Ireland Baldwin is hitting back at any negativity about her stepmother, Hilaria Baldwin, joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars this season.
The 29-year-old model, who is the daughter of Alec Baldwin and his ex-wife Kim Basinger, shared a lengthy statement on Instagram Thursday to support Hilaria’s appearance on the ABC competition show.
“I wanted to take a second to talk about my step mom @hilariabaldwin. I think if people actually knew her the way I do, they would be quite surprised. This post may come out of left field since I don’t post about her or any family members much,” she wrote alongside a picture of her and Hilaria. “I expect misinformed comments and plenty of comments about me only playing nice so I can secure my inheritance.”
“C’mon, people. I see the comments. I’m not getting an inheritance. I have 7 siblings,” she quipped, referring to Alec and Hilaria’s seven children. “These thoughts have been on my mind since I last visited her on the east coast.”
Ireland went on to defend her relationship with her stepmother, noting that the yoga instructor “had a far more complex and chaotic upbringing than” people realize, which could be they “bonded.”
“She is eccentric and totally bat s*** crazy (in a fun way) but she saved my dad’s life. She turned his health around and has shown him the forgiveness and kindness that he needed,” she continued.
She added that Hilaria taught the 30 Rock star not to “stay stuck on the past,” and that it’s never too late to ask for help.
She acknowledged that Hilaria is the “reason” she has the siblings and big family she’s always wanted.
“She has always respected me, accepted my flaws, embraced me, and has always shown me kindness,” Ireland continued. “I met her as a teenager and I needed her as an example. I still very much look up to her now.”
Ireland concluded her message by gushing over her stepmother’s appearance on DWTS this season, where Hilaria will be dancing with pro Gleb Savchenko.
“I am so proud of her for doing Dancing With the Stars and I CANNOT wait to cheer her ass on. She deserves this! And it’s not my place to share the ins and outs, but this woman is a gem and deserves all the love.
Hilaria expressed her gratitude for her stepdaughter’s remarks in the post’s comments, writing: “I’m crying. I love you with all my heart, @irelandirelandireland. These words mean so much. You mean so much to me.”
Hilaria has long been the subject of online criticism and mockery. Back in 2020, Hilaria was accused of faking her Spanish heritage, prompting her to clarify that while she was born in Boston — under the name Hillary Haward-Thomas — she spent a lot of her childhood in Spain, where her family still lives.
However, she said during the season premiere of her show, The Baldwins, earlier this year that she won’t let the controversy about her heritage get to her.
“I love English, I also love Spanish, and when I mix the two, it doesn’t make me inauthentic, and when I mix the two, that makes me normal,” she said. “I’d be lying if I said [the controversy] didn’t make me sad, and it didn’t hurt, and it didn’t put me in dark places.”
Along with Hilaria, some of this season’s celebrity competitors include actor and zookeeper Robert Irwin, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, The Parent Trap star Elaine Hendrix, social media influencer Alix Earle, two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis, and Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel.
