Given that Alec and Hilaria Baldwin have announced that they and their seven young children will soon star in a reality TV show about their hectic family life, it’s reasonable to wonder if they’ll include an episode about the challenges of juggling parenting and childcare when they have to go to court for dad’s trial for involuntary manslaughter.
On Tuesday, the Baldwins and one of their seven children, a toddler, arrived at the New Mexico First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe. Jury selection was scheduled to begin in Baldwin’s trial on charges related to the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Baldwin’s Western film “Rust.”
The couple pulled up in separate black SUVs, which were quickly surrounded by the media, the New York Post reported. The 66-year-old “30 Rock” star, dressed in a dark suit and wearing sunglasses, was seen on video, stepping out of the second SUV and hurrying to help his influencer wife out of the first vehicle.
Hilaria Baldwin, dressed in a tan pantsuit and large sunglasses, helped one of their children out of the vehicle and directed the child to a stroller, while Baldwin briefly talked to his child and helped his wife unload one of her bags. It appears that the child was their youngest, Ilaria, who is 19 months old.
When the girl didn’t seem inclined to get into the stroller, Hilaria Baldwin picked her up and handed her off to someone, presumably to one of the couple’s several reported nannies.
Actor Alec Baldwin, right, and attorney Luke Nikas, arrive for jury selection in his involuntary manslaughter trial, Tuesday, July 9, 2024, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The actor then walked ahead of his wife, joining his attorneys inside as he dodged reporters’ questions, the New York Post said.
The Associated Press reported that Hilaria Baldwin made her way to the courtroom and was joined Baldwin’s younger brother, “The Usual Suspects” actor Stephen Baldwin, in the back of the courtroom.
It appears that Hilaria Baldwin didn’t bring the little girl into the courtroom with her. Critics of the Baldwins, who have accused the couple of exploiting their children on social media and, now, in an upcoming reality TV show, speculate that the one-time yoga teacher might have enjoyed the opportunity to bring one of more of her children into the courtroom. Among other things, it could be her way of generating sympathy for her husband, as he faces trial in the killing of 42-year-old Hutchins, whose death left her own young son without a mother.
Last month, when Alec and Hilaria Baldwin announced their reality TV deal with TLC, high-profile attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Hutchins’ family in a wrongful death lawsuit against the actor, slammed the timing of the news. Allred accused Baldwin of engaging in a “cynical public relations move” ahead of the trial.
“This appears to me to be a calculated and cynical public relations move to try to influence the jury pool in New Mexico to think of him as a sympathetic family man rather than as the killer of Halyna Hutchins,” Allred told TMZ.
Even though Hilaria Baldwin didn’t bring their daughter into the courtroom, the little girl was seen by plenty of photographers, who snapped photos of her father talking to her and helping her mother set up the stroller.
It’s possible that images of Baldwin interacting with his little girl outside the courtroom will make its way into their their reality show, or into two documentaries about the “Rust” case that are currently in production. The Hollywood Reporter said that two sets of filmmakers are working on projects with potentially competing storylines about the still-unfolding tragedy involving Hutchins’ death.
Meanwhile, People magazine reported that Baldwin intended to travel to Santa Fe alone for the trial, but his wife and family wanted to be “by his side as the proceedings get underway.” The Baldwins recently celebrated their 12th anniversary with the veteran film and TV star posting photos on Instagram of their wedding and of the two of them cuddling. “In spite of some tough times for me, I wouldn’t trade any of it,” Baldwin captioned the photos. Together, they share seven children, including Carmen, 10, Rafael, 8, Leonardo, 7, Romeo, 5, Eduardo, 3, María, 3, and Ilaria.
It’s not known if all seven children have traveled to Santa Fe to be with their father during his trial — and were perhaps staying Tuesday at wherever the Baldwins have established themselves in New Mexico.
It’s also not known if any of the other children will make brief appearances at the courthouse — perhaps to be handed off to nannies like Ilaria. What’s also a mystery is where the presumed nanny took Ilaria while her parents were in the courtroom. Anyone who’s had business in courthouses knows that their hallways, offices and courtrooms are not welcoming places for young children and families. So, it’s a wonder why Alec and Hilaria Baldwin chose to bring their daughter to the courthouse. However, given her young age, they may have wanted her close so they could check on her during courtroom breaks.
At the end of Tuesday, 12 jurors were selected, along with four alternates, KOAT 7 News reported. The jurors are tasked with deciding whether Baldwin committed involuntary manslaughter when, during a rehearsal for “Rust,” a revolver went off while the actor was pointing it at Hutchins. For reasons that are still unknown, a live round had made its way into the revolver. It killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Baldwin has said in media interviews and to investigators that he thought the gun held no live rounds and was safe to use, while he has insisted he didn’t pull the trigger. Baldwin’s trial is expected to last about 10 days. If convicted, Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison.