Alec Baldwin: Biography, Rust Shooting, OCD, Trump

Alec Baldwin is a name that spans Broadway, Hollywood blockbusters, and the highest-profile on-set tragedy in modern film history. This biography compiles verified reporting from court documents, official biographies, and news archives to answer the questions most asked about his career, health, relationships, and the Rust shooting. We ground every claim in a cited source, from his birth on Long Island to the 2024 manslaughter indictment.

Last checked: 2026-07-09

Full name: Alexander Rae Baldwin III · Born: April 3, 1958 · Occupation: American actor and film producer · Known for: Leading and supporting roles; impression of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live

Snapshot of a multifaceted career

What exactly happened to Alec Baldwin?

On October 21, 2021, while rehearsing a scene inside a small church on the New Mexico set of the Western film Rust, Alec Baldwin was holding a prop revolver. The gun discharged live ammunition, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza (AP News). Baldwin has maintained in a December 2021 ABC News interview with George Stephanopoulos that he did not pull the trigger.

The shooting on the set of Rust

Baldwin was acting as both star and producer of the film. The gun had been declared “cold” (safe) by the film’s assistant director, who had handed it to Baldwin moments before the rehearsal (AP News). Live ammunition was found on set, leading to a series of investigations by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.

Legal aftermath and charges

In January 2023, prosecutors initially charged Baldwin with two counts of involuntary manslaughter; those charges were dropped in April 2023 pending further investigation (Biography.com). In January 2024, a New Mexico grand jury again indicted Baldwin on one count of involuntary manslaughter. The trial was ongoing as of mid-2024.

What condition does Alec Baldwin have?

Alec Baldwin has spoken publicly about living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In interviews, he has described ritualistic behaviors, including repeated locking and unlocking of doors and counting patterns, that he says have affected him for decades.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, Baldwin elaborated on his compulsive tendencies, stating they increased during stressful periods of his career. He has linked some of his perfectionism on set to these underlying patterns. No formal medical diagnosis from a licensed professional has been published in Baldwin’s own biographical materials; the account rests on his own statements to media.

Other reported conditions

Baldwin has also referenced general anxiety in various interviews, but no secondary diagnosis beyond OCD is corroborated by multiple independent sources. Public records do not contain a comprehensive medical file.

Why did Kim Basinger leave Alec Baldwin?

The marriage of Alec Baldwin and actress Kim Basinger began in 1993 and ended in a highly publicized divorce finalized in 2002. Their relationship has been a frequent subject of tabloid coverage and legal filings.

Their marriage and divorce timeline

Baldwin and Basinger met on the set of the 1992 film The Marrying Man and married the following year. They have one daughter together, Ireland Baldwin, born in 1995 (Alec Baldwin official site). Basinger filed for divorce in 2001, citing irreconcilable differences.

Alleged incidents and public statements

In the divorce proceedings and subsequent interviews, Basinger alleged that Baldwin exhibited anger issues and emotional abuse. In a 2007 court filing during a custody battle, a judge cited a voicemail Baldwin left for their daughter as “verbally abusive” (Biography.com). Baldwin has disputed some of these characterizations, and both parties have publicly stated they prioritize their daughter’s wellbeing.

“I don’t have a good marriage… I don’t have a good family experience… I’ve been taking a lot of heat.”

— Alec Baldwin, in a 2008 interview with 60 Minutes, speaking about his divorce and co-parenting challenges

Why did Alec Baldwin stop doing Trump?

From 2016 through 2020, Alec Baldwin played Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live (SNL) in a recurring sketch that became a cultural phenomenon. He won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2017 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal (Wikipedia).

SNL Trump impression duration

Baldwin debuted his impression during the 2016 presidential campaign, continuing it after the election and throughout Trump’s presidency. In total, he appeared as Trump on more than two dozen episodes.

Reasons for departure

In multiple interviews, Baldwin stated that the impression had run its creative course and that he wanted to move on to other projects, including his memoir Nevertheless and other acting roles. No single precipitating event was cited; rather, Baldwin described a natural ending to a tenure that had lasted four years.

Timeline of major life events

Frequently asked questions

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