Hilaria Baldwin Opens Up About Lingering Backlash from Heritage Scandal
Hilaria Baldwin, wife of actor Alec Baldwin, is once again addressing the controversy that erupted surrounding her heritage several years ago. In a candid discussion, she admitted that the public scrutiny, which began in 2020, continues to affect her, and she’s had to develop strategies to cope with the negativity.
The scandal, dubbed the "Hilaria-gate" by some, arose when social media users began questioning the authenticity of her claimed Spanish heritage. Born Hillary Lynn Hayward-Thomas in Boston, Massachusetts, Hilaria, a former yoga teacher, had often spoken with a Spanish accent and presented herself as having strong ties to Spain.
Details of her upbringing, revealed through online research, showed a different picture. While she did spend time in Spain, it became clear that she was raised primarily in the United States. Her claims of being born in Mallorca and moving to the U.S. at the age of 19 to attend NYU were also challenged, leading to accusations of misrepresentation.
During a recent episode of the reality show, "The Baldwins," which follows the lives of Alec and Hilaria and their seven children, Hilaria discussed the ongoing impact of the backlash. She explained that she had always adapted to her surroundings, even changing her dialect, a behavior she now recognizes as code-switching.
Hilaria once stated that she was born in Mallorca and raised in Boston. She said on a podcast in April 2020, that she moved to the U.S. when she was 19-years-old to attend NYU.
The resurfaced information sparked intense criticism, with many accusing her of cultural appropriation and deception. Hilaria initially defended herself, asserting that culture, languages, sexual orientations, religions, and political beliefs are fluid.
However, she later issued an apology, acknowledging the confusion she had caused and taking responsibility for not being clearer about her background. Despite the apology, the scrutiny continued, and Hilaria has struggled to come to terms with the level of public animosity she faced.
"Being in the spotlight, as people like to call it," she said, "People say, ‘Oh, don’t you get used to it?’ No, you don’t get used to it. You never get used to people being mean."
She explained that she has learned to distance herself from the negativity by "turning down the volume" in her head and trying not to take the criticism personally.
Hilaria believes that her multicultural upbringing has shaped her ability to adapt to different situations. "Growing up in a way where you have multiple cultural influences on you means that you’re never going to be able to fit in," she said. "You can try, you can chameleon. You know, people who code-switch, we’re very good at chameleoning, and you don’t even think, you’re not even thinking about it. It’s just normal. It’s just natural."
She related her code-switching behavior to how people communicate with someone who has difficulty hearing, explaining that they instinctively speak slower and emphasize their words.
"They say that it’s like communication, if you ever talk to a really old person who cannot hear, and I’m gonna emphasize, I’m gonna speak slower," she said. "And you’re not even really thinking about it. You just start to do it. You know what it’s called? Code-switching. I had to learn about it because the whole world was mean to me, and so I had to learn it. It’s code-switching."
The interview also touched upon other aspects of Hilaria’s life, including her relationship with Alec Baldwin. Last week, Hilaria accompanied Alec to the opening of Planet Hollywood Times Square in New York City. While on the red carpet, discussing their reality show, Hilaria snapped at her husband for talking over her during an interview.
The "30 Rock" actor quipped that their TLC series should be renamed "The Hilaria Show" during an interview, while Hilaria was explaining that they would "see how it feels" for the program to be on airwaves.
"It’s gonna be great. You’re a winner," Alec told Hilaria as she was speaking with the reporter.
"Oh my God. When I’m talking, you’re not talking," Hilaria replied. "No. When I’m talking, you’re not talking."
Alec apologized before Hilaria added, "This is why we’ll have to just cut him out of the show."
The Baldwins celebrated their 12-year anniversary last year, days before Alec went to trial for involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The couple has seven children together: Carmen Gabriela, 11, Rafael Thomas, 9, Leonardo Ángel Charles, 8, Romeo Alejandro David, 6, Eduardo Pao Lucas, 4, María Lucía Victoria, 3, and Ilaria Catalina Irena, 2.
Despite the past controversy and the ongoing challenges of being in the public eye, Hilaria continues to navigate her life with Alec and their family, seeking to find a balance between personal expression and public perception. She remains dedicated to her family and tries to find ways to block the public out of her mind. She says that she is finding ways to live a more normal life, despite the public scrutiny. The couple still makes public appearances and remain together despite the struggles.
