Birthday:
3 April 1958, Massapequa, Long Island, New York, USA
Height:
6' (1.83 m)
Biography
Raven-haired, suavely handsome and prolific actor Alec
Baldwin was born on April 3, 1958 in Massapequa, New York, and is
easily the best-known of the four Baldwin brothers in the acting
business (the others are Stephen Baldwin, William Baldwin and Daniel
Baldwin). Alec 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
(1987), 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 the Tank Engine & 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 remarried in 2012 to Hilaria Thomas (aka Hilaria Lynn Thomas), and is rumored to be considering political office
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 the Tank Engine & 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 remarried in 2012 to Hilaria Thomas (aka Hilaria Lynn Thomas), and is rumored to be considering political office
Personal life
Baldwin and his family are Catholic.[31]
Marriages
In 1990, Baldwin met his future wife, actress Kim Basinger, when they played lovers in the film The Marrying Man.[32] They married in 1993[33] and had a daughter, Ireland Baldwin, in 1995.[34] On January 12, 2001, Basinger filed for a divorce,[35] which was finalized in 2002.[36]
In summer 2011, Baldwin began dating Hilaria Thomas, an instructor with Yoga Vida in Manhattan.[37][38][39] Baldwin and Thomas moved from the Upper West Side to Greenwich Village that August.[40][41][42] The couple became engaged in April 2012[37] and married on June 30, 2012, at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in New York City.[43] The couple announced in February 2013 they were expecting their first child.[44]
Runway incident
In December 2011, Baldwin was on an American Airlines flight at Los Angeles airport, and playing Words with Friends
on his phone while waiting for takeoff. When instructed to put away the
"electronic device" by the flight attendant, he reportedly became
belligerent, and was eventually removed from the plane. He later
publicly apologized to the passengers who were delayed but not the
airline or federal regulators.[45]
A 2012 commercial for Capital One credit cards, for which Baldwin is a spokesperson, makes humorous reference to the event: A Viking
character from the ad series asks about the phone Baldwin is using, to
which Baldwin facetiously replies that it is not to be used on the
runway, ending with a chiding "No!" A commercial for Best Buy also
humorously referenced the event: Words With Friends co-creators Paul
Bettner and David Bettner are on a plane and are interrupted by a flight
attendant looking down at them, clearing her throat and signaling them
to put their phones away.
Baldwin also made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update segment posing as the captain of the plane from which he was removed.
A Promise to Ourselves
In 2008, Baldwin and Mark Tabb published their book A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce, which chronicles Baldwin's seven-year battle to remain a part of his daughter's life.[46][47]
Baldwin contends that after their separation in December 2000, his former wife, Kim Basinger, endeavored to deny him access to his daughter by refusing to discuss parenting,[48] blocking visitation,[49] not providing telephone access,[50] not following court orders,[51] not dropping their daughter off for reasons of convenience,[52] and directly lobbying the child.[53] He contends she spent over $1.5 million in the effort.[54]
Baldwin called this parental alienation syndrome.[55]
Baldwin has called the attorneys in the case "opportunists" and has
characterized Basinger's psychologists as part of the "divorce
industry". He has faulted them more than Basinger, and writes, "In fact,
I blame my ex-wife least of all for what has transpired. She is a
person, like many of us, doing the best she can with what she has. She
is a litigant, and therefore, one who walks into a courtroom and is
never offered anything other than what is served there. Nothing off the
menu, ever."[56]
Baldwin wrote that he has spent over a million dollars,[57] has had to put time aside from his career,[58] has had to travel extensively,[59] and needed to find a house in California (he lived in New York),[60] so he could stay in his daughter's life.[46]
Baldwin contended that after seven years of these issues, he hit a
breaking point, and on April 11, 2007, left an angry voicemail message
in response to another unanswered arranged call in which Baldwin called
his daughter a "rude, thoughtless little pig".[61] He contends that the tape was sold to TMZ, which released the recording despite laws against publishing media related to a minor without the permission of both parents.[62] Baldwin admitted he made a mistake, but asked not to be judged as a parent based on a bad moment.[63] He later admitted to Playboy in June 2009 that he contemplated suicide
over the voice mail that leaked to the public. Of the incident, he said
"I spoke to a lot of professionals, who helped me. If I committed
suicide, [ex-wife Kim Basinger's side] would have considered that a
victory. Destroying me was their avowed goal."[64]
During the autumn of 2008, Baldwin toured in support of the book, speaking about his experiences related in it.[65][66][67][68]
Political views
Baldwin serves on the board of People for the American Way. He is an animal rights activist, and a strong supporter of PETA,[69][70] for which he has done work that includes narrating the video entitled Meet Your Meat.[71] His wife has joined the cause, fronting for PETA's Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide.[72] Baldwin also lent his support to the Save the Manatee Club
by donating his time to record several public service announcements for
the group, which had contacted him following his role in "Bonfire of the Manatees", an episode of The Simpsons in which he was the voice of a biologist working to save the endangered mammals.[73]
During his appearance on the comedy late night show Late Night with Conan O'Brien on December 12, 1998, eight days before President Bill Clinton was to be impeached, Baldwin said, "If we were in another country ... we would stone Henry Hyde
to death and we would go to their homes and kill their wives and their
children. We would kill their families, for what they're doing to this
country."[74] Baldwin later apologized for the remarks, and the network explained it was meant as a joke and promised not to rerun it.[75]
Baldwin said in a 2006 interview with The New York Times that if he did become involved in electoral politics, he would prefer to run for Governor of New York.
When asked if he were qualified for the office, Baldwin responded that
he considered himself more qualified than California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.[76] In June 2011, The Daily reported that Baldwin was mulling a 2013 run for Mayor of New York City in the wake of a potential early race shakeup after candidate Congressman Anthony Weiner's sexting scandal.[77]
However, on December 21, 2011, Baldwin said he was abandoning plans to
run for the office and would instead continue in his role on 30 Rock.[78]
In February 2009, Baldwin spoke out to encourage state leaders to
renew New York's tax break for the film and television industry, stating
that if the "tax breaks are not reinstated into the budget, film
production in this town is going to collapse and television production
is going to collapse and it's all going to go to California".[79]
During the 2011 Emmy Awards, Baldwin was slated to appear in a taped
skit. However, the producers of the show cut a portion of the skit
containing a reference to Rupert Murdoch and the News International phone hacking scandal. Baldwin told Access Hollywood Live that he asked them not to air his performance. Producers complied and he was replaced with Leonard Nimoy.[80]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Forever, Lulu | Buck | |
| 1988 | She's Having a Baby | Davis McDonald | |
| 1988 | Beetlejuice | Adam Maitland | |
| 1988 | Married to the Mob | Frank de Marco | |
| 1988 | Working Girl | Mick Dugan | |
| 1988 | Talk Radio | Dan | |
| 1989 | Great Balls of Fire! | Jimmy Swaggart | |
| 1989 | Tong Tana | Narrator | Documentary film |
| 1990 | The Hunt for Red October | Jack Ryan | |
| 1990 | Miami Blues | Frederick J. Frenger Jr. | |
| 1990 | Alice | Ed | |
| 1991 | The Marrying Man | Charley Pearl | |
| 1992 | Prelude to a Kiss | Peter Hoskins | |
| 1992 | Glengarry Glen Ross | Blake | |
| 1993 | Malice | Dr. Jed Hill | |
| 1994 | The Getaway | Carter 'Doc' McCoy | |
| 1994 | The Shadow | Lamont Cranston/The Shadow | |
| 1995 | Two Bits | Narrator | |
| 1996 | Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick | Narrator | Documentary film |
| 1996 | The Juror | Teacher | |
| 1996 | Heaven's Prisoners | Dave Robicheaux | Also executive producer |
| 1996 | Looking for Richard | Clarence | Documentary film |
| 1996 | Ghosts of Mississippi | Bobby DeLaughter | |
| 1997 | The Edge | Robert Green | |
| 1998 | Thick as Thieves | Mackin, The Thief | |
| 1998 | Mercury Rising | Lt. Col. Nicholas Kudrow | |
| 1999 | The Confession | Roy Bleakie | Also producer |
| 1999 | Notting Hill | Jeff King | |
| 1999 | Outside Providence | Old Man Dunphy | |
| 1999 | Scout's Honor | Todd Fitter | Short film |
| 2000 | The Acting Class | Himself | |
| 2000 | Thomas & the Magic Railroad | Mr. Conductor | Also narrator |
| 2000 | State and Main | Bob Barrenger | Also executive producer National Board of Review Award for Best Cast Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast |
| 2001 | Pearl Harbor | Lt. Col. James Doolittle | |
| 2001 | Cats & Dogs | Butch | Voice role |
| 2001 | Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within | Capt. Gray Edwards | Voice role |
| 2001 | The Royal Tenenbaums | Narrator | Voice role |
| 2002 | The Adventures of Pluto Nash | M.Z.M. | |
| 2003 | The Cooler | Sheldon "Shelly" Kaplow | National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role |
| 2003 | Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There | ||
| 2003 | The Cat in the Hat | Lawrence "Larry" Quinn | Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor |
| 2003 | Walking with Cavemen | Narrator | Documentary film |
| 2003 | Brighter Days | Himself | Short film |
| 2004 | Along Came Polly | Stan Indursky | |
| 2004 | Double Dare | Documentary film | |
| 2004 | The Last Shot | Joe Devine | |
| 2004 | The Aviator | Juan Trippe | Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 2004 | The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie | Dennis (Plankton's hired hitman) | Voice role |
| 2005 | Elizabethtown | Phil DeVoss | |
| 2005 | Fun with Dick and Jane | Jack McCallister | |
| 2006 | Mini's First Time | Martin | |
| 2006 | The Departed | Capt. George Ellerby | National Board of Review Award for Best Cast Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 2006 | Running with Scissors | Norman Burroughs | |
| 2006 | The Good Shepherd | Sam Murach | |
| 2007 | Suburban Girl | Archie Knox | |
| 2007 | Brooklyn Rules | Caesar Manganaro | |
| 2007 | Shortcut to Happiness | Jabez Stone | Also director |
| 2008 | My Best Friend's Girl | Professor Turner | |
| 2008 | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Makunga | Voice role |
| 2008 | Lymelife | Mickey Bartlett | Also producer |
| 2008 | Journey to the Edge of the Universe | Narrator | Voice role |
| 2009 | My Sister's Keeper | Campbell Alexander | |
| 2009 | It's Complicated | Jacob Adler | National Board of Review Award for Best Cast Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
| 2011 | Hick | Beau | |
| 2012 | Rock of Ages | Dennis Dupree | |
| 2012 | To Rome with Love | John | |
| 2012 | Rise of the Guardians | Nicholas St. North (Santa Claus) | Voice role |
| 2013 | Blue Jasmine[81] | ||
| 2014 | Popeye | Bluto | Voice role |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980–82 | The Doctors | Billy Allison Aldrich | |
| 1983 | Cutter to Houston | Dr. Hal Wexler | |
| 1984 | Sweet Revenge | Major Alex Breen | |
| 1984–86 | Knots Landing | Joshua Rush | Cast member, seasons 6 & 7: 40 episodes |
| 1985 | Hotel | Dennis Medford | Episode: "Distortions" |
| 1985 | Love on the Run | Sean Carpenter | |
| 1986 | Dress Gray | Rysam 'Ry' Slaight | Miniseries |
| 1987 | The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory | Colonel William B. Travis | |
| 1990–2011 | Saturday Night Live | Host/various roles | Has record for most times hosted - 16 times |
| 1995 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Stanley Kowalski | Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Miniseries or a Movie Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film |
| 1996 | Goosebumps | Arnold Pagani | Episode: "Bad Hare Day" |
| 1998 | The Simpsons | Himself | Voice Role Episode: "When You Dish Upon A Star" |
| 1998 | Storytime with Thomas | Narrator | Voice Role |
| 1998–2002 | Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends | Narrator | VoiceRole Series 5-6 |
| 2000 | Nuremberg | Justice Robert H. Jackson | Miniseries Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film |
| 2000–01 | Clerks: The Animated Series | Leonardo Leonardo | Voice Role 6 episodes |
| 2002 | Friends | Parker | Episodes: "The One in Massapequa", "The One with the Tea Leaves" |
| 2002 | Path to War | Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense | Television film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Movie Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film |
| 2003 | Walking with Cavemen | Himself | Episodes: "Blood Brothers", "First Ancestors", "Savage Family", "The Survivors" |
| 2003 | Second Nature | Paul Kane | |
| 2003 | Dreams & Giants | Himself | Host |
| 2004 | Johnny Bravo | Himself | Voice role Episode: "Johnny Bravo Goes to Hollywood" |
| 2004 | The Fairly OddParents in: Channel Chasers | Adult Timmy Turner | Voice role |
| 2004 | Nip/Tuck | Dr. Barret Moore | Episode: "Joan Rivers" |
| 2004 | Las Vegas | Jack Keller | Episodes: "Degas Away with It", "Hellraisers & Heartbreakers" |
| 2005 | The Simpsons | Dr. Caleb Thorn | Voice Role Episode: "Bonfire of the Manatees" |
| 2005 | Will & Grace | Malcolm | Episodes: "The Hole Truth", "Seems Like Old Times", "The Old Man and
the Sea", "Alive and Schticking", "Friends with Benefits", "Kiss and
Tell" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Comedy Series (2005–06) |
| 2006 | Great Performances | Luther Billis | Episode: "'South Pacific' in Concert from Carnegie Hall" |
| 2006–2013 | 30 Rock | Jack Donaghy | Produced five episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Comedy Series (2008–09) Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2006, 2008–09) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series (2006–12) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (2007, 2010–12) Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012) |
| 2010 | The Marriage Ref | Guest Judge | Episodes: "Pilot", "Episode 5" |
| 2010 | "Barefoot Contessa" | Himself | Episode: "Sweet Charity" |
| 2011 | Frozen Planet | Narrator | VoiceRole Series 1-6, Discovery Channel version |
| 2012 | Live With Kelly | Guest Co-Host | March 1, 2012 |
| 2012 | Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee | Himself | Episode: "Just a Lazy Shiftless Bastard" |
