‘Homestead’ Star Bailey Chase Says He’s Now ‘Chasing God’ Instead of Success
After years of working just a short drive from major Hollywood studios, Bailey Chase says moving from California to North Carolina helped him embrace a slower, less stressful pace of life – and, more importantly, reconnect with God.
The actor who is best known for his roles in Longmire, Saving Grace, 24: Legacy, and the new Angel Studios series Homestead made the cross-country move with his wife and three young children during the pandemic, as soaring living costs – compounded by a left-leaning culture – made steady work in Hollywood increasingly difficult.
“It’s crazy out there,” Chase told Crosswalk Headlines.
At the time, his children were ages 6, 4, and 4 – he has twins – and were “bouncing off the walls” in their California home with no school or activities due to pandemic restrictions. Work, too, was slow.
“There were also other kind of mandates coming out of Hollywood – where being a middle-aged, white dude wasn't necessarily a popular thing,” he said, laughing.
A move to North Carolina felt natural. It’s where his wife grew up and where her family still lives. It’s also home to Duke University, where he played college football as a defensive back in the early 1990s.
Chase has no regrets about the move. As he wrote on Instagram, “all that worry, all that stress, 20 years of hustle in LA” is behind him.
“It also got me thinking if I spent as much time chasing God as I’ve spent chasing success the last 25 years, what would that look like?” he wrote.
The slower pace of life, he said, has helped him realign his priorities.
“It's how I feel,” he said of his faith-centric social media posts. “And moving back here, I've gotten reconnected to my faith. Just started going to church recently. It took a few years, but I really like the church where we're going to here. … My cousin started taking us. The girls are in youth group. They really love it. … It's nice to be in an environment where I can openly talk about God and Jesus and without fear of criticism.”
Chase is known for his portrayal of rugged, no-nonsense characters similar to the one he plays in Homestead, a post-apocalyptic drama series that follows survivors inside a fortified refuge after a nuclear detonation near Los Angeles. He portrays a security leader named Jeff Eriksson.
Chase landed the role after relocating to North Carolina when the filmmakers reached out while he was busy at a family gathering. He had no time to audition, but they gave it to him anyway, already convinced he was right for the part.
“It was divine intervention,” he said. “The Big Man always has a plan. He just doesn't always let us know what it is, and we just gotta adapt.”
He lists Isaiah 6:8 on his social media bio, the verse where the prophet answers God’s call with a simple, “Here am I, send me,” volunteering to serve.
“People ask me, ‘What's your next move? Where do you see yourself settling?’ And I feel like I've already found it. I feel like we're here.”
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published January 09, 2026.
