Hollywood actor Bailey Chase says California’s controversial COVID-19 school vaccine mandate helped push his family out of Los Angeles, sending him, his wife, and their three young children to a new life in the mountains of North Carolina.
For many California families, the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented disruptions to everyday life. Schools closed, children’s activities disappeared, businesses struggled, and parents were forced to navigate an increasingly difficult environment. But for actor Bailey Chase, one decision by Governor Gavin Newsom ultimately became the breaking point.
Chase, best known for portraying Deputy Branch Connally in the popular television series Longmire, recently opened up about why he and his wife decided to leave California. The actor made clear that the state’s aggressive approach to COVID-19 restrictions, particularly its proposed school vaccination requirement, played a major role in the family’s decision.
At the time, Chase and his wife, Amy, were raising three children, including twin girls who were just four years old and an older daughter who was six.
