Actor Stephen Baldwin has revealed that he left Hollywood in the early 2000s to pursue a life as a born-again Christian, a decision he made to distance himself from the intense pressures associated with superstardom.

Baldwin, who gained significant recognition following his role in the 1995 thriller "The Usual Suspects," stated that he was on a trajectory toward major stardom but ultimately found that path unappealing. "I didn’t want to be Tom Cruise, and have to make $100 million at the box office," Baldwin told People in an interview. "I’d rather be a schmuck from Massapequa, [New York]."

The actor explained that his spiritual shift began after his and his wife Kennya Baldwin's housekeeper prophesied that they would "become born-again Christians and have [their] own ministry." Initially skeptical, Baldwin's perspective began to change in the early 2000s when he attended various church events with his sister, Beth Baldwin, who was already a born-again Christian.

He described attending a skateboarding ministry event in Florida, where he witnessed tattooed and pierced skateboarders who would skate, preach evangelistically, and attract large crowds of young people. This experience led Baldwin to feel a calling to create a skateboarding video project with Christian punk-rock music and an evangelical message, titled "Livin It." The project achieved immediate success, selling 10,000 copies within six months.

Following this success, Baldwin was invited to tour with the skate group and speak at churches. "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 recalled. He went on to tour with the group, visiting 125 churches over four years, stating, "Jesus and the holy spirit fascinated me."

Since then, Baldwin has starred in and produced several Christian-themed projects, including the film "The UnMiracle." He also hosts the podcast "One Bad Movie." Reflecting on his life, Baldwin expressed contentment, stating, "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. 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."

Stephen Baldwin and Kennya Baldwin have been married since 1990 and are parents to daughters Alaia Baldwin, 33, and Hailey Bieber, 30.