tragedy — including the assassinations of her father and uncle, President John F. Kennedy — has influenced her connection to this story. She says she understands the profound ripple effects that a single devastating event can have.

“I felt like I did have a depth of relatability in terms of what the family had gone through, and I also felt like there would be space to explore,” she explains. “This event impacted everybody on that set and had a ripple effect on so many lives, and so I think it’s important to be able to explore that.”

Filming began shortly before manslaughter charges filed against Baldwin were dropped in 2023. Kennedy’s team continued documenting his life as he was indicted again in 2024 — charges that were also later dismissed.

Across years of access, Kennedy says she captured “a very intimate portrait” of Baldwin as he navigated intense public scrutiny.

“I think that he was extraordinarily brave and courageous just to allow us to document him during this very tumultuous time, and I think people will see something in him and sides to him that they’ve never seen before.”

While the documentary closely follows Baldwin’s experience, Kennedy stresses that it also examines the broader consequences of the Rust tragedy.

“This is all in the backdrop of the horrendous tragedy and loss of Halyna, and I guess I feel that in the world that we live in today, there should be enough space to explore more than one tragedy that can occur in a situation like this,” she says. “So I think this film is about that exploration.”

The Trial of Alec Baldwin premieres Nov. 13 at the SVA Theatre in New York City as part of the DOC NYC festival, running Nov. 12–20.