Ireland Baldwin gets candid about her “lonely” childhood and toxic family ties
Ireland Baldwin didn’t hold back while reflecting on her “lonely” upbringing surrounded by “poisonous” relatives.
The daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger revealed to her Substack subscribers in a recent “30, Flirty and Surviving” blog post that she’s finally freed herself from the burden of her “narcissistic, unreliable, addict family members.”
Now 29, Baldwin shared that growing up “without two parents in my home and no siblings to turn to” left her feeling isolated. She admitted she once felt compelled “to win over certain people” in her family, but has since chosen to let go and focus on her own healing.
Ireland Baldwin opened up about navigating life with “poisonous” family members, admitting that their approval once meant everything to her.
“Their validation and praise was meaningful to me,” she wrote, without naming anyone specifically. “Nothing was more freeing than finally realizing how poisonous these people are.”
The 29-year-old continued, explaining that her daughter, Holland, doesn’t need to be exposed to that negativity. “My daughter doesn’t have to know these people,” Baldwin shared. “I can protect her from them. I can do my very best to construct my own idea of a family, piece by piece.”
As a mother, Baldwin said her ultimate goal is to “show how a real family treats one another.”
The 29-year-old shared that she no longer feels the need to “win over … narcissistic, unreliable, addict family members.”
Now living in Oregon, the former model expressed hope that she’ll discover her true “people” and her “village” in the next chapter of her life.
Baldwin also included a list of personal life lessons in her post, one of which offered a touching message about her mother.
“Tell your mom you love her every single day,” she wrote. “Text her when you get to where you’re going. You will soon understand her in ways you never had.”
Baldwin added, “I can protect her from them,” referring to her daughter, Holland.
She also offered advice to her readers, writing, “You can’t fix or change anyone … so quit while you’re ahead,” before repeatedly reminding them, “You are not fat.”
Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger have yet to respond to Page Six’s request for comment. The former couple were married from 1993 to 2002 and welcomed Ireland seven years before finalizing their divorce.
Her ultimate goal, Baldwin explained, is to “show how a real family treats one another.”
Ireland Baldwin reflected on gaining a deeper understanding of her mother, writing about seeing her “in ways [she] never” had before.
Her father, Alec Baldwin, 67, acknowledged on The Baldwins reality show in March that the most “regrettable” aspect of his split from Kim Basinger was how the legal battle “negatively impacted” his relationship with Ireland.
The Emmy-winning actor, who previously left a scathing voicemail calling Ireland a “rude, little pig” during the custody dispute, emphasized that they now maintain a “good relationship.”
Alec married Hilaria Baldwin in 2012, and the couple shares seven children: Carmen, 12; Rafael, 10; Leonardo, 9; Romeo, 6; Eduardo and María, both 5; and Ilaria, 3.
Ireland recently praised her “bats–t crazy” stepmom, 41, in a September Instagram post celebrating Hilaria’s casting on Dancing With the Stars.
Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger finalized their divorce in 2002 following a contentious custody battle.
Ireland praised her stepmom, writing last month, “She saved my dad’s life. She’s taught him that he doesn’t need to suffer inside of his own head and stay stuck in his own past. That it’s never too late to admit you need help.”
Baldwin credited Hilaria with helping foster the “close relationship” she now shares with her father.
Basinger, 71, has also maintained a “great relationship” with her ex-husband, which she confirmed to Variety in February.
