Alec Baldwin thought he was going to "die" following the breakdown of his first marriage.

The 54-year-old actor and yoga instructor Hilaria Thomas announced their engagement this month. This will be Alec's second marriage after his nine-year union with actress Kim Basinger came to an end in 2002.

Alec is looking forward to his new life with Hilaria, and is putting any negative feelings from his first relationship split to the back of his mind.

"There were some moments where I thought I would die because of my pain. Changing and suffering: everything was difficult," he told the Italian edition of Vanity Fair.

"Of course, I am in love with [Hilaria]. But if it should go wrong, I can survive again. With her or without."

Alec wrote a book entitled A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce.

The 30 Rock star has 16-year-old daughter Ireland with Kim, and is glad he documented his struggles.

"I don't regret the book I wrote about my ex-wife. It was really therapeutic and it helps other people because it explains what happens when you go through a divorce," he said.

"Your life is full of lawyers and judges that try to convince your ex-wife to fight more and more. They want this because if not they stop working. The divorce lawyer is like a snake."