Actor Alec Baldwin has posted an apology online, explaining that his leaked answer machine rant was the result of being "driven to the edge" by his bitter custody battle with ex-wife Kim Basinger.

The Departed star was today reported to be taking legal action to find out who was responsibly for the leaked three-minute recording to TMZ.com, in which he verbally chastised his 11-year-old daughter Ireland, and called Basinger "a thoughtless pain in the a*s".

But in a posting on his official website, Baldwin blames the L.A. Confidential actress for "alienating" him from his parenting duties, which propelled him to lose his temper.

He says, "Although I have been told by numerous people not to worry too much, as all parents lose their patience with their kids, I am most saddened that this was released to the media because of what it does to a child. I'm sorry, as everyone who knows me is aware, for losing my temper with my child. I have been driven to the edge by parental alienation for many years now... I am sorry for what happened. But I am equally sorry that a court order was violated, which had deliberately been put under seal in this case."

-Alec Baldwin Pictures
-Kim Basinger Pictures

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)