Alec Baldwin's 3 Brothers: All About Actors Stephen, William and Daniel

Mar. 15, 2025

Billy, Stephen, Alec and Daniel Baldwin arrive for the Lotus Cars Launch event on Nov. 12, 2010.Photo:VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty

VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty

Like the Arquettes, the Skarsgårds, the Cusacks and more, theBaldwin brothersare one ofHollywood’s sibling dynasties.

The four brothers —Alec, Daniel,BillyandStephen— went fromposing shirtlessin their family’s living room to working as actors (with varying degrees of success).

Alec Baldwin, the oldest, has had a notable film, television and theater career, winning Emmy Awards for his roles on30 Rockandappearances onSaturday Night Live. And his little brothers have followed in his footsteps, acting (combined) in more than 100 films and television shows over the past three-plus decades.

In 2008, all four brothers were on television — with Alec on30 Rock, Billy on ABC’sDirty Sexy Money, Stephen onCelebrity Apprenticeand Daniel onCelebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew,NBC reported.

“We’re still kind of pinching ourselves,” StephentoldVanity Fairof the family’s fame in 2012. “From my perspective, we’re just four dumb jocks from Long Island.”

Their talents on-screen have also cemented the Baldwin brothers’ pop culture status. Their names popped up inCluelessand aSouth Parkepisode, plus they were a clue in aThe New York Timescrossword puzzle,Vanity Fairreported.

While the family has seen major success, they’ve also banded together to overcome life’s hardships. This was the case in 2021 after Alecaccidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchinson the set ofRust.The actor was charged with involuntary manslaughter twice but both cases were eventually dismissed.

“Dismissed with Extreme Prejudice- nothing can stop what has been set into motion - Hallelujah,” Stephen wrote on Instagram in July 2024. “God is good 🙌🏽 love you bro 🎬 that’s a [wrap]!!!”

From their humble beginnings to their success and status in Hollywood, here’s everything to know about Alec Baldwin’s three little brothers: Daniel, William and Stephen Baldwin.

They grew up in Long Island

Billy, Daniel, Stephen and Alec Baldwin posing with no shirts on.Alec Baldwin/Instagram

The Baldwin brothers hail from Massapequa, N.Y. — a Long Island suburb about an hour outside of New York City, which Alec described as “a checkered neighborhood.”

Their father, also named Alec (he died from lung cancer in 1983), was a high school social studies and history teacher while their mother, Carol (whodied in 2022), was a stay-at-home mom,The New Yorkerreported.

The four Baldwin boys had a strict upbringing, according to Alec.

“My father was tough,” he toldThe New Yorkerabout his childhood. “My father wasn’t a violent or mean-spirited person, but he was a very strict disciplinarian in school.”

Alec added, “The older I got, I learned to behave as he did, which was to not be afraid of anybody. And I’m not afraid of anybody.”

The Baldwin brothers also have two sisters

Daniel Baldwin, Stephen Baldwin, Carol Baldwin, Beth Baldwin, Alec Baldwin, William Baldwin and Jane Baldwin posing together.Kevin Mazur Archive/WireImage

Kevin Mazur Archive/WireImage

While the Baldwin brothers may be a household name, the four boys also have two sisters. Elizabeth Baldwin Keuchler is the eldest Baldwin child, born on Oct. 15, 1955. She is married with six children.

Their other sister is Jane Baldwin Sasso, the second-youngest of the six children, was born on Jan. 8, 1965. She is married with two children.

Alec opened up on Instagram in February 2022 about growing up with five siblings.

“We were four boys growing up. Two sisters,” the actorcaptioned the photoof two of his sons. “Hilaria and I have four boys. Two girls. The best of times (and the worst of times) were shared with my brothers.”

Alec continued: “Brothers. It’s real."

The Baldwins are direct descendants of the Mayflower

William Baldwin, Alec Baldwin and Stephen Baldwin posing for a photo.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty

The Baldwin family can trace its lineage back to the Mayflower.According to the Associated Press, the Baldwins are directly related to John Howland — a servant to John Carver, the first governor of New Plymouth County.

Howland and his wife, Elizabeth Tilley, were passengers aboard the Mayflower and arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. Howland and Tilley went on to have 10 children and more than 80 grandchildren. The Associated Press reported that more than 2 million Americans have Howland in their family trees.

The Baldwins aren’t the only celebrities who are descendants of the Mayflower: Matt Damon,Ellen DeGeneres, Jane Fonda,Meryl StreepandTaylor Swiftall have ancestors who came over to the United States as pilgrims, according toa database of Mayflower ancestors.

Alec inspired his brothers to pursue acting

William Baldwin and Alec Baldwin arrive at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.Kevork Djansezian/Getty

Kevork Djansezian/Getty

Alec was the first of the Baldwin brothers to pursue acting. Originally, he attended George Washington University with ambitions to study law and pursue a political career,The New Yorkerreported. However, at the end of his junior year, Alec transferred to New York University, where he began to study theater. By 1983, he had his debut role on the daytime soap operaThe Doctors.

According to Billy, Alec always believed his brothers followed in his footsteps.

“I think he thinks we felt, ‘If that idiot can do it, I’ll give it a shot,’ ” Billy toldThe New Yorker. “And on some level that’s sort of true.”

All four Baldwin brothers appeared on-screen together in the 2020 documentaryMy Promise to PJ

The Baldwin brothers, Sal Valentinetti and others attend the Long Island Hospitality Ball.WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy

WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy

Though the Baldwins have been working in Hollywood for more than three decades, they’ve only appeared on-screen together one. In 2020, all four Baldwin brothers appeared in the documentaryMy Promise to PJ(which Daniel directed),Newsdayreported.

The documentary also chronicled Daniel’s own struggles with addiction. It featured interviews with his three brothers, Alec, Stephen and Billy.

“[I sat] in front of my brother, Billy, and had him tell me some of his very unfavorable recollections of my path of destruction while I was [struggling with] addiction,” DanieltoldLong Island Pressof working with his family on the documentary film.

“When you compile that with the fact that I’m editing the film, so I’m spending hundreds of hours going over footage and watching and having to relive and rethink and re-feel those recollections of my family members, that was tough,” he continued. “That was really hard.”

The documentary might have marked the first time all four Baldwin brothers appeared on-screen together — but that wasn’t for lack of trying. The brothers hoped to remake the World War II film,The Fighting Sullivans, and play the four Sullivan brothers,Vanity Fairreportedin 2012. They also shopped a Western flick, in which they would also play brothers on-screen; nothing came of that project, either.

Stephen is a grandfather — and Justin Bieber’s father-in-law

Alia Baldwin, Hailey Baldwin and Stephen Baldwin attend the ‘Noah’ premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre.Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Stephen has been married to Brazilian graphic designer Kennya Baldwin since 1990. The couple share two daughters together: Alaia Baldwin Aronow andHailey Bieber. Both Alaia and Hailey are models.

Hailey marriedJustin Bieberin September 2018 in asecret New York City courthouse ceremony, making Stephen Bieber’s father-in-law. A year later, the two hada larger, star-studded weddingin Bluffton, South Carolina.

Stephen, who called the nuptials a “very fun wedding,” revealed he had one role in the wedding planning.

“My only job is just walking my princess down the aisle,” hetold TMZin 2019.

Stephen also spoke proudly about his new son-in-law in August 2019, telling PEOPLE the singer had “grown leaps and bounds in the past year as far as taking time to himself and making sure he’s spending time with his wife, and they’re having fun.”

Stephen isn’t only a father-in-law, though; he’s also a grandfather. His elder daughter, Alaia, who married Andrew Aronow in 2017, welcomeda daughter they named Iris Ellein August 2020.

Billy has been married to Chynna Phillips since 1995

Chynna Phillips and husband Billy Baldwin attending dedication of the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Care Center.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive/Getty

Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive/Getty

“The thing that concerns me most as a parent is can I slow everything down?It’s going too fast,” he told PEOPLE in 2007, when Jameson was 7, Vance was 5 and Brooke was only 2. “We’re having the time of our lives.”

But Billy and Chynna still experienced ups and downs over their near-30-year marriage,  including Chynnafiling and subsequently withdrawing divorce papersin 2010 and their son Vancebattling cancer as a teen.

However, a source told PEOPLE in 2010 that the couple were deeply “committed” to each other. “Billy and Chynna have an incredibly deep and profound love,” the insider told PEOPLE.

In November 2024, Chynna revealed onYouTubethat she and Billy decided to"test-run" living separately. The arrangement lasted less than two months, and Chynna later called it a “very foolish, very unwise, very destructive,stupid decision” that wouldn’t solve their marital issues.

“I don’t know, there’s been a shift. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s him, maybe it’s God — maybe it’s a little bit of everything. But, I feel like we’re in a way, way better place. I’m so grateful," she said in a separateYouTubevideo.

Daniel has been married three times and is a father of five

Joanne Smith-Baldwin and actor Daniel Baldwin arrive at the premiere of HBO Films' ‘Grey Gardens’.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Daniel, who has struggled with substance abuse issues andrun-ins with the lawover the years, has married and divorced three times.

Daniel’s first marriage came in the 1980s to his high school sweetheart, Cheryl. The couple had one child together, a daughter named Kahlea.

In 1990, he married his second wife, Elizabeth; they have a daughter named Alexandra.

After Daniel and Elizabeth split in 1996, he had a relationship with hisHomicide: Life on the Streetcostar Isabella Hoffman. Though they never married, they share one child together (a son named Atticus).

Daniel married for a third time to former British model Joanne Smith,and hey have two daughters: Avis and Finley. Daniel and Joanne announced plans to split in 2011, and though they reconciled briefly, Joanne filed for divorce.

Daniel’s addiction issues led to strained relationships with his children. In 2007, herevealed to ABC’sPrimetimethat he had no contact with his two oldest daughters because of his substance abuse.

But in 2019, Danieltold a New York news stationhe had been sober for more than a decade — and hoped to open treatment centers to help others struggling with addiction.

Politics has put a strain on Alec and Stephen’s relationship

Alec Baldwin and Stephen Baldwin posing.Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

“I still haven’t talked to my brother Alec since the election. And I’m cool with that,” Stephen said of his older brother. “I love him to death … That’s his choice, and he plays Trump onSNL, great. Is it funny? Yeah. But it goes too far.”

Despite their political differences, Stephenspoke out on Instagramafter Alecaccidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchinson the set ofRustin 2021.

“Asking for prayers tonight friends not much can be said other than please pray for all involved in the wake of this tragic accident thank you,” he wrote.

Stephen was also present at Alec’sinvoluntary manslaughter trialin Santa Fe, New Mexico, in July 2024.

The Baldwin brothers support one another, even in the face of controversy

The four Baldwin Brothers backstage at the Century Plaza Hotel on Dec. 16, 1996.Lindsay Brice/Getty

Lindsay Brice/Getty

Stephen’s support for Alec following the accidentalRustshooting is just one example of the Baldwin brothers being there for one another.

Billy and Phillipsexpressed their sympathy for Alec and his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, following her appropriation controversy in January 2021.

“This is probably an awkward and embarrassing time for Alec and Hilaria,” BillytoldPage Sixin an interview. “I’ve been texting Alec the whole time to make sure he’s OK and if he needs anything.”

And it’s not just in controversy that the brothers have each other’s backs: When Daniel announced plans to open a rehab center in central New York for those battling addiction, his brothers were his biggest supporters.

“All my brothers right away were, ‘How can I help you? What can I do?’ ” Danieltold a New York news station.

source: people.com