Hilaria Baldwin opens up about impact of 'Rust' trial on her children: ‘We’ll carry this pain forever’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hilaria Baldwin is pulling back the curtain on the emotional toll the 'Rust' shooting has had on her family, particularly her seven children with actor Alec Baldwin.
In the debut episode of their TLC reality series, 'The Baldwins', Hilaria reflects on the intense media scrutiny surrounding Alec’s legal battle and the efforts she made to protect their children from the weight of the tragedy.
Hilaria Baldwin opens up about 'extraordinarily difficult' toll of 'Rust' tragedy on her kids
"When something bad happens, there is a fire, and your job is to try not to let the fire spread," she says in the episode, as transcribed by People. "But I wanted to put as much as I could a fireproof barrier around my kids," she added.
Alec Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter following the 2021 on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Though the case was eventually dismissed, the legal battle loomed over the Baldwin household for years, culminating in a trial that could have resulted in an 18-month prison sentence.
Hilaria, who has been by Alec’s side through the legal turmoil, struggled with anxiety and fear for her children’s well-being. "It's extraordinarily difficult when you feel so horrible inside and so scared and confused because you have this constant nausea here, the panic, the inability to sleep," she admitted before continuing "This trial is happening, and Alec could go to prison"
Hilaria and Alec Baldwin have been married since 2012 and share seven children, daughters Carmen Gabriela, 11, María Lucía Victoria, 3, and Ilaria Catalina Irena, 2, along with their four sons Rafael Thomas, 9, Leonardo Ángel Charles, 8, Romeo Alejandro David, 6, and Eduardo 'Edu' Pao Lucas, 4. In the debut episode, she emphasizes her desire to shield their children from carrying the weight of the 'Rust' shooting incident.
Hilaria Baldwin on protecting her children from 'Rust' tragedy
With Alec Baldwin’s legal battle over the 'Rust' shooting playing out in headlines, Hilaria Baldwin found herself in a painful position protecting their seven children from the emotional weight of their father’s potential incarceration.
In the premiere episode of 'The Baldwins', Hilaria opened up about the toll of the highly publicized trial, which took place in July 2024 nearly three years after the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
“We’re blessed to have them, and they give us joy. And at the same time, we want to make sure that they can just be children, and that they don’t bear the burden of having to carry us," she shared.
She opened up about the lasting impact of the tragedy, acknowledging how it has permanently altered their lives.
"Life will forever be different. Halyna (Hutchens) lost her life in the most unthinkable tragedy, a son lost his mom," she shared. "We are going to feel and carry this pain forever. This will be a part of our family story," she stated.
She added, "I look at the kids, and I see how hard we're trying to create happy for them, even if we're masking stuff for ourselves. I know that what we're going through is maybe unique, but every family goes through hard times, and that's something that we can feel a community of support, knowing that the best that we can do is do our best and try to make our kids happy, and so that's what we're doing."
