Alec and Hilaria Baldwin mourn loss of Dama as DWTS journey stirs online reaction

Alec and Hilaria Baldwin announced the death of their Maltese, Dama, in an Instagram post on Saturday, a personal loss that coincides with what has been a turbulent run on Dancing with the Stars. In the post, Hilaria Baldwin wrote, “Rest in peace, sweet Dama. You brought so much joy to our lives...you were that dog that slept on my pregnant belly.” She described Dama’s life as long and happy and said the family was “sad but grateful that we had you in our lives.” The farewell message was accompanied by a series of photos spanning Dama’s years with the Baldwins, including moments with Hilaria’s baby bump. The public reaction streamed in quickly, with condolences from fans and organizations alike, including a note from PETA that read, in part, that the organization was “so very sad to hear about Dama’s passing” and sent love to the family.

Dama’s passing comes as Hilaria, 41, continues competing on Dancing with the Stars with pro Gleb Savchenko. The season has featured a lingering sense of tension around the results, including a recent episode that concluded with a double elimination. Baldwin and Savchenko advanced to the next round after the pairings were reduced, but the journey has been punctuated by debate among fans about scoring and placement. A social-media exchange captured by Reddit appeared to show Baldwin liking a comment that criticized other contestants and questioned the show’s credibility, prompting a wave of discussion among followers about perceived fairness and her role in the competition. In the post that drew the scrutiny, a fan wrote that Baldwin “didn’t understand why the scores were so low,” suggesting that other participants had performed as well or better yet received higher marks. Critics noted that the like appeared to come from Baldwin’s account, fueling chatter about whether she was aligned with the dissenting view on the judging.

The broader DWTS arc has also included the aftermath of Baldwin’s recent public reception. Tuesday night’s episode ended in a double elimination, removing Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson, as well as Baron Davis and Britt Stewart from the competition. Baldwin’s own run has drawn attention beyond the performances, in part because of online conversations about her past media moments. Viewers highlighted a recent interview with Good Morning America after a previous routine, where some felt she reverted to a light accent that some observers mocked as inauthentic. Social-media commentary has run the gamut from critique of the accent to broader judgments about whether her presence on the show is warranted, with some fans arguing that the show’s format and scoring should stand on the performances rather than personal narratives.

Additionally, coverage has touched on how Baldwin became part of DWTS. In early September, she spoke with Daily Mail about how her Instagram posts and TikTok videos helped generate interest in her joining the show. She said that fans started writing to DWTS, which led to a phone call offering her a seat at the competition. She described it as a spontaneous decision born from online engagement and a desire to have fun and take on a new adventure, with her husband often participating in social-media efforts and now providing support while she navigates the televised phase of the season. This context has framed how viewers interpret her performance, the online responses, and the emotional weight of Dama’s passing as the season unfolds.

As the DWTS season advances, the Baldwins’ personal loss and the public-spirited debate around judging and believability intersect, underscoring the sometimes-painful balance between public life and private grief for a high-profile family. The family has yet to comment further on Dama’s passing or the ongoing competition, but the Instagram post signaling the dog’s death remains a focal point for fans weighing sympathy for the family against ongoing coverage of the show’s results and the online discourse surrounding it.