By the early 1990s, at the peak of his fame, the star made a choice that would shock many in the industry. He turned away from acting and embraced a life of faith. This decision didn’t just alter his career; it transformed his entire worldview. How did his life unfold after he left Hollywood?

He didn’t set out to become an actor. In fact, as a young boy, his sights were set on something completely different—he wanted to be a doctor. His dream was to become a surgeon, but his career path took an unexpected detour when his mother, encouraged by a friend, introduced him to acting.

“I was always annoyed having to brush my hair and tuck my shirt in to go drive an hour in traffic to audition,” he once reflected on those early years. Despite his lack of enthusiasm, his acting career gained momentum, eventually leading to his breakout role as Mike Seaver in “Growing Pains.”

From Atheism to Christianity

Growing up, his family wasn’t religious, and there were never conversations about God in his home. “When I was growing up, we didn’t go to church,” he once shared.

“If you had asked me, I would have said I would be in the category of an atheist at 16 years old, 17 years old,” he added.

At that point in his life, he was fully immersed in his Hollywood career and had little interest in exploring faith or spirituality. Yet, despite his disinterest, a chance encounter would soon change the course of his beliefs.

It wasn’t a deep theological conversation that first brought him to church. Drawn to a girl he liked, he accepted her invitation to attend church with her family. “I’ll be honest. It wasn’t because I was interested in God. I was interested in the girl,” he admitted.

Hollywood’s Reaction to His Faith

By the time he was 17, his commitment to his newfound beliefs had started to influence the way he approached his role in “Growing Pains.” This sudden shift did not go unnoticed by the show’s producers and cast members, who grew increasingly worried about how it might affect the series.

As one of the show’s key characters, his actions held significant weight. The show’s success—and everyone’s jobs—depended, in part, on him. The producers worried whether his deepening religious beliefs would take him in a direction that could jeopardize the show’s longevity.

“Is he getting into something that’s really gonna take him into Looney Town? And if it is, we need to stop that,” he recalled their concerns. He, however, was focused on trying to live out his faith, though he admits that at times, he didn’t handle it as gracefully as he could have.

“I was trying to take the moral high road. I wanted to please God genuinely, and I think sometimes that got misunderstood,” he explained. What was clear, though, was that his priorities were shifting—and Hollywood wasn’t sure how to respond.

As his faith grew stronger, he also became more aware of the troubling behaviors around him in Hollywood. Over time, he reportedly witnessed disturbing incidents that further distanced him from the industry.

“The evil, the darkness, the twisted sickness of Hollywood has been going on for a long time,” he said, reflecting on his years as a child actor. The former teen heartthrob, who began acting at nine, recalled being suspicious of the unsettling things happening behind the scenes during his time on “Growing Pains.”

The actor described how these revelations confirmed what he had suspected all along—that Hollywood was not the wholesome place it often appeared to be. For him, this environment, driven by power, pride, and ego, only reinforced his desire to move away from the spotlight.

He became even more committed to his faith and the values it provided, believing that the pursuit of fame and fortune often led people down dangerous paths. “When that becomes your God, rather than the God who laid down His life on a cross 2,000 years ago, you’re in for a world of hurt,” he stated.

Kirk Cameron’s departure from Hollywood marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life. At just 20, he married his “Growing Pains” co-star, actress, Chelsea Noble, and the two started building a life together far from the entertainment industry. Together, they welcomed six children into their family, four of whom they adopted.

Adoption was a cause close to both Cameron and Noble’s hearts, as Noble herself was adopted. They always ensured their children knew their origins and helped them reconnect with their biological families when the time came.

In the film, Cameron plays a firefighter trying to save his marriage. However, when it came time to shoot a kissing scene with the actress playing his wife, Cameron refused to kiss anyone but his real-life spouse.

To honor his marriage vows, the filmmakers worked around this by dressing Noble as the movie’s female lead and filming the scene in silhouette. Cameron later explained, “I have a commitment not to kiss any other woman,” showing how seriously he took his beliefs.

With Hollywood in the rearview mirror, Cameron’s life became less about fame and more about staying true to the values he cherished. But his journey wasn’t over—he soon made another major decision that would further change the course of his life.

In recent years, Cameron made another bold life decision—leaving the place where he had spent most of his life and built his career. In early 2021, Cameron took to social media to share his intention to leave California.

In subsequent interviews, he revealed his reasons for the move. Cameron felt that California had become unsafe and longed for a place that embraced more of the “wholesome values” he held dear.

He was drawn to its lifestyle, but there was another significant reason for the move—three of his children now lived there. It offered the opportunity to be closer to family while also enjoying the slower pace and community that Tennessee provided.

Cameron’s life has been full of milestones, but one of his most cherished moments came in July 2024, when he and Noble became grandparents. Cameron proudly shared the news on social media, posting a heartfelt message about the arrival of their granddaughter, Maya Jeanne Noble Bower.