The actor — who stars as Adam Maitland in the 1988 horror-comedy film — joked that he was skinn and able to look better then
Alec Baldwin with wife Hilaria Baldwin and their kids; Alec Baldwin in ‘Beetlejuice’ (1988).
NEED TO KNOW
- Alec Baldwin shared that his children didn’t realize he was in Beetlejuice when they watched it at a younger age.
- Speaking at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 4, he humorously attributed their confusion to how much slimmer he looked back then.
- In the 1988 horror-comedy, Baldwin plays Adam Maitland, a hardware store owner who becomes a ghost after his death.
The actor — who stars as Adam Maitland in the 1988 horror-comedy film
Alec Baldwin recalled a funny family moment: his younger children refused to believe that the man they were watching in Beetlejuice was their father.
During an October 4 conversation with Amanda Seyfried at the Hamptons International Film Festival about her film, The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd, Baldwin shared the story. He explained that when the family watched the 1988 horror-comedy, he repeatedly pointed out his appearance, but his children remained unconvinced. He playfully described their reaction as unkind.
Baldwin plays Adam Maitland, a hardware store owner who becomes a ghost after dying.
The actor and his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, have seven children together: Carmen Gabriela, Rafael Thomas, Leonardo Ángel Charles, Romeo Alejandro David, Eduardo Pao Lucas, María Lucía Victoria and Ilaria Catalina Irena. He is also father to Ireland Baldwin, whom he shares with former wife Kim Basinger.
Alec Baldwin in ‘Beetlejuice’ (1988).
Baldwin said he tried to convince his children by explaining that the film showed him years earlier, when he was slimmer and had dark hair. He also poked fun at himself, suggesting he looked more handsome back then. His children still refused to believe it was him, a reaction he recounted with laughter.
Seyfried shared that she had recently watched Beetlejuice again with her children, Nina and Thomas, whom she shares with Thomas Sadoski. She said the movie has become a family favorite, adding that her son is now old enough to enjoy it too.
Amanda Seyfried and Alec Baldwin in conversation at the Hamptons International Film Festival on Oct. 4, 2026.
The Baldwin family celebrated Halloween in 2023 with costumes inspired by Beetlejuice. Directed by Tim Burton, the 1988 film features Alec Baldwin alongside Geena Davis, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara.
Hilaria shared pictures of the family’s themed outfits on Instagram. Their two youngest daughters dressed as Lydia Deetz, while Carmen and Edu took on the title character’s distinctive look. Alec and Rafael both portrayed Adam Maitland, wearing matching black-and-white plaid shirts, with Rafael adding round glasses.
In her caption, Hilaria explained that she had wanted to organize the costumes for years. She delighted in the children’s looks and asked followers whether Rafael resembled Alec during his appearance in the original movie
Ahead of the 2024 sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, director Tim Burton discussed why Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis would not return as Adam and Barbara Maitland.
In the original movie, the married couple dies in a car crash and remains in their Connecticut house as ghosts. Their home is later purchased by the unconventional Deetz family: Charles, played by Jeffrey Jones; his daughter Lydia, portrayed by Winona Ryder; and his wife Delia, played by Catherine O’Hara.
The sequel explains how the Maitlands found a “loophole” allowing them to finally leave the house.