Skateboarding becomes a religious experience

What do God and skateboarding have in common? According to actor/director Stephen Baldwin, a lot.

Baldwin decided to mix skateboarding with a religious message in “Livin’ It LA,” his newest action sports film, which premiered Wednesday evening at the Regency Lido Theatre in Newport Beach among a crowd of skateboard fanatics, churchgoers and Baldwin fans.

“Livin’ It LA,” the second film produced by Baldwin, features a score of Christian skateboarders who perform their sport and discuss their beliefs to show kids that Christianity can be cool.

Due to the success of the first film, “Livin’ It,” which sold more than 150,000 copies, Baldwin decided to approach the next film more aggressively.

“The style [of the second film] is different, more of an old-school flavor,” Baldwin said. “Similarly, the message of faith is structured to be a little more bold and outspoken.”

For Baldwin, the screening was all about spreading his bold message in a way that would resonate with America’s youth, bringing his message to “the streets.”

“The whole Livin’ It movement is happening to tell the youth culture of America, ‘You can be who you want to be and still pursue your faith,’” he said. “We tell it in a hard-core kind of way, not the old-school dorky way.”

Those attending the premiere expressed a spirited interest in helping Baldwin spread the message, although most had never met the film star before.

“I feel like I found a million dollars and I want to share it with everyone, but I get so frustrated because they don’t believe me,” said Costa Mesa resident Lauren Pettit. “I’m not trying to push something on them.”

Pettit came to the premiere knowing she probably would not get to view the film, a fact that did not faze her from attending. With her Huntington Beach church group, called The Sanctuary, Pettit volunteered as a prayer counselor for youngsters who decided to enter into Christianity after watching the film.

“We came here to minister to people about God and to help them understand what their purpose is and what their future could be,” she said.

Fellow Sanctuary member Larry Alvarez came to tell people how he thought Christianity had bettered his life.

“It seems like in the last six years I’ve been able to live more of a life of clarity, and everything seems beautiful to me,” Alvarez said.

The members of the Huntington Beach congregation also came to support their associate pastor, Christian Hosoi, who was one of the stars of the film.

Hosoi entered professional skateboarding at the age of 14 and rivaled the likes of Tony Hawk back in the 1980s. His superstar lifestyle came to a halt, however, six years ago when he was arrested for drug trafficking and sentenced to almost five years in prison.

After Hosoi’s release from prison in 2004, Baldwin asked him to sign on with the “Livin’ It” project.

“Stephen heard about me becoming a Christian in prison,” Hosoi said. “He approached me and said, ‘Would you like to be involved in my film?’”

Hosoi introduced the film and prayed over the group, the curtain rose, and the packed theater watched in amazement as Hosoi and his fellow skaters showed their skills on the screen.

“I believe that God called me to be a vehicle, a tool, to reach all cultures so that they would be saved,” Hosoi said.dpt.26-bizspot-2-C.1PhotoInfoCP1SBD1J20060626j1cedonc(LA)Stephen Baldwin speaks with the media at the “Livin’ It LA” premiere in Newport Beach. dpt.26-bizspot-1-C.1PhotoInfoCP1SBD1F20060626j1ced5ncPHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER WAGNER / DAILY PILOT(LA)Actor/director Stephen Baldwin, right, signs an autograph for Thomas Palau, 12, at the premiere of his movie “Livin’ It LA” at Lido Theater in Newport Beach on Wednesday.