Baldwin first gained recognition by appearing on the sixth and seventh seasons of primetime CBS soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush, the half-brother of long-standing character Valene Ewing (Joan Van Ark).
In his early career he then has played both leading and supporting roles in a variety of films such as Tim Burton's Beetlejuice (1988), Mike Nichols' Working Girl (1988), Jonathan Demme's Married to the Mob (1988), and Oliver Stone's Talk Radio (1988).
He gained attention for his performances in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), and as Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October (1990).
Since then he has worked with such notable directors such as Woody Allen in Alice (1990), To Rome with Love (2012), and Blue Jasmine (2013), Spike Lee in BlacKkKlansman (2018), and Martin Scorsese in The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006).
He has received worldwide attention and acclaim for his portrayal of Donald Trump on the sketch series Saturday Night Live, both during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and following the inauguration, a role for which he won a Primetime Emmy in 2017.