Stephen Baldwin Brings Back Some Old-Time Religion— with a Book and Reality TV

September 05, 2006 - By Kimberly Maul

The Unusual Suspect: My Calling to the New Hardcore Movement of Faith

The youngest Baldwin brother has taken a path his famous siblings are hardly known for: passionate, loudly voiced religious beliefs and conservative political leanings. Now Stephen Baldwin, a Republican—no relation there between him and old-school liberal, big brother Alec Baldwin—is speaking out with a heartier mission than ever, with The Unusual Suspect: My Calling to the New Hardcore Movement of Faith.

Warner Faith will release the book on Sept. 19. Stevie B., as he likes to call himself, is known for his role in The Usual Suspects, Bio-Dome and two seasons of Celebrity Mole. But after he turned to Christianity soon after Sept. 11, 2001, the actor’s focus shifted. He eventually founded Livin’ It, a tour featuring extreme sports and well, extreme evangelism. It has spawned DVDs, books and a clothing line. “My ministry is motivated to hopefully change the way the youth culture thinks about what it means to be a person of faith,” Baldwin said. He mentions hardcore music, extreme sports and “gnarly” people as means that separate his ministry apart from other Christian programs. And “the same goes for the book,” the actor-cum-preacher told The Book Standard recently.

The Book Standard: Why did your book come about?

Stephen Baldwin: I’m so blown away with the experience that I’ve been having in this connection that I’ve made to God, that I thought it would be fun to put it into my own words. Also, it was the perception of many of my friends and family that it might bless some others.

TBS: Are you hoping Christians will read the book or were you writing for people who don’t share your beliefs?

SB: Well, it’s really for everyone. My prayer for the book is two-fold. I pray that people who don’t have a relationship with God will close the back cover of the book and say, “If this guy, for who he is and where he’s from and what he’s experienced so far, if he’s having this much fun in his walk of faith, then maybe I might become willing to consider it.” I tell people all the time, when God called Stephen Baldwin potentially to faith, he didn’t want me to stop being Stephen Baldwin, he just wanted me to stop sinning to the best of my abilities. So that’s one thing. And then for the Christians who read the book, the thing that I wanted, hopefully, is [to ask] are they sure that they are following their true calling? Have they gone through a certain process of really going into prayer and reading the Bible and going before God and saying, “What is your will for my life?” Because that is what I did and the answer freaked me out in a very positive way.

TBS: Would you classify The Unusual Suspect as an autobiography or more of a religious book about Christianity and the “hard-core” movement that you associate with?

SB: Well, I jokingly call it “The Gospel According to Stevie B.” I said some things in the book that I’m getting a lot of flack about—people are saying, “Well you can’t talk about sex and you can’t talk about this.” Well, as long as it’s sex with your wife and as long as it’s within a decent taste [it’s ok]. I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired of the Christian movement being so stuffy and farty. The whole thing’s gotta relax. It’s the reason why people are so against it here in America.


TBS: How do you feel about the media fixating on things like your “bringing God into your marriage,” which is what the media calls “threesomes with God”?

SB: The media is usually trying to sell something, whether it’s a newspaper, magazine or whatever. I’ll be honest with you. Don’t think that I didn’t know when I was writing the book with Mark Tabb, that there were moments when I looked at him and said, “Should I say that?” And he went, “Go for it!” Meanwhile, he’s not the one that’s going to get beat up in the media. For me, I’m interested in sharing my experience, being who I am, hopefully not getting in too much trouble in the process, although that’s a little bit of fun now and again. So, that’s part of where I’m coming from in the book, part of what I’m doing. I’m trying to shake it up a little bit without getting out of hand.

TBS: How has your family reacted to your outspokenness about your faith?

SB: Everybody’s been pretty cool so far. Again, that’s because I don’t sit there and beat anybody over the head. I don’t know which Christian leader said this—gosh, I hope it wasn’t Jesus, I should know that is what I’m saying—“As often as you can, preach the gospel. And when absolutely necessary, use words.” I know that’s a bit of a cliché, but I really believe that walking the walk to the best of your ability as opposed to talking that talk, unless when it’s necessary. I have been outspoken, but in certain Hollywood situations or in social circles, I know when I walk in a room that everybody’s thinking, “Oh there’s the Jesus freak.” And my response then, in my heart is “Amen! You’re right! Absolutely!” And I don’t apologize for it. At the same time, when I’m standing there, people come up to me and they’re curious because somewhere in their hearts, most people are searching. And they want to have that satisfaction in life. They want to be absolutely certain that who they are and where they are at answers the question “What’s life all about?” And for me, I’ve found that answer. It’s an exciting time for me. And that’s about to becoming very exemplified in a new VH1 reality show I’m doing later this year.

TBS: What will your new VH1 reality show be about?

SB: I met with the president of VH1 recently to pitch him another reality concept for a show and I was there with my manager and my producing partner and this gentleman started asking me questions about my walk of faith and what I’m doing. I’m in there for one thing and I came out of there—this is six months ago—entertaining the notion of doing Stephen Baldwin as a reality show about launching my own ministry for next year. It’s a done deal, the show’s going forward. But we don’t know what the name of it is going to be or anything like that. So, right now it’s kind of in development. It’s exciting too to do a kick butt rock-and-roll ministry concept for VH1.

TBS: What will the ministry that will be the focus of the show be like?

SB: It’s going to be Living’ It on steroids, basically. It’s going to be an arena tour and it’s just going to be really a production that will be similar to Tony Hawk’s skate tour, with some really kick butt Christian rock-and-roll bands. A lot of the Christian festivals today have an element of hardcore, but even that is in the minority. With this tour, called the Uprising Core Tour, I want it to be this thing that is legitimate to the street and can compete with Ozzfest or any of that stuff. I want it to be something where kids who are believers or nonbelievers can come to an arena and can have an entertainment experience that is just as fun as the other stuff out there, but you’re going to get this positive message somewhere in the experience.

TBS: What was your favorite movie to work on in your past?

SB: Underneath it all, I’m really quite a goofball. With that in mind, The Flintstones was really the most fun I had on a movie. It was just a blast. Barney Rubble, in my youth, was one of my heroes, so obviously the opportunity for me to recreate that on that kind of a scale and make it believable was very challenging. I can’t tell you the number of kids every month that stare at me on line at a Stop & Shop and they’re kinda looking at me from the corner of their eye and when the mom or somebody says, “Oh, he’s an actor.” I’ll say, “Have you seen The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas?” They just flip out. It’s just the cutest thing.

TBS: Do you regret any of your movies?

SB: Well sure, there were some pictures [I regret]. What I pride myself on, as far as the choices I’ve made in my career, is that I met the director, I met the writer, I met the producers and what initially seemed like a really good effort, didn’t always come out that way. I’ve been very blessed. I’ve made over 60 movies in a little over 15 years and I’ve done way more work. I’ve been very fortunate to succeeded as much as I have. I joke around and I tell people, when I was growing up, I should probably still be on a lifeguard stand somewhere on Long Island. God’s been very good to the Baldwin family and I consider it a blessing. For me, sure, there’s probably two or three of those suckers in there that in retrospect, I might not have done. But it all happened for a reason, so I’m cool with it.