HAILEY Bieber’s uncle Billy Baldwin has opened up about giving marital advice to her and Justin amid their relationship.
Weeks before Hailey, 27, and Justin, 30, announced they were expecting their first child, the couple was faced with rumors that they were headed for a split after five years of marriage.
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On May 9, the superstars not only announced the exciting pregnancy news, but also shared with their fans that they renewed their wedding vows in a private ceremony in Hawaii.
The U.S. Sun caught up with Hailey’s uncle, William “Billy” Baldwin, on May 23 when he attended a private screening for the upcoming documentary, Americans With No Address, in New York City.
Billy, who is Hailey’s dad Stephen‘s brother, said that Hailey and Justin kept the pregnancy a secret from some family members.
“I didn’t know. I found out when you found out. She didn’t text me,” he revealed.
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“I just found out when my phone started blowing up. All my nieces and nephews are like, ‘Did you see? Did you see?'”
He also isn’t sure how far along Hailey is, although sources with direct knowledge told TMZ that the model is already over six months.
As far as the gender of their newborn, Billy, 61, said that he would be happy if it were a boy or girl, but it’s truly “whatever they want.”
Billy, for his part, has three children of his own: daughter Jameson, 24, son Vance, 23, and daughter Brooke, 19.
He has been married to wife Chynna Phillips, 56, since 1995 although she filed for divorce in 2010 and then withdrew the papers a few days later after reconciling.
HERE FOR HER
Billy said that Hailey and Justin’s marriage is a “complicated situation” given their fame and being in the spotlight.
The pair was just spotted in Tokyo where they were seen shopping and exploring the city. Photos exclusively obtained by The U.S. Sun show them also packing on the PDA.
“The only thing I ever said, not to Justin, but to Hailey, I said, ‘Remember, you’re in the business and your husband is one of the biggest pop stars in American history.’
“And I said, ‘And I’m in the business and I’m married to Chynna Phillips from Wilson Phillips,'” Billy told The U.S. Sun.
“I don’t know if you know anything about their history, but their first record, they sold 10 million copies and they had three singles go to number one on Billboard.”
The pop vocal group Wilson Phillips, formed in 1989, was comprised Billy’s wife Chynna Phillips, who is also the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas as well as Carnie and Wendy Wilson, the daughters of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys.
I just think it’s a complicated situation. And the only thing I ever said… your husband is one of the biggest pop stars in American history.
Billy Baldwin
Billy went on to explain that similar to Justin’s career, Chynna had “enormous success” and her parents were “rock royalty.”
He continued, “So I was basically saying to [Hailey], ‘If you ever want to sit down and talk about how to navigate and be successful and keep it real in a long-term, sort of showbiz relationship, let me know if you ever want to talk about that.'”
THE SECRET TO SUCCESS
Billy added that he wasn’t “exactly sure” what he would say to his niece and her husband since he’s usually stumped when people ask him, “How have you been with your wife for 33 years? What’s the secret success? What’s the sauce? What’s the recipe?”
“A lot of it is chemistry. A lot is luck,” he confessed.
“And a lot it is, you know, the other things you hear sacrifice, commitment, hard work.”
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Chynna recently hinted at marital problems between her and Billy when she took to her YouTube channel last month to reveal that they don’t have “effective communication” and that she feels like she’s “walking on eggshells.”
While Billy didn’t specifically address her claims from the video, he told The U.S. Sun that he travels a lot and spends time away from his family — but “sometimes” his wife comes.
“I’ve been working a lot in Europe and in the Balkans, and I also did a film in Thailand and Bangkok. So, I love traveling internationally for work. And now I can afford to do it more.
“My kids are in college and they’re away from the house, so I can go and sometimes Chynna comes,” he explained.
“If I’m gone for more than a certain amount of time, if I’m going to a cool place, like, when I was in Bangkok for seven weeks, she was there.
“If I’m in Rome for six weeks, she’s coming. If I’m going to Tirana in Albania for 10 days, she’s not coming.”
‘INSPIRING’ ROLE
While Billy narrates the Americans With No Address documentary coming out later this year, he stars in the film No Address, which is coming out this summer.
The film, starring Beverly D’Angelo, Xander Berkeley and Ashanti, follows a group of homeless people as they struggle to survive on the streets against a harassing gang, an unforgiving community, and the local authorities.
In preparation for the movie, the Robert Craig Films crew went on a three week bus tour to 20 cities in 18 different states conducting several hundred interviews depicting the criminalization of homelessness for the documentary.
Billy, who raised his kids in Santa Barbara (where there’s a considerable homeless population), had experience in the past working with The Creative Coalition as well as with the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Andrew Cuomo, during the Clinton administration.
“This film landed right at the right time,” the actor told The U.S. Sun, referring to how he and his wife are now empty nesters.
“It’s been very inspiring. I already knew a little bit about it and had been active in the area, but this has sort of reinvigorated me and inspired me and educated me.”
The Americans With No Address documentary and No Address movie are two parts of a five-pronged approach – along with an interactive study guide, a book, and music album – to raise awareness.
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