Hilaria Baldwin has opened up about the secret of keeping her marriage to Alec Baldwin alive

Hilaria, 41, has now told People about how she and Alec, 66, keep their relationship strong after 12 years together and their major ups and downs: "We'll find time to go for dinner. It gives us a chance to reconnect, sometimes just sit in silence. It's just like, 'Okay, we're here.'"

Alec, the Emmy-winning star of '30 Rock', also believes in maintaining the spark.

Hilaria added: "He always said, 'We're married, you're my wife, you're the mother of my children, but you always need to be my girlfriend.'"

Alec confirmed the sentiment, adding to People in a joint chat with his wife: "Yeah, I just couldn't have it any other way."

The couple, who met by chance at a New York City restaurant in 2011, have previously been open about their journey as a couple.

At the time, Alec, who was first married to actress Kim Basinger from 1993 to 2002, was not looking for love.

He said: "I had been married, got divorced. I dated another woman off and on for quite a while. I'm like, 'I don't want to have a girlfriend. I don't'."

Despite his initial reservations about getting involved with Hilaria, Alec admitted he was quickly smitten.

He said: "I mean, I fell madly in love with her. And I told my friends, and they were like, 'Oh, Jesus Christ. It's like a miracle.'"

The pair have since built a life together, raising their children - Carmen, 11, Rafael, 9, Leonardo, 8, Romeo, 6, Eduardo and Marilu, 4, and two-year-old Ilaria.

Hilaria also joked despite their hectic home life she and Alec are "like an old couple".

Alec, however, was quick to correct her, saying: "We're half of an old couple."

Reflecting on their early days, Hilaria said Alec took his time before making a move.

She said: "He shook my hand, which was fine. No hug, nothing."

Alec explained: "Well, no, I had been dating someone. I just didn't want to make her like... she's a beautiful woman, I'm sure she's had people all over her."