Hilaria Baldwin’s time on “Dancing with the Stars” wrapped up on Wednesday as she took the mic following her elimination.
The former yoga instructor reflected on her “incredible experience” during season 34.
“I’m so thankful to everyone. My kids and my family mean the world to me,” she shared at 41 years old. “I’m cheering for the whole cast. It was truly a great time.”
Her dance partner, Gleb Savchenko, hailed her as an “inspiration,” calling her a “superhero and an amazing mother.”
“Listen, I’m really proud of you,” he added.
In a heartfelt post-show interview, Hilaria admitted her heart felt “a little broken,” expressing, “I’m sad because this was such a fantastic experience.”
The judges—Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Derek Hough—were split in their opinions about her and Savchenko’s performance of the Quickstep to the “Cantina Band” from Star Wars: A New Hope.
Tonioli, 69, acknowledged the performance’s strength, saying, “That power is still with you. I expected something to be off, but I couldn’t see it.” Inaba, 57, chimed in, calling it “beautiful” and even a favorite to win. However, Hough, 40, praised Baldwin’s talent but suggested she should have incorporated more quicksteps.
Despite mixed reviews, Baldwin and Savchenko received a score of 23 out of 30, placing them among the night’s top performers. The elimination would depend on a combination of judges’ scores and audience votes.
Fans expressed their dismay at Baldwin’s elimination on Instagram, with one person commenting, “She danced so well. She shouldn’t have left,” while another described her exit as a “class act,” praising her gracious remarks.
As Week 5 approaches, the remaining contestants include Whitney Leavitt, Alix Earle, Elaine Hendricks, Jordan Childs, Dylan Efron, Jen Affleck, Robert Irwin, Scott Hoying, and Danielle Fishel.
Baldwin discussed her “DWTS” experience on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast earlier that day, emphasizing that she didn’t want to be seen as a “nepot wife” simply due to her marriage to Alec Baldwin.
“I’m a hard worker. I want to achieve things for myself,” she said. “If he made a call that helped my situation, I’d feel undeserving.”
Hilaria noted that her husband did not actively push for her participation in the show. She recalled the moment she was approached about joining the cast: “They called and asked if I wanted to do this, and I made a quick decision, even though it meant moving my entire family.”
Hilaria and Alec, 67, are parents to seven children: Carmen, 12, Rafael, 10, Leonardo, 9, Romeo, 6, Eduardo, 5, Maria, 5, and Ilaria, 3, and they tied the knot in 2012.
