This strikingly handsome lead of the 1990s is notable for his bedroom eyes and lean physique. The third of the acting Baldwin brothers (including the older Alec and Daniel and younger Stephen), William Baldwin left law school and began modeling. He first gained attention as an actor for his performance as convicted killer Robert Chambers in the TV-movie "The Preppie Murder" (ABC, 1989). That same year, Baldwin made his feature film debut (virtually as an extra) as a member of Tom Cruise's Marine platoon in Oliver Stone's "Born on the Fourth of July."
Baldwin subsequently appeared as Richard Gere's hapless partner and accomplice in "Internal Affairs" and as a death-defying, womanizing medical student in "Flatliners" (both 1990) before landing a leading role as a rookie fireman in Ron Howard's "Backdraft" (1991). He worked with some of contemporary Hollywood's most intriguing leading ladies in two very different 1993 features: as a male escort involved in a triangle with two estranged lesbian lovers (Kelly Lynch and Sherilyn Fenn) in the romantic comedy "Three of Hearts" and as a wealthy bachelor involved with Sharon Stone in the thriller "Sliver".
A small-scale critical hit and a big-scale bomb marked 1995 for Baldwin. He starred in Joshua Brand's well-received dark comedy "A Pyromaniac's Love Story", as one third of an unhealthy triangle with Sadie Frost and John Leguizamo. Later that year, he supported supermodel Cindy Crawford in her film debut, the ill-advised actioner "Fair Game". Baldwin's penchant for odd little projects was also displayed in "Curdled" (1996), where he played a sexy serial killer obsessed over by the heroine.
In 1995, Baldwin married singer-actress Chynna Phillips.
- Also Credited As:
Billy Baldwin
- Born:
February 21, 1963 in Massapequa, New York
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Job Titles:
Actor, Model, Stuntman, Government aide, Restaurateur
Family
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Brother: Alec Baldwin. born on April 3, 1958; divorced from actress Kim Basinger
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Brother: Daniel Baldwin. older; born on October 5, 1960; second wife is actress Isabella Hofmann
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Brother: Stephen Baldwin. born on May 12, 1967; married to graphic designer Kennya Deodato Baldwin
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Daughter: Brooke Michelle Baldwin. born December 6, 2004 in New York; mother, singer Chynna Phillips
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Daughter: Jamison Baldwin. born on February 27, 2000; mother, singer Chynna Phillips
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Father: Alexander Rae Baldwin Jr. taught history in high school and coached football; died of lung cancer in June 1983
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Mother: Carol Baldwin. born in 1930; breast cancer survivor
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Sister: Elizabeth Baldwin. born in 1955; non-acting mother of six and head of Stephen Baldwin's fan club; married to landscaper Charles Keuchler
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Sister: Jane Baldwin. born c. 1965; married to car dealership manager Randy Sasso
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Son: Vance Alexander Baldwin. born on October 23, 2001; mother, singer Chynna Phillips
Education
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Alfred G Berner High School, Massapequa, New York, 1977-1981
Milestones
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1989 Feature acting debut, "Born on the Fourth of July"
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1989 TV acting debut, cast as killer Robert Chambers in the ABC movie "The Preppie Murder"
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1991 Starred in Ron Howard's film, "Backdraft"; also performed stunts
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1993 Cast as leading man to Sharon Stone in "Sliver"
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1995 Starred opposite Cindy Crawford in "Fair Game"
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1998 Featured as Annie Parillaud's husband in Raul Ruiz's "Shattered Image"
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1999 Played one of the leads in the Showtime original "Brotherhood of Murder"
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2000 Acted opposite Julie Andrews in "Relative Values"
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2001 Played the lead in "Double Bang"; premiered on HBO in lieu of theatrical release
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2005 Offered a funny performance as Laura Linney's love interest in Noah Baumbach's "The Squid and the Whale"
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2005 Starred in the ABC drama pilot "Pros and Cons", a series about a bunch of con artists working for the FBI
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2007 Cast as Patrick Darling IV on ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money"
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2007 Co-starred in Alfredo de Villa's "Adrift in Manhattan"
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Worked as model for Calvin Klein; also appeared in commercials
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Worked on Capitol Hill as aide to Democratic US Representative Thomas J. Downey (NY)