Hilaria Baldwin was poised to sever ties with Alec Baldwin if his eldest daughter, Ireland Baldwin, did not give her the green light. On the March 23rd Sunday episode of TLC's 'The Baldwins', the 41-year-old Hilaria reflected deeply on her bond with 29-year-old Ireland, stating, "I perceive our relationship as a unique tapestry in the realm of stepmother-stepdaughter dynamics." She elaborated, "Firstly, I'm eleven years her senior, I wasn't the one who raised her, and we derive immense amusement from that fact."
When Hilaria first embarked on her romance with Alec, she held Ireland's approval in high esteem. "Prior to becoming her stepmother, upon meeting her, I told Alec, 'If she doesn't take a shine to me, I'm out,'" she confided. "I wasn't about to play the wicked stepmother trope. My role in life isn't to infiltrate a family and stir up trouble."
Hilaria emphasized that she harbored "too much respect for the family" to create discord, adding, "[Ireland] embraced me right away, and we've never had a spat; it's effortlessly smooth." Prior to finding love with Hilaria, the 66-year-old Alec was married to Kim Basinger from 1993 to 2002. Their divorce, finalized amidst a contentious custody battle, left a rift between Alec and Ireland. However, they mended fences, and Ireland has since forged a close bond with Alec and Hilaria, as well as their seven children: Carmen Gabriela, 11, Rafael Thomas, 9, Leonardo Ángel Charles, 8, Romeo Alejandro David, 6, Eduardo "Edu" Pao Lucas, 4, María Lucía Victoria, 4, and Ilaria Catalina Irena, 2.
During Sunday's episode, Hilaria delved deeper into the circumstances of her initial encounter with Alec. "The obvious age gap between us always makes me feel insecure," she reminisced. "Even during our dinner date, I felt like it was a significant event, akin to being escorted by someone important. I was accustomed to splitting checks, so the gesture of him paying was quite momentous; I didn't dismiss it lightly."
She further elaborated, "Later, he texted me, inquiring, 'How do you feel about dating someone 26 years older than you?' What I admired about him was his utmost respect for consent. He even sought permission before our first kiss."
Alec, on the other hand, shared that Hilaria had previously been involved with men who were "age-appropriate" for her. "Given her youth, they were equally young," he disclosed to the cameras. "When I met them, I could understand their appeal—they were handsome and incredibly fit."
Hilaria admitted to valuing good looks in a potential partner due to her aspirations of having children. "I desired to have kids and wanted them to inherit good looks," she joked, before being prompted by producers about her previous romantic endeavors with actors. "I wouldn't have dated an actor while he was still an actor. I did date one who later made it to Broadway, and we even witnessed him in the nude," she revealed.
Alec lightheartedly mocked himself for attending a Broadway production of 'Take Me Out' to catch a glimpse of "the love" of Hilaria's life, which she promptly denied. The situation grew even more awkward when Alec encountered Hilaria's ex-boyfriend naked after the show. "He was there, fully exposed in his own personality," Alec recounted. "He even had a clarinet dangling from his pants!"
Catch 'The Baldwins' every Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.
