“Homestead” actor Bailey Chase says uncertainty over California’s proposed COVID-19 vaccine rules for schoolchildren was the last push his family needed to leave Los Angeles for North Carolina.
Chase, 54, has three children with his wife, Amy: 12-year-old Waverly and 10-year-old twins Maggie and Gauge. In an interview, he recalled that the family moved about five years ago, when California was considering requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to return to school.
“That was the final straw,” Chase said. The family has lived in the mountains of North Carolina since then, where, he added, they are enjoying a very different pace of life.
These days, much of Chase’s time at home is spent getting the children to their activities. He said he is in full soccer-dad mode, while his oldest daughter is devoted to ballet and preparing for “The Nutcracker.” Basketball season is coming up, too.
His work remains important to him, but he draws a clear line between filming and family life. When he is working, he said, he gives the job his attention. At home, he focuses on being a father. “There’s no greater job than being a dad,” he said.
The family lives in Hendersonville, Amy’s hometown in western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, about 25 miles south of Asheville. She had long hoped to return to the area where she grew up. Chase also has a connection to the state: he attended Duke University on a football scholarship.
In an earlier interview, Chase said the family had not known when or how they would move back. But during the pandemic, he said, schools were closed and children’s sports stopped, making life in Los Angeles increasingly difficult. Amy’s parents were nearby in North Carolina, and the family found that school, shops and sports facilities were all close to their new home.
Chase has said the family was also able to buy a house there that would have been out of reach in Los Angeles. The property has a sports court and a pool, and the household is now even livelier with two golden retriever puppies.
He has spoken about being unsure of the proposed vaccine requirement when his children were young. At the time, he said, they were four, four and six. He felt he didn’t know enough to make a confident judgment and saw caring for his children as his main responsibility.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a plan in October 2021 for a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students, which was expected to eventually cover the state’s public and private schoolchildren. The plan was delayed several times and never took effect. In February 2023, state officials said they would not pursue it as California’s COVID-19 emergency was set to end.
Leaving Los Angeles has had some professional downsides, Chase has acknowledged. After spending 21 years building his career in Hollywood, he missed out on certain roles, including one on “Grey’s Anatomy.” He said productions may choose local actors because it is less expensive. Still, moving has also brought different work, including faith-based films and television projects.
Chase has also said that returning to North Carolina helped him reconnect with his Christian faith. He and his family began attending a local church, and his daughters joined a youth group. He appreciates being able to talk openly about God and Jesus, he said.
In a 2024 social media post, Chase reflected on leaving behind years of pressure and work in Los Angeles. He wondered what might have changed if he had spent as much time pursuing his faith as he had pursuing success.
Chase currently plays Jeff Eriksson, a former Green Beret, in “Homestead,” a post-apocalyptic drama from Angel Studios. The show’s second season is scheduled to premiere Nov. 3, with new episodes arriving weekly on Tuesdays. The story follows survivors at a fortified community in the Rocky Mountains after a nuclear attack on Los Angeles throws the country into chaos. Jeff escapes with his family and takes on security duties at the settlement.
The television series follows the 2024 “Homestead” movie, which introduced the story. Chase said working on the project prompted him to make some preparations at home. After filming, he strengthened his home’s security, and after Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina, he bought a new generator and other supplies.
Asked whether most Americans could manage a major disaster, Chase suggested people in large cities might face greater difficulties because of crowding and limited resources. People in rural areas, he said, may have better access to hunting, fishing and other ways to find food.
Chase said his priorities as a father shape the projects he takes on. He is especially proud of “Homestead,” he explained, because its story reflects values he cares about: faith, family, community and looking out for one another. He said he feels fortunate to be part of a show whose message aligns so closely with his own.
