"It's a reality show" – Dancing With the Stars' Hilaria Baldwin acknowledges the reality behind the glitz after being voted off the competition

Hilaria Baldwin reflected on her elimination from Dancing With the Stars Season 34, clarifying that she understood the nature of the program beyond its dance element.

In an interview following her October 7 exit with professional partner Gleb Savchenko, she explained,

“It’s not really a dance competition, it’s a reality show."

Baldwin, who was the fourth contestant to leave the competition, spoke about the voting dynamics, her experience on the show, and the challenges of balancing the series with family life while facing public scrutiny.

Hilaria Baldwin reflects on her Dancing With the Stars experience after elimination

Understanding the show’s reality beyond the dance floor

After her exit, Baldwin mentioned that one of the things that she was most passionate about was dancing, but very soon she was reminded that the show was more of a "reality show" than just a dance competition." 

She talked about the way the show's voting system added a new layer to the competition, apart from the performance skills. According to her, the voters use a "strategy" where they vote for all the couples except the one they want to eliminate; thus, that couple's chances of being eliminated get reduced.

Baldwin added that her approach was centered on the enjoyment of dancing rather than the competitive structure.

“Where my heart got hurt a bit is that I just love to dance, I want to have fun. And there is gonna be a certain level of drama and some negativity,” she said.

Managing family commitments during the competition

Baldwin cited her time away from her family as one of the most demanding aspects of participating in Dancing With the Stars. The mother of seven shared that the distance affected her despite her children’s support. She explained that although her kids were supportive, seeing them miss her was painful.

She referred to her husband, Alec Baldwin, and their children, Carmen, Rafael, Leonardo, Romeo, Eduardo, María, and Ilaria, while noting that the experience also offered lessons for them.

“I think resilience, sticking together and supporting each other through something that somebody wants to do, connecting to passions—I think all of this stuff are good lessons,” Baldwin stated.

Her daughter Carmen’s response also helped her process the outcome. Baldwin recalled being told by her eldest, “at least you tried,” which she said reminded her of the importance of perseverance and perspective after leaving the competition earlier than expected.

Responding to online criticism and reflecting on her experience

After her elimination, Baldwin addressed online negativity she said accompanied her time on the show, explaining that she was "bullied off" the show during an Instagram Live session on October 12. She further elaborated on the issue in an interview on the show’s official podcast, noting,

“There’s a big problem online right now. We don’t see each other. We make enemies out of each other. And I’m talking about my fellow women. Women’s inhumanity to women. We need to stop.”

On World Mental Health Day, Baldwin took to Instagram to share a video of herself addressing what she perceived to be very well-coordinated, tactical bullying targeting her while she was on the show.

She mentioned that one of the most frequent comments people make to her when they meet her in person is that they are surprised at the "negativity" she gets. She added that the situation "just breaks my heart."

Notwithstanding those obstacles, Baldwin also thanked the people who stood up for her and helped her get into the show.

She said that she was "grateful" for her time on Dancing With the Stars and even made a point of saying that she would never have thought of dancing again if it had not been for her supporters, who, she says, made it possible.

Stay tuned for more updates.