It’s been over four years since Hilaria Baldwin’s accent controversy took over social media, but the conversation isn’t over yet. In the premiere episode of The Baldwins, the new TLC reality show featuring Hilaria, her husband Alec Baldwin, and their seven children, she finally addressed how the backlash affected her.
What’s up with Hilaria Baldwin’s accent?
In the pilot episode of The Baldwins, which airs on February 23, 2025, Hilaria took the opportunity to speak openly about the accusations that she had faked a Spanish accent. The controversy, which first erupted in December 2020, questioned her long-standing claims of a Spanish heritage and brought about allegations of cultural appropriation.
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“I love English, I also love Spanish, and when I mix the two it doesn’t make me inauthentic,” she said on the show. “It makes me normal.” She went on to express how deeply the criticism had affected her, saying, “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.”
Hilaria, who is now 41, explained that her environment shaped the way she speaks. “My family, friends, and community are all people who speak multiple languages and belong in multiple places. That has an impact on how we sound, how we articulate things, the words we choose, and our mannerisms. That’s normal. That’s called being human.”
A Life in Two Cultures
Hilaria Baldwin, born Hillary Hayward-Thomas in Boston, Massachusetts, has long spoken about her connection to Spanish culture. She grew up in Massachusetts but spent time in Spain with her family. In 2020, as the controversy spiraled, she clarified that while she was born in the U.S., she had always felt a cultural connection to Spain, describing herself as “culturally fluid.”
Her husband, actor Alec Baldwin, stood by her throughout the backlash. The couple married in 2012 and have built a family together, raising seven children: Carmen (2013), Rafael (2015), Leonardo (2016), Romeo (2018), Eduardo (2020), Lucía (2021, via surrogate), and Ilaria (2022). Throughout the years, Hilaria has embraced her role as a mother, yoga instructor, entrepreneur, podcaster, and author, and she remains committed to raising her children bilingual.
Teaching the Next Generation
During the show, Hilaria emphasized the importance of bilingualism in her household. “My family—my nuclear family—now lives in Spain,” she shared. “I want to teach my kids pride in speaking more than one language. I think just growing up and speaking two languages is extremely special.”
Despite the criticism, Hilaria has remained active in the public eye, continuing to share her family life on social media. While some still question her past statements, others appreciate her openness and dedication to raising multilingual children in a multicultural environment.
Net Worth and Life Today
As of 2025, Hilaria Baldwin has an estimated net worth of $20 million, earned through her career in fitness, wellness, and media. Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin’s long-standing acting career has solidified their financial standing. Their real estate portfolio includes a luxurious Manhattan penthouse, a Vermont estate, and a historic Hamptons home.
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