THE Alec Baldwin he is a good actor, a basically charming characterist, who made his career alongside big names, in television programs, but also with his adventurous personal life. Tomorrow he turns 65, but he probably won’t celebrate it, since he has found himself, this time probably through no fault of his own, in the midst of a sad incident, when during the filming of the western “Rust”, in October 2021, he killed the manager photo Halina Hutchins, as the gun he was holding, in some scene, went off. A fact that can hardly be explained, but probably not due to the bad timing, but to the famous cuts that are made even in Hollywood. The salaries of the stars and several directors may be staggering, but studio bosses have no problem cutting a couple of days off.

As you can easily see, Baldwin would not concern us, if he did not become the protagonist in this tragedy, in the murder that took place in the shooting that took place in New Mexico, for reasons of economy. Alec Baldwin, however, has one more noteworthy feature, to consider his case, he is what we call an “old fashioned” Hollywood actor. 50 years ago or even earlier, the sad event would either not have been made public or would only occupy the yellow pages of gossip magazines. No lawsuits, no legal adventures or demands for compensation from the people who worked on the notoriously low-budget Western, which Baldwin co-produced.

After all, Baldwin has been in the limelight quite a few times, as he has a reputation as a man who cannot control his anger, he has confessed that he has treated women in a sexist way, he was addicted to cocaine, while he also starred in many fights or beatings. The “cool” thing is that Baldwin gained notoriety by satirizing Donald Trump on TV, who has been accused of many things – from “sexist” and “toxic” to “bigotry”.

But who is Alec Baldwin? However, he sometimes gives the impression that he attracts trouble like a magnet and is an easy target in the US acting universe.

The Actors Studio and television

Alec Baldwin was born on April 3, 1958 in New York City, the eldest son of Carol and Alexander, a social studies teacher and football coach in Brooklyn. He also has three brothers, who are also actors, and two more sisters. Raised as a Roman Catholic, he is of Irish, French and English descent, and after completing his studies and working at the famous Studio 54, he was accepted by the Actors Studio.

He first stepped onto the stage on Broadway in 1986 and shortly after starring in Tennessee Williams’ famous play “Bus of Lust” as Kowalski, will be nominated for Best Actor. He worked in the theater for several years, while he was particularly successful on television, from which he probably earns the most money.

The path to the cinema

He made his film debut in 1987 in a small role in the film “Forever, Lulu”, while in 1988 he will play in the huge success “beetle juice” by Tim Burton and in the co-starring comedy “Working Girl”, alongside Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver and what a coincidence, with Kevin Spacey, who has yet to unravel his own love scandals and legal adventures. Participating in many films, supporting but notable roles, will also come the film “The Getaway”, in which he starred with his wife Kim Basinger, a failed remake of the film of the same name with Steve McQueen. He will also star in the excellent drama ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’, written by David Mamet, and he touched it even further when he was nominated for an Oscar with his performance in the drama ‘The Cooler’, playing a gambler. Also, his participation in two Martin Scorsese films, in the biographical drama “The Aviator” and the gangster drama “The Informant”, is also prominent in his biography. However, there is no doubt that he was a guarantee as a characterizationist for many great and recognized directors, such as Woody Allen, John McTiernan, Tim Burton, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee etc.

The episodic divorce

And if he did well in the cinema, television and theater, for the size of his acting skills, Baldwin was normal in his personal life. In 1993 he will marry the most beautiful and at that time sex symbol, Kim Basinger, but their marriage will end ignominiously after nine difficult years. Their divorce will be episodic, will reach the courts and will give fodder to the press. Baldwin can’t help himself, he will call his son a “pig”, blaming his mother for the attitude towards him. The media, without getting into the essence of the family drama, began to crucify him and force him to publicly apologize for his behavior.

baldwin

Explosions of anger

However, the incidents where he was a negative protagonist are not few. In 2006 he would be arrested for possession of cocaine after an incident at a Santa Monica hotel, while in 2011 he was forced off a plane when asked to turn off his cell phone, he refused and argued with a flight attendant. Three years later he was arrested by police officers when he cursed at them for giving him introductions because he was going the opposite way on 5th Avenue on his bicycle. In November 2018 he punched a stranger over a parking space. He was taken into custody and charged with attempted third-degree assault. Two months later he pleaded guilty, paid restitution to the victim and agreed to participate in an anger management program.

Alec Baldwin can now control his anger, but it will probably be difficult for him to untangle himself from the sad incident with the negligent murder of the unfortunate director of photography who was found across from the movie theater. Hollywood can digest such a thing with ease, but its fate depends on the mood of the big bosses. Will they give him the necessary pardon or will they find in his masculine face the ideal atoning victim, in a transitional time for Hollywood, where the… Baldwins are considered heavy on the new model of hypocrisy, that of unborn morality?