The prospect of California making COVID-19 vaccination a condition for attending school was something the actor was unwilling to accept without serious questions.
“At that time, you know, they’re 4, 4 and 6 years old,” Chase told Fox News Digital of his twins and oldest daughter. “I got two young girls and we don’t need to go down that rabbit hole.”
He explained that his priorities were straightforward: protecting his children and fulfilling his responsibilities as a father.
“I was like, ‘No, I just don’t know enough,'” he continued. “And I got one job right now, and it’s to take care of these little nuggets.”
For Chase, this wasn’t simply a political disagreement. It was a question of parental responsibility and whether California was becoming a place where his family could enjoy a normal childhood.
And Newsom’s announcement made an already difficult situation even more concerning.
Newsom’s School Vaccine Proposal Became a Breaking Point
In October 2021, Newsom announced a COVID-19 vaccination requirement that was intended to cover approximately 6.7 million students attending public and private schools throughout California.
The proposal was particularly controversial because it would eventually prevent students who did not meet the vaccination requirement from attending classes in person.
California became the first state to announce such a sweeping school vaccination policy, placing millions of families directly in the middle of an increasingly heated national debate over government authority, parental rights, and public health decisions.
Although implementation was repeatedly postponed, the announcement sent a clear message to parents about the direction state officials were considering.
Chase and his wife were already questioning whether Los Angeles remained the right environment in which to raise their children.
Amy had frequently discussed returning to her hometown of Hendersonville, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. The family had considered the possibility before, but California’s pandemic restrictions ultimately made the decision much easier.
“Things started to not work in LA during COVID – they shut down the schools, there were no sports for the kids,” Chase said. “Really, no life, no work. And it became more and more obvious that we should leave LA.”
The proposed vaccine requirement was the final push.
“My wife and I picked up sticks with our three young children when they were mandating vaccines out there,” he said. “They said they couldn’t go back to school without it. And that was the final straw.”
Interestingly, California’s proposed mandate never ultimately took effect.
After multiple delays, state health officials announced in February 2023 that they would not move forward with the school vaccination requirement as the state’s COVID-19 emergency period came to an end.
For families like the Chases, however, the damage to their confidence in California’s leadership had already been done.
A New Life in North Carolina: More Space, Less Stress, and a Better Childhood
Five years after the family’s departure, Chase appears to have few regrets about leaving the Golden State.
In fact, the actor describes his new surroundings as an enormous improvement over the lifestyle they left behind in Los Angeles.
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Chase explained that everyday activities have become considerably more convenient. His children’s schools, family members, grocery stores, athletic facilities, and other necessities are all just minutes away.
“Everything’s about seven minutes away: school, the in-laws, the grocery store, golf course, soccer field,” he told Fox News Digital. “We live in a house that would not have been affordable in LA.”
The difference extends well beyond the family’s living arrangements.
Chase is actively involved in his children’s activities, including coaching soccer. His oldest daughter is preparing for a December performance of The Nutcracker, while the twins are looking forward to basketball season.
The family also enjoys a home environment that provides plenty of opportunities for recreation.
“It’s a kid’s dream,” he said. “There’s a sports court and a pool. We have two golden retriever puppies, so it’s a full and lively house.”
For a father who repeatedly emphasized that raising his children is his greatest responsibility, the move appears to have delivered exactly what he wanted: more time with his family and an environment where his children can grow up surrounded by community.
California, meanwhile, continues to grapple with population losses and residents relocating to other states.
According to population estimates, California experienced significant population declines following 2020, although its population has since shown signs of recovery. The broader migration debate continues to raise questions about affordability, public policy, taxation, and the state’s ability to retain residents.
Leaving Hollywood Helped Chase Rediscover His Faith
The family’s relocation also brought Chase closer to something that had gradually taken a back seat during his years pursuing an acting career.
After spending roughly two decades immersed in Hollywood, the actor says returning to North Carolina helped him reconnect with his Christian faith.
In an interview with Crosswalk, Chase described how his new surroundings had changed his family’s spiritual life.
“Moving back here, I’ve gotten reconnected to my faith,” he told Crosswalk. “Just started going to church recently. The girls are in youth group. They really love it.”
He also spoke about the freedom he feels discussing his beliefs without worrying about negative reactions.
“It’s nice to be in an environment where I can openly talk about God and Jesus without fear of criticism,” he added.
For Chase, the move was therefore about much more than escaping California’s pandemic policies. It represented an opportunity to establish a different kind of family life, one centered on faith, community, and raising children with strong values.
New Role in ‘Homestead’ Reflects His Personal Values
Chase is now bringing many of those same principles to his latest television project.
The actor stars in Season 2 of Homestead: The Series, produced by Angel Studios, which premiered November 3.
He portrays Jeff Eriksson, a former Green Beret who takes responsibility for security at a survivalist community following a devastating nuclear attack that destroys Los Angeles.
The storyline explores themes of survival, family responsibility, faith, sacrifice, and the importance of people coming together when society faces extraordinary challenges.
Those themes appear to resonate personally with Chase.
The actor has expressed pride in being involved with a production that reflects the principles he wants to promote both on and off the screen.
“I take my job as being a father as the best job and most important job that I’ll ever have,” Chase said. “And how that translates to me being an actor, that’s why I’m so proud of Homestead and the story that we get to tell, because it reflects my own personal values.”
He also acknowledged that not every Hollywood production shares those priorities.
“Not all the shows that Hollywood’s putting out does that,” he added. “So I feel truly blessed to be part of a show that delivers a message that I believe in so deeply to my core.”
Hurricane Helene Offered a Real-World Reminder About Preparedness
Chase’s involvement in a series centered on surviving a societal catastrophe also took on additional significance after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of western North Carolina shortly before filming for Season 2 wrapped.
The disaster served as a reminder that emergencies are not merely fictional television storylines. Families can suddenly find themselves without electricity, reliable transportation, or access to essential supplies.
Chase took the experience seriously and made preparations of his own.
“I now have a brand-new generator and some other things,” he said.
When discussing whether ordinary Americans could survive a major disaster, the actor pointed toward people living in rural communities.
He suggested that individuals who already know how to hunt, fish, and obtain food independently would have an advantage when normal supply chains and infrastructure break down.
“Those are the kind of people who hunt and fish and can go out and find their own game,” he said of rural Americans. “So if I’m laying odds, I’m betting on those guys.”
His comments reflect one of the central ideas behind Homestead: self-reliance, practical skills, and strong communities can become invaluable when circumstances take an unexpected turn.
Ultimately, Bailey Chase’s decision to leave California was about putting his family first.
Newsom’s proposed school vaccine requirement never became reality, but the controversy helped convince one Hollywood family that it was time to start over somewhere else.
Today, Chase is coaching soccer, watching his daughters pursue their interests, reconnecting with his faith, and enjoying a lifestyle he says would have been financially out of reach in Los Angeles.
His story serves as another reminder that government decisions can have consequences extending far beyond the policies themselves.
For Gavin Newsom, the school vaccine proposal became another chapter in California’s pandemic response.
For Bailey Chase, it became the moment he decided his family’s future belonged somewhere else.
And judging by his comments, he hasn’t looked back.
