A painting of Hilaria Baldwin displayed in the living room of the couple’s Amagansett, New York, home drew sharp criticism on social media after Alec Baldwin reposted images from a New York Times profile of the property.
The triptych, by artist Brendan O’Connell, depicts Hilaria Baldwin shopping in a bodega while wearing sunglasses and standing before shelves stocked with boxes of Rice-A-Roni. Hilaria told the Times she was "extraordinarily embarrassed that there is a gigantic painting of me in this room," adding that the artwork made the living room feel like a personal shrine.
Followers reacted quickly after Alec Baldwin reposted highlights from the Times profile to Instagram. Commenters accused the couple of hypocrisy for keeping the painting while calling it "embarrassing," with one user writing, "I'm so embarrassed about this painting that I choose to hang it up in my house 🤔???" Another described the image as "multi-faceted rage bait." Several commenters suggested Hilaria should remove the work if it genuinely embarrassed her, while others called the display narcissistic.
Not all responses were negative. Some users praised the Baldwins' home or expressed appreciation for the painting. A number of commenters also referenced past controversies involving Hilaria Baldwin's use of a Spanish accent, and noted biographical details reported previously — Hilaria was born in Boston, said her family spoke Spanish frequently at home, and her parents moved to the Spanish island of Mallorca in 2011.
The painting was said to have been inspired by a paparazzi photo of Hilaria shopping in the West Village near the couple’s main New York City residence. Brendan O’Connell is known for large-scale, lifelike canvases, and the Baldwins’ decision to place a portrait-size work in a prominent living-area position drew particular attention because of its size and subject.
The Amagansett house has been tied to Baldwin’s legal and personal difficulties since a 2021 on-set shooting during production of the film Rust, in which cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was injured. Baldwin denied pulling the trigger on the prop gun, saying he had been told it contained no live ammunition. He faced involuntary manslaughter charges in January 2023 that were later dropped in April 2023; additional charges were filed in January 2024 and were dismissed with prejudice by a judge in July 2024. In 2024, a separate lawsuit Baldwin brought against New Mexico prosecutors for what he called "malicious" prosecution was dismissed after he failed to file additional documents.
Baldwin bought the Amagansett property in 1996 for roughly $1.75 million and placed it on the market in 2022 for $29 million after the Rust shooting, a significant increase from the original purchase price. The house failed to sell, and the couple recently decided to keep the home, which they showed to the Times.
The Instagram repost reignited public interest in the Baldwins' private life and home decor decisions, and the painting remains a focal point of public discussion. Comments on the post ranged from mockery and calls for removal of the artwork to simple appreciation of the residence, illustrating a split reaction among followers about how public figures choose to present personal spaces.
Representatives for Alec and Hilaria Baldwin did not immediately respond to requests for comment.