‘The Baldwins’ Introduce Viewers to the Chaos of Alec and Hilaria’s Large Family

When Alec Baldwin announced in an Instagram video that his family would be starring in a reality series on TLC, those who were aware of his upcoming “Rust” trial were surprised at the timing. But it turns out that spending 24/7 filming with his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and his rambunctious seven kids was exactly what the actor needed during that stressful time. Now, viewers see how the family navigated such a tough time while going about their daily lives.

Immersing Himself in His Family Was Better Than Being Away Working

Baldwin acknowledged to The Guardian in 2019 that life was very different before having kids with Hilaria. “I just kept moving. I cut every ribbon. I would show up,” he said. Five years later, with the involuntary manslaughter case looming over his head, Baldwin wanted to spend as much time with his family as possible, and letting cameras into their home was also a way to “work” without leaving their home.

“We did the show because it’s in place of doing a movie or a play. Now I think to myself, ‘Am I going to be away from my kids five nights out of the week until 11 o’clock at night?'” Alec told People. “For me, work-related things really aren’t that critical anymore. I thought, ‘I get to spend time with my family.'”

Hilaria Wanted the World to See Who They Really Are

Hilaria Baldwin, who had retreated a bit from the spotlight after previous backlash regarding her Spanish accent, had a different take on why it was a good time to make a Baldwin reality show. “We said yes to a reality show because we found the right people to do it with,” she confessed to People. “Telling your story is one thing, and showing your story is something else. And it wasn’t about stirring up any drama. We have plenty of that on our own. “It felt authentic. It felt human.”

Being “on” constantly while all of your moments and conversations are being recorded during such a trying time sounds awful, but Hilaria chose to look at it as cathartic instead. “Having cameras present at such a frightening time didn’t feel like an intrusion,” she told People. “It was an opportunity for us actually to speak. It was a really safe space. And I think it was also very cathartic, almost like a diary, during a very unsure time of our life. That felt both terrifying and like it could get us through day by day.”