Alec Baldwin, known for his versatile acting career, is sharing a new chapter of his life with the public through "The Baldwins," a reality series set to air on TLC and Discovery+.
This show offers viewers unprecedented access to Baldwin and his wife Hilaria's family dynamics, featuring their seven children, who range from two to eleven years old. The couple decided to film the series prior to Baldwin’s well-publicized manslaughter trial related to the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust. The 42-year-old Hutchins was tragically shot on October 21, 2021, with a gun Baldwin was holding. The actor has maintained his innocence, asserting he did not pull the trigger of the Colt .45 involved.
The reality show documents the Baldwin family's life as they navigate the emotional aftermath of the tragedy. Baldwin, who suffers from PTSD and OCD, recently opened up about how this past year affected him, stating, "I'm happier when I'm asleep than when I'm awake." He reflected on his struggles, saying, "This past year was just terrible. There were times I'd lay in bed. I'd go, 'Wow, my kids. I can't get up.' That's not like me. I'm not like...that at all, not in any way am I like...that." Hilaria has remarked on her husband’s mental health challenges as well, asserting, "If an accident had to have happened this day, why am I still here? Why couldn't it have been me?"
On the flip side, the couple has faced criticism for their decision to pursue reality television at such a tumultuous time. Some see it as inappropriate, considering the events surrounding Hutchins' death and Baldwin's legal troubles. Nonetheless, the couple felt compelled to share their story. Hilaria explained, "It felt authentic, it felt human. Telling your story is one thing, and showing your story is something else. It was an opportunity for us to actually speak. It was also very cathartic, almost like a diary, during a very unsure time of our lives."
Scheduled to air on February 23, the series is intended to reveal the challenges and triumphs of raising children amid public scrutiny and personal struggles. The show will detail how the family coped during Baldwin's legal challenges and how they are continuing to manage the fallout of the tragedy. Hilaria insightfully noted, "The last three years has been a significant chunk of my children's lives. Our older ones were much younger at the time the shooting happened but have had the awareness because of their age to understand what's going on. The youngest three don't know a life without this."
Conversations around the dinner table, which are candidly featured, shed light on the impact of their circumstances on their children. Baldwin acknowledges the evolution of their family life since the incident, saying, "Our lives were very different before this. Our children have been forced to recognise this, they've been forced to deal with it with us in their own way." Their shared narrative encompasses their efforts at parenting through such difficult changes.
Alec’s children have always been at the forefront of their lives, but the added weight of recent events has radically changed the fabric of their day-to-day dynamics. Hilaria openly shares with viewers, "Things will forever be different. Halyna lost her life...We are going to feel and carry this pain forever. This will be part of our family's story."
Despite the backlash, The Baldwins aims to provide insights not just about the family’s extraordinary circumstances but also their resilience. The series captures the essence of their commitment to family, with Baldwin emphasizing, "For me, work-related things really aren't as important anymore. I thought, 'I get to spend time with my family.'"
Though Baldwin was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter charges last July, the public interest surrounding his story and his family dynamic continues to warrant attention. The Baldwins offers not only a glimpse of life behind the camera but the strength and vulnerabilities of a family adjusting after tragedy.
With Baldwin at the center of it all, the reality series presents the raw emotions and transformational experiences of parenting against the backdrop of adversity. Audiences can engage with the series beginning February 23, finding insight and perhaps empathy for the family's continuous adjustment as they navigate this new path together.