Alec Baldwin made a surprise appearance during the season 34 premiere of Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday night, drawing backlash from viewers amid his ongoing legal troubles over the fatal shooting on the set of the film Rust in 2021. The 67-year-old actor attended the live taping and featured in his wife Hilaria Baldwin’s pre-dance package, where he praised her efforts and even joined her partner Gleb Savchenko for a brief dance.
Hilaria, who is competing on the show, has also faced controversy, including accusations of faking a Spanish accent and heritage, which she has denied. The premiere, which aired without co-judge Carrie Ann Inaba due to illness, saw performances from 14 contestants, including Olympic medallist Jordan Chiles, Dylan Efron, and former NBA star Baron Davis.
Among the highlights, Jordan Chiles delivered a salsa to Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul”, though judges noted a lack of salsa content and some wobbly dismounts. Dylan Efron performed a cha-cha to “Milkshake”, earning praise for his hip movements but criticism for occasionally falling off the beat. Elaine Hendrix, aged 54, impressed with a cha-cha to “Woman”, proving age is no barrier.
Whitney Leavitt’s tango to “Golden” was a standout, earning high marks despite a judging error where Bruno Tonioli accidentally pressed the wrong score. Baron Davis brought energy with a cha-cha to “Can’t Touch This”, inspired by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s previous stint on the show. Next week’s episode will feature a one-hit wonders theme and a double elimination.
