Bio: Alec Baldwin is the oldest, and best-known, of the four Baldwin brothers in the acting business (the others are Stephen Baldwin, William Baldwin and Daniel Baldwin). Alexander Rae Baldwin III was born on April 3, 1958 in Massapequa, New York, the son of Carol Newcomb (Martineau) and Alexander Rae Baldwin Jr., a high school teacher and football coach at Massapequa High School. He is of Irish, as well as English, French, Scottish, and German, descent.Alec Baldwin burst onto the TV scene in the early 1980s with appearances on several series, including The Doctors (1963) and Knots Landing (1979), before scoring feature film roles in Forever, Lulu (1986), Beetlejuice (1988), Working Girl (1988), Married to the Mob (1988) and Talk Radio (1988). In 1990, Baldwin appeared in the first on-screen adaptation of the "Jack Ryan" character created by mega-selling espionage author, Tom Clancy. The film, The Hunt for Red October (1990), was a box office and critical success, with Baldwin appearing alongside icy Sean Connery. Unfortunately, Baldwin fell out with Paramount Studios over future scripts for "Jack Ryan", and subsequent Ryan roles went to Harrison Ford.Baldwin instead went to Broadway to perform "A Streetcar Named Desire", garnering a Tony nomination for his portrayal of "Stanley Kowalski" (he would reprise the role in a 1995 TV adaptation). Baldwin won over critics as a lowlife thief pursued by dogged cop Fred Ward in Miami Blues (1990), met his future wife Kim Basinger while filming the Neil Simon comedy, The Marrying Man (1991), starred in the film adaptation of the play, Prelude to a Kiss (1992) (in which he starred off-Broadway), and made an indelible ten-minute cameo as a hard-nosed real estate executive laying down the law in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992). He also made a similar tour-de-force monologue in the thriller, Malice (1993), as a doctor defending his practices, in which he stated, "Let me tell you something: I am God".Demand for Baldwin's talents in the 1990s saw more scripts swiftly come his way, and he starred alongside his then-wife, Kim Basinger, in a remake of the Steve McQueen action flick, The Getaway (1994), brought to life the famous comic strip character, The Shadow (1994), and starred as an assistant district attorney in the civil rights drama, Ghosts of Mississippi (1996). Baldwin's distinctive vocal talents then saw him voice US-aired episodes of the highly popular UK children's show, Thomas & Friends (1984), plus later voice-only contributions to other animated/children's shows, including Clerks (2000), Cats & Dogs (2001), Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004).In the early 2000s, Baldwin and Basinger endured an acrimonious break-up that quickly became tabloid fodder but, while his divorce was high-profile, Baldwin excelled in a number of lower-profile supporting roles in a variety of films, including State and Main (2000), Pearl Harbor (2001), The Cooler (2003) (for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor), The Aviator (2004), Along Came Polly (2004) and The Departed (2006). As he was excelling as a consummate character actor, Baldwin found a second career in television comedy. Already known for his comedic turns hosting Saturday Night Live (1975), he essayed an extended guest role on Will & Grace (1998) in 2005 before taking on what would arguably become his most famous role, that of network executive "Jack Donaghy", opposite Tina Fey in the highly-acclaimed sitcom, 30 Rock (2006). The role brought Baldwin two Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, and an unprecedented six Screen Actors Guild Awards (not including cast wins).Continuing to appear in films as 30 Rock (2006) wrapped up its final season, Baldwin was engaged in 2012 to wed Hilaria Baldwin (aka Hilaria Lynn Thomas); the couple married on June 30, 2012.
Tivia: Caused a major uproar in the Philippines when he made a joke that he was interested in buying a Filipina wife. As a result, Philippine senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., (also an actor) blasted Baldwin and even swore to personally beat him up if he ever visits the Philippines. Despite apologizing for the joke, Baldwin was effectively banned from visiting the Philippines.Is one of only two people with a standing invitation to host Saturday Night Live (1975) every year (schedules allowing). The other is Christopher Walken.He and ex-wife, actress Kim Basinger, are vegetarians. He has said Basinger convinced him to adopt that dietary lifestyle. Both remain advocates for animal rights. The couple owned a total of eleven dogs, seven cats and a wolf during their marriage.Was willing to voice his own puppet in Team America: World Police (2004) (despite the film's unflattering portrait of him and other celebrities) but was turned down by producers Matt Stone and Trey Parker, because all of the other celebrities were voiced by impressionists in the film. The role went to impressionist Maurice LaMarche.Good friends with actress Meryl Streep.His numerous impressions of fellow actor Robert De Niro are among De Niro's favorites.Declined two roles that later went to fellow actor Harrison Ford. First, he declined to reprise the role of Jack Ryan in Patriot Games (1992), then he turned down the lead role in The Fugitive (1993).Told brother Stephen Baldwin that doing Bio-Dome (1996) could be the single most career-ending decision he could possibly make.He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 15, 2011, outside Eva Longoria's restaurant, Beso, on Hollywood Boulevard, seven blocks away from ex-wife Kim Basinger's star. In attendance were his brother Stephen Baldwin, his daughter Ireland and friend Megan Mullally.Is a teetotaler, having entered Alcoholics Anonymous at age 26.For two consecutive years, he played the screen husband of the Best Actress Oscar winner: Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine (2013) and Julianne Moore in Still Alice (2014).He was considered by Tim Burton and Warner Brothers Studios for the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman (1989), which went to Michael Keaton.Claimed in a 2013 interview that he donates all the money he makes from his Capital One commercials to charity and even 'got addicted to giving the money away'.As part of his preparation for The Hunt for Red October (1990), he was trained to drive a Los Angeles-class attack submarine at the New London Submarine Base in Connecticut.Revealed during an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) that he suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).On February 11, 2010, he got into an argument on the phone with his daughter Ireland and threatened to take pills. When Ireland tried to call him back and couldn't reach him, she dialed 911. That same day, Alec was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital before being released just hours later.In his memoir, Baldwin estimates that ex-wife Kim Basinger spent about $1.5 million over a seven-year period in her efforts to deny him parental access.Counts Gary Oldman as one of his favorite actors.Removed from an American Airlines flight on December 6, 2011, at Los Angeles International Airport, reportedly for not turning off his cellphone.(September 11, 2011) For his role on 30 Rock (2006), he was named one of the "Eight Actors Who Turn Television into Art", in cover story of The New York Times Magazine.Worked at Studio 54 in the 1970s.Surpassed Steve Martin for hosting Saturday Night Live (1975) the most times (16) on September 24, 2011. Martin had hosted 14 times at the time. In 2010, the duo co-hosted The 82nd Annual Academy Awards (2010). As of February 2017, Baldwin holds the record for hosting Saturday Night Live (1975) with 17 episodes.In 1996, he was acquitted of criminal battery against a paparazzi photographer. He is not the first Alexander Baldwin in the family who was acquitted of a criminal offense. In 1938, his grandfather Alexander Baldwin I, an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn, N.Y., was acquitted of bribery. but nonetheless he was disbarred and was never to practice law again.Is only the third person in history to be nominated for both Best Supporting Actor from the Oscars, for The Cooler (2003), and Worst Supporting Actor from the Razzies, for The Cat in the Hat (2003), in the same year.Turned down the chance to reprise the role of Jack Ryan in Patriot Games (1992) in order to play Stanley Kowalski in a revival of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" on Broadway.Had done a skit on Saturday Night Live (1975) in December 2005 in which he spoofed himself delivering the same speech he did in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) to a couple of Santa's elves. Only some of the words were changed to apply to the elves rather than salesmen. He slipped though when saying the line, "Always Be Cobbling" instead he said the original line, "Always Be Closing". This made the other cast members break out in laughter on the live show.Named Last Tango in Paris (1972) as his all-time favorite film in a poll taken by the AFI.One of six children of Carol M. Baldwin of Syracuse, New York, and the late Alexander R. Baldwin Jr., a social studies teacher and football coach at Massapequa High School, one of whose students was Brian Kilmeade. Alec's siblings are William Baldwin, Stephen Baldwin, Daniel Baldwin, Jane Sasso and Elizabeth Keuchler. Brother-in-law of Chynna Phillips, Kennya Baldwin and Joanne Smith-Baldwin. Cousin of actor Joseph Baldwin.At George Washington University, Baldwin ran for president but lost by two votes.Has a daughter with now ex-wife Kim Basinger, Ireland Eliesse Baldwin, aka Ireland Baldwin, on October 23, 1995.In 1979, he auditioned for the New York University Undergraduate Drama Program on a dare (and was accepted). Studied at New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. Trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. Teaches a theater class at The Ross School in New York.Dated Lori Loughlin, Tatum O'Neal, Kristin Davis, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lori Singer and Holly Gagnier.Has seven children with wife Hilaria Baldwin. Carmen Gabriella, August 23, 2013; Rafael Thomas, June 17, 2015; Leonardo ��ngel Charles, September 12, 2016; Romeo Alejandro David, May 18, 2018; Eduardo Pau Lucas, September 8, 2020; Lucia (born by surrogate), March 20, 2021 and Ilaria Catalina Irena, September 22, 2022.On December 12, 1998, Alec Baldwin hosted Saturday Night Live (1975) and appeared in the double entendre-filled "Schweddy Balls" edition of the recurring skit "The Delicious Dish", which spoofed National Public Radio (NPR). In 2009, Baldwin became the on-air radio host of "The New York Philharmonic This Week" on the real NPR. In 2011, Baldwin became the host of his own public radio interview podcast show on WNYC, "Here's the Thing with Alec Baldwin".On April 11, 2007, he caused a scandal by leaving an expletive-filled voicemail for his daughter, Ireland, calling her a "thoughtless little pig", which later was revealed to the media.Baldwin wrote the series episode Tabloid (1998), which was based on his own experiences with tabloid reporters.Was nominated for Broadway's 1992 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for playing Stanley Kowalski in a revival of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire", a performance he recreated in a television version of the same title, A Streetcar Named Desire (1995).Replaced Alan Rickman as the voice of Leonardo Leonardo in the 2000 cartoon based on Kevin Smith's film Clerks (1994).Was the first non-cast member of Saturday Night Live (1975) to play Donald Trump in an "SNL" sketch.Has impersonated Robert De Niro on Saturday Night Live (1975) a few times, and now he will be in The Good Shepherd (2006), which is directed by De Niro.Was Cate Blanchett's co-star in both the movies for which she won her Oscars; The Aviator (2004) and Blue Jasmine (2013).In his 2017 memoir, he wrote that he was the inspiration for the role of the primadonna actor in What Just Happened (2008). He wasn't pleased about it and was even more annoyed when Robert De Niro offered him the role. After he declined, Bruce Willis got the role.Was replaced by Harrison Ford for the role of Jack Trainer in Working Girl (1988) and relegated to the smaller role of Mick Dugan. Since Melanie Griffith wasn't a big enough name to carry a film back then (she ended up getting third billing despite having the main role), Fox demanded that the male lead be played by a box office star or they wouldn't green-light the project. "So, Mike Nichols had to call Alec and say, 'Look, I'm really sorry. The circumstances have changed. Would you do this other part?' Alec understood and was so lovely about it. He came in and really nailed that character. It was an awkward adjustment," recalled producer Douglas Wick.Nominated for the 2018 Emmy Award in the Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category for his role as Donald Trump in Saturday Night Live (1975), but lost to Henry Winkler from Barry (2018).As of 2019, has appeared in five films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Working Girl (1988), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), BlacKkKlansman (2018), and A Star Is Born (2018). Of these, The Departed (2006) is a Best Picture winner.Education: George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (majored in political science), New York University, New York City (majored in drama; Bachelor of Arts, 1994).A longtime outspoken liberal Democrat, he was rumored in 2011 to be weighing a run for mayor of New York City based on his announcement that he was retiring from acting. He later issued a denial on Late Show with David Letterman (1993) and explained that his intention had been to enter politics, but he decided against it and he would be renewing his contract for 30 Rock (2006).Reportedly, Baldwin originally wanted to be a lawyer before he was bit by the acting bug.Has appeared in films with all three of his successors in the role of Jack Ryan: Harrison Ford in Working Girl (1988), Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor (2001), and Chris Pine in Rise of the Guardians (2012). He has also been played by Affleck on Saturday Night Live (1975).Jokes that he "stole" his performance in The Cooler (2003) from Ben Kingsley's in Sexy Beast (2000).