The new evidence was brought to a grand jury of 12 beginning on Thursday, with a requirement for at least eight to agree on probable cause for new charges.

Their one-count indictment was issued on Friday under two alternative legal theories – that Mr Baldwin was either negligent in his use of a firearm or that he acted with “total disregard or indifference for the safety of others”.

Prosecutors have indicated that he can only be convicted on one of these theories, not both. If convicted, he faces up to 18 months in prison.

An attorney representing Ms Hutchins’ family said it was “looking forward to the criminal trial”.

“Our clients have always sought the truth about what happened on the day that Halyna Hutchins was tragically shot and killed,” Gloria Allred said in a statement.

“They continue to seek the truth in our civil lawsuit for them and they also would like there [sic] to be accountability in the criminal justice system.”

Mr Baldwin – who has expressed “shock and sadness” at Ms Hutchins’ death – said in recent court filings that he has struggled to find acting work since the incident.