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Stephen Baldwin believes he could have been one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, but he doesn’t regret leaving the business for something far more important: his faith.
In a new interview, Baldwin, 60, reflected on the career-defining success that followed his role in the Oscar-winning 1995 crime thriller, “The Usual Suspects,” and opened up about why he never felt drawn to chase stardom.
“I probably could have pointed myself in the direction of becoming a big star,” Baldwin told People. “But that wasn’t me. I didn’t want to be Tom Cruise, and have to make $100 million at the box office. I’d rather be a schmuck from Massapequa.”
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Baldwin said his priorities shifted dramatically after embracing born-again Christianity in 2001.
According to the actor, his faith journey began after he and his wife, Kennya, hired a Brazilian housekeeper who claimed she had been sent by God because the couple would one day become Christians and start a ministry.
“My wife tells me, ‘I just spoke to Augusta, and she said the real reason she’s here is because God spoke to her, and she said in the future you and I will become born-again Christians and have our own ministry,’” Baldwin told the outlet.
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At first, Baldwin admitted he was skeptical. However, after attending a handful of evangelical events with his sister – who had already become a born-again Christian – and witnessing a Christian skateboarding ministry that blended extreme sports with worship, he said everything shifted.
“Down on the beach, they had built a skate park on the sand with plywood. And these funky, super committed, cool, tattooed, pierced skateboarders were there and they’d skate, stop, pick up a microphone and start preaching evangelistically, and like 5,000 kids would be around watching because of their interest in the skateboarders,” he recalled. “I felt a calling.”
Baldwin eventually created a skate video with a Christian message, titled “Livin’ It.”
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“In the first six months we’d distributed 10,000 copies. 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. So that’s when I left Hollywood,” he said. “I went to 125 churches over four years,” he said. “Jesus and the holy spirit fascinated me.”
Baldwin admitted that Hollywood hasn’t always been super accepting of his religious and political outspokenness.
“I think they thought I act a little too weird,” said Baldwin, who supported President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2024.
“I get a lot of DMs from people who tell me how my work has touched them and that’s all that matters. I’m happy to be where I’m now at 60. I’m so blessed. And I absolutely believe that the best is yet to come.”
Today, Baldwin says he’s focused on producing faith-based films for younger audiences while hosting his podcast, “One Bad Movie,” where actors discuss the worst film or filming experience of their careers.
The actor also said becoming a grandfather has only strengthened his perspective on life.
“I’ve done 100 movies, I’ve made more money than I could have wildly imagined, and I’m married to the hottest chick I’ve ever seen in my life,” Baldwin said. “Jesus is my rock. My wife is my anchor.”
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