It’s not uncommon for celebrities to make career changes, having had various professions or part-time jobs before finding fame. Many have worked in hospitality or been teachers.
However, it’s rare to hear of a celebrity leaving their glamorous career for something less public, seeking anonymity once again.
One such individual is Stephen Baldwin, known for his roles in popular films like The Usual Suspects and The Flintstones in the mid-1990s. Despite his success in Hollywood, at the age of 60, he now serves as a minister, having embraced his faith in the early 2000s.
Stephen, the younger brother of actor Alec Baldwin, shared that his decision to shift paths was influenced by two significant events. Firstly, his housekeeper at the time supposedly predicted that he and his wife Kennya would reconnect with their faith.
The second turning point came with the birth of his daughter Hailey, who later became known as Hailey Bieber following her marriage to singer Justin Bieber. Stephen also has another daughter, Alaia Baldwin.
After participating in various evangelical gatherings, Stephen came across a skateboarding ministry that marked a pivotal moment for him. Recalling the experience to People magazine, he described an impactful scene.
He recounted, “Down on the beach, they had built a skate park on the sand with plywood. And these unique, devoted, stylish skateboarders with tattoos and piercings would skate, pause, grab a microphone, and start preaching evangelically. Around 5,000 kids would gather to watch because of their interest in skateboarding. I felt a calling.”
Subsequently, Stephen produced a skateboarding video with a Christian theme that quickly sold 10,000 copies in six months, catching the attention of a prominent church.
He explained, “Then one of the larger churches contacted me, inquiring about bringing the skaters from the video to their church for a live event. That’s when I left Hollywood. I visited 125 churches over a span of four years.”
Although Stephen openly supported US President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, he acknowledged that his religious and political views were not always in line with his former Hollywood community. However, he mentioned that he had distanced himself from the latter.
Reflecting on his career, Stephen expressed no regrets about stepping out of the limelight nearly 30 years ago. He emphasized that he didn’t aspire to be as commercially successful as Tom Cruise in the film industry.
This isn’t the first time Stephen has discussed his family publicly. In a recent podcast appearance on Misspelling, he commended his daughter for her achievements, acknowledging the changing landscape where young individuals can achieve remarkable success online.
Stay informed with Daily Mirror as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for timely access to news that matters to you.
At Reach and across our networks, we and our partners utilize data collected via cookies and other identifiers on your device to enhance your site experience, analyze usage patterns, and deliver personalized advertising. You can opt out of data sharing or selling anytime by selecting the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” option at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that preferences are specific to each browser. Your use of our site and services signifies your acceptance of cookie usage and consent to the practices detailed in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.