The Baldwin Brothers And their Hollywood Dynasty

There have been a handful of acting dynasties that have captured the lasting attention of Hollywood and the Baldwins have been one of the most prominent. The four: Alec, Stephen, Billy, and Daniel have each forged their own paths within the same field and now, since they have kids, their dynasty has expanded. From the next generation of Baldwins, Ireland (Alec’s daughter) and Hailey (Stephen’s daughter) are the most recognized and the most active on social media.

While the next generation of Baldwins may draw a lot of the public’s attention, the four brothers haven’t disappeared from the public view either, though they may have wanted to at times. There are definitely a handful of past scandals that the Baldwins would like to sweep under the rug. But, it’s common knowledge the price of fame includes little to no privacy. Before we turn the rug over, let’s get to know each Baldwin a little bit better.

Alec is first on the list because he is both the oldest brother and the most well-known worldwide. And though he is the firstborn brother, he is not the firstborn of the Baldwin siblings. Sister Elizabeth is actually the firstborn and is three years older than Alec. Alec was born on April 3, 1958, (birth name, Alexander Rae Baldwin III) in Amityville, New York.

The now-62-year-old is a writer, producer, game show host, and comedian. Not only is he the most popular of the bunch, but he’s also worth the most – with a net worth of $65 million. You’ve seen him on "30 Rock," "The Cooler," "Saturday Night Live," and in "The Departed," but he was also a game show host on Match Game. Alec was married to actress Kim Basinger before his current wife Hilaria Thomas (we’ll get to them soon).

Daniel Baldwin (born Daniel Leroy Baldwin) entered the world on October 5th, 1960 in Massapequa, New York. Daniel has worked in the entertainment industry as an actor, director, and producer. You may have seen Daniel in "Cold Case, Homicide: Life on the Street," "The Wisdom to Know the Difference," and Grey Gardens." His estimated net worth is $400,000. Daniel has not had the most serene private life and has been married three times.

He has five kids from his marriages and took a break from acting to seek professional help for his battle with substance abuse. Thankfully, he has turned a personal challenge into a positive change. Since 2016, Daniel has been working closely with families from Central New York who are also battling similar situations. He also supports young people who are in need of rehabilitation or treatment for their addictions.

William Joseph “Billy” Baldwin was born in Massapequa, New York on February 21'st, in 1963. Billy also holds the titles of producer, writer, and actor and is the second youngest of the four brothers. You may have seen him in movies like "Sliver," "Flatliners," "The Squid, and the Whale", and the show "Gossip Girl." His net worth is around $6 million.

Billy has three kids with wife and singer Chynna Phillips (of the music group Wilson Phillips). The two have been married since 1995. The 57-year-old has slipped out of the U.S. spotlight, but he is currently starring in and producing a Canadian drama series (which you can find on Netflix) called "Northern Rescue."

The youngest of the brothers, Stephen, was born on May 12th, 1966, as Stephen Andrew Baldwin. Stephen is probably best known for the film "The Usual Suspects", "The Young Riders" and "The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas." He has an estimated net worth of $500,000. Stephen got his start in TV (starring in shows like The Young Riders) and made his film debut in "The Beast," but his breakout role is considered to be his performance in "The Usual Suspects."

He shares daughters Alaia and Hailey with Brazilian graphic designer Kennya Deodato, whom he has been married to since 1990. Hailey is a successful model and has been married to Justin Beiber since 2018. Today, Stephen has taken a step back from acting, is a born-again Christian and goes to Hillsong Church, which Bieber also attends.

Though Baldwin is not a terribly rare surname, the four Baldwin brothers share no known relation to fellow-actor, Adam Baldwin.

Though he has appeared in popular films like "The Patriot" and "Serenity," Adam Baldwin has not had the same success as the other Baldwins and, of course, does not share any resemblance to the four!

The way in which the Baldwin brothers dominated the Hollywood scene, you may think that they came from an acting dynasty like the Barrymores or the Houstons, but this was not the case. Their father (Alexander) was a teacher and a football coach in Massapequa, New York while their mother (Carol) was a housewife when they were growing up.

What has helped the Baldwin boys stand out, other than the fact that they come in a group of four, are their good looks and charisma. When asked about where these qualities came from, the brothers have said that it is from their “handsome, demanding father,” the Catholic social studies teacher. Though their father died in 1983, the brothers say their drive for success is fueled by a devotion to him.

All of the Baldwins grew up as devout Catholics, because of their father. Alec credits his father’s faith for his own personal ambition to help others. The Baldwins even like to compare themselves to another famous, American dynasty: the Kennedys and have joked about one of them becoming president one day.

It is speculated that, if Alexander Baldwin hadn’t passed away early in their lives, the brothers wouldn’t have gotten involved in acting. Alexander had plans for his sons and was adamant that they become lawyers. He most likely would have objected to their publicized lives in the entertainment industry. But with dad Baldwin laid to rest, Hollywood’s call became louder.

Alec had a very lucky break into the acting world while he was a student at New York University. While he was a member of the famed Actor’s Studio, he was spotted by a talent scout and offered a spot on a soap opera called The Doctors.  Stephen’s career took off when he, too, was spotted by a talent agent who saw him working in a pizza parlor in Manhattan.

He said that he previously tested his acting chops in regional theater and while singing with the Long Island Philharmonic. Billy and Daniel were then inspired by their brothers and decided to take the leap into Hollywood too. Unfortunately, though they are bonded by blood, the Baldwin brothers don’t always get along.

You would assume that four brothers who pursued the same career path would bond over their shared experiences, but for the Baldwins, sibling rivalry is alive and well. What is the root of the problem? Apparently, politics are partly to blame. Reportedly, the 2016 election created incredible tension amongst the Baldwins, leaving Stephen and Alec barely on speaking terms.

Alec is known to be a passionate Democrat and Stephen an equally passionate Republican. When it came to the elections, it was clear which brother supported which candidate, as both were less public about their political beliefs. Sadly, because of their polarized and passionate beliefs, Alec and Stephen are no longer very close.

Stephen was also reportedly upset with Alec for impersonating Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, believing his performance to be too mean-spirited. Billy, too, holds strong, Democratic beliefs that leave him and Stephen at odds. Billy even struck close to home claiming their late father would be enraged by Stephen’s choice of political party...ouch.

Because of the tender rift between the brothers, Alec prefers not to speak about his relationship with his brothers. But, judging by one of his throwback Instagram posts featuring the four of them, it seems that he may be missing the way things used to be. Hopefully, blood is thicker than ever-changing political waters.

Shifting to more harmonious times, did you know that three of the four brothers were all in the same Tom Cruise movie? While you may occasionally see two siblings acting in the same movie together, seeing three is truly unique!

In 1989, Billy, Daniel, and Stephen starred together in the Tom Cruise movie, Born on the Fourth of July. The film centered around the Vietnam War and went on to win two Academy Awards and four Golden Globes.

Though the Baldwins have created a remarkable acting dynasty, they also have an impressive ancestry. According to Mayflower History, all the Baldwins are descended from John Howland, a passenger on the Mayflower in 1620. The Mayflower was the English ship that transported the first English Puritans (or, Pilgrims) from England to the Americas in 1620.

These records indicated that the Baldwin brothers are considered the 14th generation of their family to live in North America. Also, because of their relation to Howland, they are distantly related to three American Presidents: Franklin D. Roosevelt, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

Before becoming an actor, Billy was just an average kid attending school. But one extracurricular activity he became involved with was wrestling. In the ‘90s, a local newspaper reported that Billy was an excellent wrestler in both high school and college.

Billy, however, was modest about his wrestling and claimed that he was not as good as they said, though his various championships and tournaments say otherwise. But the ‘90s had more in store for Billy and it was then that he started a successful modeling career. He was so successful that he had contracts with brands like Calvin Klein and Nike and ad campaigns with models like Naomi Campbell.

Stephen also has some hidden skills of his own. In his downtime, the youngest Baldwin apparently enjoys skateboarding. Reportedly, after 9/11, Stephen decided to step out of the spotlight and spend more time on his passions: religion and extreme sports. He even combined both interests in a nationwide tour and directed a movie spin-off of a project called “Livin’ It.” The film was decently successful, selling around 500,000 copies to date.

One especially intriguing quirk about Stephen is that he has a Hannah Montana tattoo. Yes, that’s right. How did this happen? Apparently in 2010, he got the tattoo after a conversation he had with Miley Cyrus. Cyrus had promised him that she would get him a guest spot on Hannah Montana if he got the tattoo. Stephen followed through but, unfortunately for him, Cyrus flaked on her side of the deal and he never got the role.

In 2003, Alec received a nomination for both an Oscar and a Razzie award. His film “The Cooler” received the Oscar nomination while his film "The Cat in the Hat” received the Golden Raspberry (Razzie). But the Razzie award became a family affair when Stephen was nominated for one in 2001 for his role in “The Flintstones Viva Rock Vegas” and when Billy was nominated twice in the ‘90s.

In fact, in 1993, Billy almost “won” for Worst Actor in the film “Silver.” In 1995, he was nearly awarded a Worst Screen Couple award for his role in Fair Game with Cindy Crawford. Daniel (who may count himself lucky) is the only Baldwin who never received a Razzie nomination.

Alec met his first wife, Kim Basinger in 1990 when they starred as lovers in the film “The Marrying Man.” Three years later, they decided to get married. Two years afterward, they had their daughter, Ireland. Sadly, five years after that, Alec and Kim separated. Alec then embarked on a seven-year battle to stay in his daughter’s life.

The experience was so trying for him personally that he wrote a book about it called “A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce.” Alec claims that Basinger spent $1.5 million in order to deny him access to his daughter. He labeled this as “parental alienation syndrome.” Because of this, the two are certainly not amicable exes.

After Basinger filed for divorce in 2001, her own father claimed that Alec’s temper is what led his daughter to end the marriage. After years of tabloid gossip, messy legal struggles, and intense personal battles, Alec picked up the pieces and found a new love in his life.

Alec began dating Hilaria Thomas, a yoga instructor from Manhattan, in 2011. According to Hilaria, Alec saw her at a restaurant and kept looking over at her the whole time. Then, as he was about to leave the restaurant, he approached her, took her hand in his, and asked her who she was. And that was all it took to hook Hilaria.

Alec wanted to have more children and was very open and direct with Hilaria about it. He had asked her if she wanted to have kids early in their relationship, and Hilaria, who’s about 26 years younger than Alec, appreciated his frankness.

Though the relationship started out slowly in some ways, the two married just one year later and immediately started adding more Baldwins to the bunch.The two have five children together: daughter Carmen, and sons Rafael, Leonardo Angel Charles, Romeo Alejandro David and Eduardo Pau Lucas. With such a focus on family, it seems that Hilaria and Alec are a great match!

After seeing their mutual love for children and having a large family, you would wonder if Alec and Hilaria still want more kids. But, having five small children, Hilaria has confessed that she may be ready to call the family complete.

She shared about her (joyful) fatigue with having a big brood and that both she and Alec have no plans to expand their family further.

Some films are so awful that they leave a lasting impression. Unfortunately, Stephen was in a less-than-stellar film. In 1996, he starred in the comedy “Bio-Dome,” which was directed by Jason Bloom, and co-starred Pauly Shore. The film was a sort of unusual buddy flick and, though the film received an unsettling 4% on Rotten Tomatoes, there was actually a sequel in discussion.

It may interest you to know that, in 1996, both the film and Shore won a Razzie Award. In 2013, Stephen shared on Mancow Muller’s radio show that he was speaking with Shore about making a sequel. But the project never gained momentum and was never picked up. Some projects are better left in the past.

If Bio-Dome was Stephen’s flop, then The Usual Suspects may be his best film. The film premiered in 1995, with Stephen playing the role of Michael McManus. Baldwin had grown tired of doing independent films due to unmet expectations and was ready for a change.

When he met director Bryan Singer, Stephen had a 15-minute monologue about what it would be like for Singer to work with him. But Singer wasn’t put off by Stephen’s speech and told him exactly what he expected from his role in the film and what he wanted as a director. Stephen appreciated his directness and clarity and the two went forward to create a successful film, especially in the eyes of the audience

If you saw The Usual Suspects, you may remember that one of the most iconic scenes from the film was the police line-up. Apparently, the actors struggled with their lines for the scene which led to screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie feeding them their lines off-camera. When Stephen said his line, the other actors couldn’t help but break character.

Actor Gabriel Byrne remembers that they often burst out laughing and could barely keep it together between takes. Kevin Spacey admitted that the hardest part was trying not to laugh, but Stephen and Kevin Pollak were the worst offenders when it came to breaking character.

Another interesting fact about that scene: their goal was to get the typically serious Byrne to crack up and break character. But Byrne was tough to crack and his co-stars ended up spending all morning trying to make him laugh. On their break, director Bryan Singer reprimanded the five actors for failing at their task. Eventually, one of the takes where they couldn’t stay serious had to be used, and editor John Ottman used a combination of the takes they made and decided to showcase the humor.

In the scene where the crew meets Redfoot after a botched drug deal, he flicks his cigarette at McManus’ (Stephen’s) face. It turns out that the actor playing Redfoot was supposed to flick the cigarette at Stephen’s chest, but he missed and hit his face instead. This means that Stephen’s reaction was genuine.

Though he had some lucrative, film opportunities in the past (excluding Bio-Dome), Stephen learned the hard way that money can easily slip away. In 2009, he reportedly filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming to owe over $2.3 million in debt. In addition, he owned a $1.1 million New York home.

The burden of two mortgages on the property and $1 million in back taxes became too much for him to handle. Sadly, in 2012, Stephen was arrested for failing to file tax returns from 2008 to 2010.

Because of these financial difficulties, Stephen was forced to pay back both the state of New York and the IRS. He had to move out of his Nyack, New York home into a smaller place in Queens, but even then his legal problems continued.

In 2014, Stephen was busted for driving with a suspended license in NYC and also for holding an expired Texas car registration. In 2012, Stephen was arrested for making an illegal U-turn. These were rough years for the youngest Baldwin.

Like Stephen, Daniel also found himself in trouble with the law. In 1997, he went on a narcotic-fueled rampage in an NYC hotel room. He was then arrested, hospitalized, and later pled guilty to disorderly conduct. However, Daniel was able to avoid jail by being sentenced to three months of rehab.

Daniel confessed to People that his addiction started in his earlier years (1989), which led to a tragic, cyclical battle of rehab and relapses. But as the entertainment industry finds a way to create a show from nearly anything, Daniel’s struggle helped land him a spot on reality TV...

Daniel appeared on the show Celebrity Rehab in 2008, but as a mentor instead of an addict. Unfortunately, his positive image did not last long. Daniel was accused of inappropriate behavior by Mary Carey (former adult film star and fellow co-star). At the time, Daniel was a married father of four.

It then became a battle of “he said, she said” as Daniel claimed that Carey was the one who was making him (and his wife) uncomfortable. But Carey went further, accusing Daniel of requesting photos of her and repeatedly inquiring about her career as an adult film star, despite her clearly attempting to leave that image behind.

Sadly for Daniel, his romantic life hasn’t been very successful. He’s been married three times, and had five children by four different women. His first marriage dissolved quietly, but his second one was marred by scandal. In 1996, he had married actress Elizabeth Baldwin, divorced her in 1996, and that same year had a son with his co-star (from "Homicide: Life on the Street") Isabella Hofmann.

Reportedly, Daniel and Hofmann were romantically involved for over a decade. His third wife was Joanne Smith, a chef whom he met in rehab in 2006. The two married in 2007, had two children, and by 2011 they were divorced.

When not spending time with his wife and kids or engaging in political discussions, Alec is still bust in showbusiness. The trailer for "Boss Baby 2," starring Lisa Kudrow is the sequel to his animated comedy (Boss Baby.)

It was just released and he reportedly landed a new ABC comedy with Kelsey Grammer. The series is currently untitled but both Grammer and Alec are executive producers.

Along with the "Boss Baby sequel," Alec will be starring in a handful of upcoming projects. He will play the role of Enzo Ferrari, (the founder Ferrari car) in the film "Lamborghini" as well as the TV series, Dr. Death (which explores the mysterious patient deaths of a certain physician.)

In addition, he will also star in a cop thriller "Blue Before Blood" and the "Western, Rust."

Alec Baldwin has been in so many projects over the decades, it’s hard to keep track of them all. And, though his best role is supposedly in the film "The Cooler," there may be some other roles that audiences forgot about.

He has appeared in comedies like "It’s Complicated" and "Fun with Dick and Jane." And who can forget his six-episode appearance on "Will and Grace?" It seems that Alec rarely misses an opportunity to add to his resume.

Perhaps one of the reasons that Alec has become more famous than the rest of his brothers, is the wide variety of roles he has taken on. He has played both protagonists and antagonists and has starred in multiple film genres.

Over the years, he has received multiple awards for his performances ( along with his Academy Award nomination for The Cooler), including multiple Golden Globes, Primetime Emmy Awards, and a BAFTA Award among others.

Along with his political activism, Alec is also an animal activist and a PETA supporter. In the past, he has spoken on behalf of the organization, including appearing in a video highlighting the abuse of elephants in circus environments.

He also passed on his activism to his daughter Ireland, who has also been in a PETA campaign in the past.

Amidst scandals and substance abuse struggles, Daniel has stayed relatively low the past few years. Currently, the only activity he appears to have in Hollywood is a film he directed called My Promise to P.J. The documentary film is about Daniel’s promise to his friend P.J. Raynor (who died of substance abuse) that the two of them would partake in the running of the Bulls in Spain if Raynor became sober.

Reportedly, the film will also feature interviews from all four of the Baldwin brothers. Hopefully, this will be a new, positive chapter for Daniel.

Compared to Alec, Billy has also been out of the public eye for a while. But he did recently appear in a short film called “Talk” which appeared at the online version of the Yucca Valley Film Festival.

During the online film festival, Billy spoke about the production of his new short film with French director, Romuald Boulanger.

Along with his film "Talk, "Billy also has a few other projects in the works. He will reportedly be appearing in the comedy "The Trouble."

In addition to that, in the works is also a sci-fi flick "South of Hope Street" as well as dramedy, "Fourth Grade" alongside Mena Suvari.

For his new Netflix series, "Northern Rescue," Billy said that the project held a special inspiration for him: his family. He said that his role resonated with him because his character (John West) has three kids, all nearly the same ages as his own children.

The character’s parental role is central to the show’s plot and easily connected to Billy’s real-life role as a dad to three kids. It is fascinating how, so often, art imitates life.

Stephen has been in the news recently for his political beliefs, which have clashed with the rest of his family, including both of his daughters. Though his relationship with his brothers may be strained, he appears to still be on good terms with both Alaia and Hailey.

Politics aside, career wise, things are looking up for Stephen as he is also slated to appear in some smaller film projects.

In a happier, romantic narrative, Justin Bieber proposed to Stephen’s daughter Hailey in 2018. The news stunned the public but Stephen was at total peace about the union. Apparently, Bieber made the right move and asked him for his blessing to marry Hailey – this, among other things, must have won Stephen’s respect and approval.

In fact, he was glad to give his blessing. When Bieber proposed to Hailey, the 23-year-old called her parents to find out what they thought of her engagement. She confessed that this was what she wanted, but she needed to know that her parents supported them.

Before Hailey and Bieber got engaged, Stephen already knew the megastar. In 2009, Alec had given Stephen and Hailey tickets to see Bieber perform live on the Today Show.

Stephen and Justin’s mother, Pattie Mallette, are born-again Christians, which is something they reportedly bonded over.

Stephen also has an older daughter, Alaia, who is 26. Like Hailey, she has also done modeling but generally keeps a lower profile. Though she shares very different political beliefs from her father, the two seem to still have a good relationship.

Alaia is married to filmmaker Andrew Aronow and just had a baby daughter, making Stephen a first-time grandpa!

Tabloid rumors are a common problem for every popular celebrity. Though Justin and Hailey have been married since 2019, they have been battling various rumors since their relationship began.

Facing everything from breakup to pregnancy rumors, the young couple has demonstrated a united front through it all. Both of them are generally quick to shut down any rumors and, if social media is to be believed, the couple is perfectly happy.

So, what was it like to grow up in a famous family? Though neither she nor Alaia grew up ignorant of their lineage, Hailey says that they had a very normal childhood. She claims that her childhood didn’t leave her feeling famous and she was not deprived of typical experiences.

Hailey also confessed that, in comparison to how her husband grew up, she certainly believes her early years were very average.

At 25, she may have five half-siblings significantly younger than her, but Ireland Baldwin hasn’t gotten lost in the shuffle. Mother, Kim Bassinger, was a model and Ireland decided to follow in mom’s footsteps.

She was previously signed to IMG Models in 2013 and appeared in a variety of magazines. She is currently signed to DT Model Management.

Many may see her as having a privileged and polished life, but Ireland Baldwin (Alec's daughter) has had struggles and scandals of her own. She confessed that she had previously battled with eating disorders and, back in 2015, she resigned from IMG Models after checking into rehab.

Thankfully, after overcoming some of her struggles, Ireland has been able to continue modeling outside of IMG. After singing with DT Model Management, she appeared in ad campaigns for big brands such as True Religion Jeans and Guess.

Billy Baldwin had a health scare hit very close to home during the past couple of years. His now 18-year-old son Vance was diagnosed with cancer back in 2018 and had to undergo 28 rounds of chemotherapy.

But after quietly undergoing cancer treatments, Vance has been blessed to be cancer-free for over a year.

So how did Hailey become so famous in the world of modeling? Certainly, connections through her parents may have helped, but Hailey did a lot of hard work of her own. She was signed with Ford Models and soon after, appeared in a handful of ad campaigns. In 2014, she hit the runway for the TopShop fashion show and for French designer Sonia Rykiel.

She then became more widely known as she began appearing on international versions of Elle and Harper’s Bizarre. But she is probably best seen and known through her Instagram account.

Hailey has been busy outside of the modeling world and is more than just a pretty face. She originally wanted to be a professional ballerina, but a foot injury put those dreams to rest.

And though she did appear briefly on SNL with uncle Alec back in 2009, she has been in front of the camera as a host on shows like MTV Europe and the TBS show, Drop the Mic. In addition, since being in the fashion world, she has also been able to collaborate with designers to create her own pieces.

It certainly helped Hailey out in life to be born a Baldwin, but today she is branching out from the family tree. Along with her modeling career and being married to one of the most famous people on the planet.

She has also become a highly successful social media influencer with her 30.5 million followers on Instagram.  She has now greatly surpassed her dad in net worth. As of 2020, she is worth about $22 million. It's safe to say that the Baldwin dynasty lives on.