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October 8, 2025
The ballroom stage of Dancing With the Stars saw another couple leave, and this time it was a departure that caught many off guard. Hilaria Baldwin, along with her professional partner Gleb Savchenko, became the fourth pair to be voted off season 34, leaving behind a mix of emotions and public discussion.
Hilaria Baldwin's Emotional Farewell After Her Unexpected Dancing With the Stars ExitFor Hilaria Baldwin, the elimination on October 7, during Disney Night, brought on a range of feelings. Speaking with E! News right after the announcement, she admitted, "We're OK. I mean, we're not great, but we're okay at the same time. It's mixed." The 41-year-old author and influencer quickly became emotional when talking about her children, who had been a constant source of encouragement throughout her time on the show.
"The first night we got here to LA...I said to my daughter, because I'm so open with my kids, 'What happens if I get voted off right away?'" Hilaria recounted, her voice catching. "She said, 'Mommy, at least you tried.' And I hope they always know that: At least I tried." This heartfelt sentiment resonated deeply, showcasing her primary concern for her family's understanding of her effort and experience.
She echoed this sentiment to PEOPLE, explaining her sadness came from the joy of the experience. "I mean, the only reason I'm sad is because I was so happy. I was so happy. And so, that's an important thing to remember. Sadness comes from missing something that was wonderful," she shared. Hilaria referred to her time on DWTS as "a wonderful experience" and expressed happiness about sharing it with Gleb.
Later, on the Dancing with the Stars podcast, hosted by Season 33 winner Joey Graziadei, Baldwin also spoke about the "painful" reality of being misunderstood. She addressed "bullying" she experienced online, stating, "This has nothing to do with me and the dance competition, cause I love all the women who are on this and get to continue to dance tomorrow. It has to do with what I've seen this past week with my name, with what people have done to me, and they don't know me." She added, "Am I perfect? No, I am not perfect. Am I messy? I am messy. Do I forget things? I forget things. But I'm human, and I don't want to play the same game by different rules and nor should any other woman. Nor should my daughters."
Hilaria concluded her podcast appearance by clarifying her upset. She wasn't angry about being voted off, but "hurt" to stop dancing. "I'm mad because women need to support each other more, and the bullying thing needs to stop," she firmly added. Her words offered a window into the personal cost of public life and reality television.
Alec Baldwin's Heartfelt Tribute to His Wife Hilaria After Her DWTS Elimination

Even though he couldn't be there in person for the initial elimination reactions, Alec Baldwin made sure his wife felt his pride and love. The 30 Rock actor, who has seven children with Hilaria—Carmen (11), Rafael (10), Leonardo (8), Romeo (7), Eduardo (4), María Lucía (4), and Ilaria (2)—posted a sweet tribute on Instagram on October 9. Alec also has a daughter, Ireland Baldwin (29), with his ex-wife Kim Basinger.
"I want to say I love you, Hilaria, and I'm proud of you," Alec said in his message. "It's been wonderful for the family to be able to support you as you support us every day. This has been such a large part of your life, and this is a dream come true for you." He ended his loving message with a simple, yet powerful, piece of advice: "So congratulations and never stop dancing. Never stop dancing, Hilaria. I love you so."
Hilaria later revealed on the post-show press line that Alec had been calling her after the live broadcast, showing his immediate concern and desire to connect. Furthermore, if she had continued in the competition, viewers would have seen Alec join her on "Dedication Night." Hilaria shared their plan: "We were going to dance to our very first wedding dance, Contigo [by Luis Miguel]." This planned performance would have been a special moment for the couple and their fans.
Gleb Savchenko Praises Hilaria Baldwin's Dedication and Talent on the Dance Floor

Gleb Savchenko, Hilaria's professional partner, also spoke highly of her contributions and efforts. In a joint interview with E! News, he told her, "You tried your best, I'm so proud of you. And I'm so grateful for an opportunity to be able to dance with you, because I felt like I was transformed back to my competition times. I've never danced a samba that level ever on Dancing With the Stars or on tour."
He continued to highlight their shared performance, stating, "We made people feel what we felt at that moment, and it was so real, so authentic, and you're a real, true superhero in the studio, on the floor and at home you're an amazing mom to your incredible seven kids." Gleb's words painted a picture of Hilaria not only as a dedicated dancer but also as a devoted mother, balancing the intense demands of the competition with her family life.
Savchenko also expressed his renewed passion for dance, crediting Hilaria for this feeling. He mentioned introducing ballroom dance "on another level" to the audience, citing positive feedback on their "real" Samba. "I'm glad that people were commenting on social that that was a real Samba we did. There was very positive feedback on that. We'd done a great job," he said. Gleb affirmed his support for the remaining contestants, saying, "We're going to cheer everyone on. We're so happy that everyone has continued their journey. We support them. We love them."
Dance pro Rylee Arnold, partnered with Scott Hoying, shared similar sentiments about Hilaria. "Hilaria is so talented," Arnold said. "She had authentic ballroom technique in all her dances. I'm going to miss that." Arnold also praised Gleb: "I love Gleb. He's one of my favorites in the cast. He's so sweet and kind. He's really such a sweetheart and he's kind to everyone."
The Unexpected Turn of Events: Disney Night's Shocking Elimination

Disney Night is usually a beloved themed episode on Dancing With the Stars, where couples dance to iconic songs from Disney movies or theme park rides. Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko performed a quickstep to "Cantina Band" from Star Wars: A New Hope. Despite scoring 23 out of a possible 30 points, which placed them comfortably in the middle of the pack, they did not receive enough viewer votes to stay.
The judges' scores showed Hilaria and Gleb were performing well. Derek Hough, while appreciating their quickstep, wished for "more quickstep." However, other judges disagreed. Bruno Tonioli, referencing Hilaria's Carrie Fisher-inspired costume, said, "Princess Leia, the force is still with you. Whatever you did, worked. I actually watched very, very closely what you did tonight, really analyzing. I was looking for something wrong. I didn't see it." This positive feedback from the judges made their elimination even more surprising.
Host Alfonso Ribeiro noted that the show exceeded 40 million votes, indicating a highly engaged audience. The bottom three couples were Andy Richter, Hilaria Baldwin, and Danielle Fishel. In a twist, Baldwin was sent home, despite Richter consistently having lower scores throughout the season. Richter, who scored an 18 for his Viennese Waltz, looked clearly stunned by the result. This outcome highlights the significant impact of fan votes on the competition's results, often overriding judge scores.
Exploring the Public's Mixed Reactions and Online Discontent Towards Hilaria Baldwin

The elimination of Hilaria Baldwin brought out strong reactions from viewers, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok. Many fans voiced their surprise, while others openly celebrated her departure. This division reflects a broader public sentiment that has surrounded Hilaria for some time.
One TikTok user captioned a video of themselves screaming "YES!" after the elimination, stating, "I fear this was my raw reaction to Hilaria getting eliminated." Another viewer celebrated with a clip, saying, "Live reaction watching my nemesis (hilaria baldwin) get the worst news (elimination from dwts)." These reactions clearly indicate a segment of the audience that was not rooting for Baldwin's success.
On the other hand, some viewers expressed confusion and disagreement. "I don't like Hilaria Baldwin, but I cannot believe she just got eliminated on Dancing With the Stars. Because even though I don't like her, she's just a good dancer," one TikTok user argued. "How is Andy Richter still here? What is going on? I guess just because of the fan votes. People don't like her, so she's not getting the fan votes." This perspective points to the conflict between Hilaria's dance ability and her public perception.
The context also sheds light on the reasons for this public sentiment. Hilaria, whose birth name is Hilary, has faced backlash for years regarding her cultural identity, particularly for switching between an American and a Spanish accent. She has claimed that growing up in a Spanish-speaking household and taking annual trips to Spain shaped her cultural identity, noting her father's degree in Spanish literature. This ongoing public discourse likely influenced the viewer voting, impacting her chances to continue in the competition.
Hilaria herself addressed some of this online chatter on the Dancing with the Stars podcast, where she discussed the "bullying" she faced. She referenced how she was "targeted over and over again" after marrying Alec Baldwin when she was 27. She used her platform to call for more support among women and for an end to online bullying, suggesting her experiences on the show were affected by external narratives.
The Road Ahead: Gleb Savchenko's Post-DWTS Ambitions

For Gleb Savchenko, the professional dance partner, the elimination from Dancing With the Stars opens up new possibilities. While he will still take part in opening show numbers for the rest of the season, and expects to dance again in the finale, he has his sights set on an acting future.
"I've been in acting school. I've been auditioning. I'm putting my heart and soul into acting. That's what I really want to do. I want to transition from dancing to acting [eventually]. I feel like this is my next step," Gleb shared. He previously dipped his toes into acting with the 2023 GAF film Swing Into Romance. He hopes to expand his presence in front of the camera, even humorously suggesting a goal to be "the next Sofia Vergara but in a male, Russian body!"
Gleb's determination is clear. He stated, "I have a great team around me. I'm working on [losing] my Russian accent." His professional trajectory seems set to shift, with a clear focus on building an acting career following his extensive dance background.
A Look at Other Contestants and Their Disney Night Performances
The Disney Night episode featured several memorable performances and varied scores, providing a wider picture of the competition Hilaria Baldwin was a part of. Here's a quick rundown of some other contestants and their results:
- Andy Richter with partner Emma Slater performed a Viennese waltz to a tune from Ratatouille, scoring 18 out of 30. Despite consistent low scores, he remained in the competition this week, to the surprise of many.
- Danielle Fishel (Boy Meets World) with Pasha Pashkov danced a quickstep to "I Wanna Be Like You" from The Jungle Book, earning 21 out of 30.
- Scott Hoying (Pentatonix) with Rylee Arnold performed a salsa to "Bop to the Top" from High School Musical, also scoring 21 out of 30.
- Robert Irwin with Witney Carson delivered a cha cha to "Try Everything" from Zootopia, achieving a score of 22 out of 30.
- Jen Affleck (The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) with Jan Ravnik closed the show with a jazz routine to a song from Aladdin, scoring 23 out of 30.
- Dylan Efron with Daniella Karagach performed a quickstep to "Life is a Highway" from Cars, also receiving 23 out of 30.
- Alix Earle with Val Chmerkovskiy danced a Viennese waltz to "Once Upon a Dream" from Maleficent, earning 24 out of 30.
- Elaine Hendrix with Alan Bersten performed a quickstep to the theme from Space Mountain, scoring 24 out of 30.
- Jordan Chiles with Ezra Sosa performed a quickstep to a tune from The Princess and the Frog, also scoring 24 out of 30.
- Whitney Leavitt (The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) with Mark Ballas delivered a foxtrot to "The Room Where It Happens" from Hamilton, receiving the highest score of the night with 25 out of 30, positioning them as a strong contender.
Hilaria Baldwin's score of 23, while not the highest, was respectable and surpassed several other contestants who remained in the competition. This further emphasizes the critical influence of viewer votes in the Dancing With the Stars format.
Hilaria Baldwin's Next Steps: Returning to Her Role as a Mother
With her Dancing With the Stars journey concluded, Hilaria Baldwin is ready to return to her primary role. "My kids came out here [to Los Angeles]. They changed their school. Alec had been flying back and forth. My whole family moved heaven and earth to support me," she explained. "Now, I'm going back to being a mom. I mean, I have been a mom through this whole thing. Now, I'll be a mom even more."
Her experience on the show, though cut short, clearly meant a lot to her and her family. While the dancing shoes are temporarily off, Hilaria's focus remains on her children, supported by her husband's loving words and the lessons she hopes to impart about trying one's best.
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC, and streams on Hulu and Disney+ the next day.
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