US actor Stephen Baldwin has said he “left Hollywood” at the height of his fame to focus on his faith as a born-again Christian, adding: “Jesus and the Holy Spirit fascinated me.”<\/p>\n
Baldwin, 60, is the youngest member of the all-star Baldwin family and enjoyed success in the 1990s after starring in films such as Bio-Dome and The Usual Suspects.<\/p>\n
Baldwin stepped away from the spotlight in the early 2000s, as his priorities shifted and he wanted to focus on his religion.<\/p>\n
“I probably could have pointed myself in the direction of becoming a big star, but that wasn’t me,” he told People magazine.<\/p>\n
“I didn’t want to be Tom Cruise and have to make 100 million at the box office.”<\/p>\n
Baldwin said that after the birth of his first daughter, Alaia, his housekeeper prophesied that he and his wife Kennya would become born-again Christians. <\/p>\n
He told the publication: “My wife tells me, ‘I just spoke to [the housekeeper], and she said the real reason she’s here is because God spoke to her.<\/p>\n
“‘She said in the future you and I will become born-again Christians and have our own ministry’.”<\/p>\n
Baldwin recalled thinking the idea was “so absurd” but admitted he later felt “a calling” towards a skateboarding youth outreach while attending an evangelical festival \u2013 inspiring his Christian film Livin’ It.<\/p>\n
He said: “In the first six months, we’d distributed 10,000 copies.<\/p>\n
“Then one of the bigger churches called and asked what it would cost to bring the skaters from the video to their church for a live event.<\/p>\n
“So that’s when I left Hollywood.”<\/p>\n
Baldwin said his evangelistic work led him to tour 125 churches over four years and added: “Jesus and the Holy Spirit fascinated me.”<\/p>\n
He said he believed Hollywood thought “I act a little too weird” and was no longer interested in fame the way he once was.<\/p>\n
He said: “I’ve done 100 movies, I’ve made more money that I could have wildly imagined, and I’m married to the hottest chick I’ve ever seen in my life.<\/p>\n
“Jesus is my rock. My wife is my anchor. I’ve had the most amazing life and I’m only 60. I’m so blessed.<\/p>\n
“I’m just waiting for more doors to open that I’m supposed to walk through.”<\/p>\n
Baldwin is the brother of 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin and fellow actors Daniel and William.<\/p>\n
He married his wife Kennya in 1990, a year after he decided to become sober, and they have two children together. <\/p>\n
Their youngest daughter, Hailey Bieber, is married to popstar Justin Bieber.<\/p>\n
They had their first child, Jack Blues Bieber, in 2024.<\/p>\n