Hilaria Baldwin Reflects on Backlash Over Spanish Accent Scandal: 'The Whole World Was Mean to Me'

Hilaria Baldwin recently opened up about the enduring sting of public backlash following her Spanish heritage scandal five years ago. The former yoga teacher admitted she has never quite grown accustomed to the criticism.

Born Hillary Lynn Hayward-Thomas in Boston, Massachusetts, Baldwin faced allegations of exaggerating her Spanish roots after social media sleuths uncovered details about her upbringing in 2020. While she had claimed to hail from Mallorca and moved to the U.S. at 19 to attend NYU, it was revealed that she had actually been born and raised in the States, albeit spending some time in Spain with her family.

Speaking on her reality show, Baldwin reflected on the challenges of navigating public opinion. "Being in the spotlight... People say, 'Oh, don't you get used to it?' No, you don't get used to it," she said. "You never get used to people being mean. But you take a deep breath and learn to distance yourself from it. You try turning down the volume in your head a bit, and I'm not gonna take it personally."

Baldwin has previously apologized for the confusion surrounding her heritage. In an Instagram post, she emphasized the fluidity of identity, stating, "Culture, languages, sexual orientations, religions [and] political beliefs" are "allow[ed] to be fluid."

The 41-year-old elaborated on her experiences of "code-switching"—adapting her dialect and mannerisms depending on her surroundings. "Growing up with multiple cultural influences means you're never going to fit in completely. You can try, but you end up being a chameleon," Baldwin explained. "You don't even think about it; it's just normal."

Despite the public scrutiny, Baldwin continues to support her husband, Alec Baldwin. The couple recently appeared together at the opening of Planet Hollywood Times Square in New York City. During a red carpet interview, Hilaria playfully reprimanded Alec for interrupting her, quipping that he might need to be "cut out of the show." Their reality series, "The Baldwins," chronicles their life with seven children while navigating high-profile challenges, including Alec's trial for involuntary manslaughter following the 2021 "Rust" shooting tragedy.

On a lighter note, the pair celebrated their 12-year anniversary last year. Their family includes Carmen Gabriela, 11, Rafael Thomas, 9, Leonardo Ángel Charles, 8, Romeo Alejandro David, 6, Eduardo Pao Lucas, 4, María Lucía Victoria, 3, and Ilaria Catalina Irena, 2.

Hilaria’s candid reflections remind us that fame doesn’t come with immunity to criticism—if anything, it amplifies it. But her focus on resilience and adaptation shows she’s determined to keep moving forward.