Kim Basinger shared her struggles with ex-husband Alec Baldwin in a very rare Red Table Talk interview that aired Wednesday.
The LA Confidential actress, 68, appeared on the show with daughter Ireland, 26, and opened up about her “tough, very loud” divorce from Alec, 64, who she was married to from 1993 to 2002.
The star made it clear that she and Alec weren’t always “on an equal footing” and that “he’s a challenge.”
Throwback: Kim Basinger, 68, appeared on Red Table Talk on Wednesday and opened up about her “tough, very loud” divorce from Alec Baldwin, 64
The way they were: Basinger and Baldwin met on the set of romantic comedy The Marrying Man in 1991 and married in 1993; Pictured during the 1999 Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Host Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, asked Kim if she could communicate with Alec about Ireland’s anxiety struggles.
“Parenthood can be difficult and Ireland has the anxiety issues that she’s had, was that a difficult process with Alec, or were you able to see eye to eye on how to deal with that?”
‘Eye level?’ asked a confused Kim. ‘No. No it wasn’t – Alec is funny,” she laughed. “We’re all fine and we’re all getting along, whatever. But he was – but he is a challenge.’
A challenge: The star made it clear that she and Alec didn’t see eye to eye, adding, “We’re all fine and we all get along, whatever. But he was – but he is a challenge’
Anxiety: She also revealed that Alec wasn’t “emotionally or mentally available” to speak out about her daughter Ireland, 26,’s anxiety: “Alec, you know, works in a very different way in his life.”
“We had our challenges. And I don’t think Alec was emotionally or mentally available for those kinds of conversations. You know, Alec works in a very different way in his life,” shared the 8 Mile star.
Ireland then chimed in, revealing that her dad also deals with anxiety, but deals with it differently.
“He’s very good at dealing with fear, but he’s someone who grew up in a family that also suppresses that or tells him he’s weak because that’s how he feels.”
Different methods: Ireland said Alec also deals with anxiety but has so far dealt with it by ‘suppressing’ it because of his upbringing.
Can’t sympathize: “He can’t really sympathize but it’s not his fault and he’s gotten a lot better,” she shared; Ireland and Alec pictured in 2019
“There are things I would go to my dad for, but if I ever tried to have that conversation with him in any way, I don’t think he would be able to really absorb any of it.”
“He can’t really sympathize but it’s not his fault and he’s doing much better,” she continued.
“I mean, I think he’s really been repressing his fear, like he’s been up until recently. He really grappled with things that were kind of thrown at him. He was forced to finally deal with these things.’
Ireland may have been referring to the tragic accident last year in which Alec shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film Rust.
Bitter Divorce: The couple separated in 2000 and divorced in 2002. The separation was followed by a bitter custody battle over the daughter, who was born in 1995; Pictured in 2000
Basinger and Baldwin met on the set of the romantic comedy The Marrying Man in 1991 and married in 1993.
The couple separated in 2000 and divorced in 2002. The separation was followed by a bitter custody battle over the daughter, who was born in 1995.
Kim’s father, Don Basinger, attributed the divorce to Baldwin’s short-tempered temper and allegedly uncontrollable anger, as reported by People at the time.
After years of allegations, over $3 million in legal fees and an infamous voicemail in which he called his daughter a “rude little pig”, the court finally decided to award them joint custody of Ireland.
Baldwin has since remarried yoga teacher Hilaria Thomas, 38, with whom he is expecting his eighth child.