Alexander Rae Baldwin III was born on April 3, 1958, in Massapequa, New York, to Carol Newcomb and Alexander Rae Baldwin Jr., a high school teacher and football coach. He is the oldest of the four Baldwin brothers in the acting business, including Stephen, William, and Daniel.
Alec Baldwin burst onto the TV scene in the early 1980s with appearances on several series, including The Doctors and Knots Landing, before scoring feature film roles in Forever, Lulu, Beetlejuice, Working Girl, Married to the Mob, and Talk Radio.
In 1990, Baldwin appeared in the film The Hunt for Red October, alongside Sean Connery, but he fell out with Paramount Studios over future scripts for the "Jack Ryan" character. Instead, he went to Broadway to perform in "A Streetcar Named Desire", earning a Tony nomination for his portrayal of "Stanley Kowalski".
Baldwin's notable film roles include Miami Blues, The Marrying Man, Prelude to a Kiss, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Malice. He also made a cameo appearance in the thriller Glengarry Glen Ross, where he delivered a memorable monologue.
The 1990s saw Baldwin's demand increase, leading to roles in The Getaway, The Shadow, and Ghosts of Mississippi. He also lent his voice to the children's show Thomas & Friends and later contributed to other animated and children's shows.
In the early 2000s, Baldwin's marriage to Kim Basinger ended in a highly publicized divorce. During this time, he appeared in a number of supporting roles in films such as State and Main, Pearl Harbor, The Cooler, The Aviator, Along Came Polly, and The Departed.
Baldwin found success in television comedy, hosting Saturday Night Live and essaying a guest role on Will & Grace. He went on to star as network executive "Jack Donaghy" in the sitcom 30 Rock, earning numerous awards and nominations for his performance.
In 2012, Baldwin married Hilaria Baldwin, and the couple has since had six children together.
