Hollywood has no shortage of families who have members deeply involved with the industry. The Baldwin family is one such family. The American family consists of professional performers that include the four acting siblings, Alec, Daniel, William and Stephen; collectively known as the Baldwin brothers. Stephen Baldwin, the youngest of the bunch has found success working as an actor, producer, director and activist.
His most popular works include ‘The Usual Suspects’, ‘Threesome’, ‘Posse’ and many more. Along his journey of making a name for himself, Stephen also had the biggest support from home through his wife Kennya Baldwin. So, who is Kennya Baldwin? And what do we know about the woman married to Stephen Baldwin and the mother of Hailey Bieber?
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Kennya is Originally from Brazil
Kennya Baldwin nee Deodato was born on October 24, 1968. She spent most of her early years in her hometown in Brazil only moving to the US for college studies. As she was always fascinated by creative works, she decided to follow a career in arts and joined York Preparatory School in New York.
Following that, she went to Parsons School of Design and graduated with a degree in graphics design. Her father, Eumir Deodato is a renowned Brazilian pianist, composer and record producer who is also a Grammy-winning musical act. Her parents are said to have been divorced.
It was Love at First Sight for Kennya and Stephen
Stephan Baldwin and Kennya Deodata met each other while both were travelling on a New York City bus in 1987. And as fate would have it, that was love at first sight for the both of them. The two of them exchanged numbers and went on their first date. After officially dating one another for a couple of years they exchanged their vows in 1990.
Kennya Works as a Graphic Designer
As someone passionate about creating art, it makes sense that she would opt for a career in the same field. Despite the fame that came with being the daughter of a famous musician and being romantically involved with Stephan Baldwin, Kennya went on to make a name for herself in the field of graphic design. She apparently worked her whole life as a graphic designer however her place of work has never been revealed.
She is the Proud Mother of Two: Alaia and Hailey Baldwin
Kennya and Stephen got married when they were in their early twenties. Even at that time, it was considered quite young to be married. However, that did not stop the couple to remain happy and so in love even after so many years of their marriage. Perhaps, the love and strength of the couple grew even more after the birth of their two daughters.
Kennya and Stephen’s eldest daughter Alaia Baldwin was born on 23 January 1993 in Nyack, New York, USA. Three years later, their youngest daughter Hailey was born on November 22. Both of their daughters are happily married and are very successful in their respective fields.
Her Daughter Hailey is Extremely Influential
Coming from a family of actors and performers, it is no shock that Kennya and Stephen’s children would also choose the entertainment path. While both of their daughters started out as models, it was the youngest Hailey that would gradually break out of the modelling shells and make a name for herself.
Today in the age of social media, the power to move people has been largely taken up by public figures who have a large social media presence. And using the power of technology, Hailey has garnered a huge following. At this moment, there might not be anyone who doesn’t know who Hailey Baldwin is.
Not only is she married to one of the biggest pop stars Justin Bieber, but she is also a businesswoman. She has recently launched her own skincare brand ‘Rhode’ named after her middle name which has been in her mother’s side of the family for generations.
Kennya and Stephen’s Relationship Convinced Hailey to Get Married Early
Oftentimes, children are the products of their parents. They learn valuable lessons from them and view them as something to be. The same can be said about Hailey Baldwin. Because she grew up with parents who found love early on in their lives and have since continued to stay committed to each other till now, she also hoped the same for her. Which is why she got married to Justin Bieber when she was only 21.
Talking about the impact her parent’s relationship made on her own, Hailey said:
“I know sometimes they drive each other crazy, but they love each other.”
She continued:
“When I was young and I would hear the story of how they met, it sounded like the most romantic thing in the world. You fantasize about having the same thing. I do think it influenced me to want to be married young.”
Kennya Was Part of a Beauty Campaign Alongside Her Daughter Hailey
In 2021, Hailey Bieber teamed up with her mother Kennya Baldwin for an ad campaign for BareMineral Makeup and Skincare brand. The mother-daughter duo looked stunning in the photographs released in connection with the campaign.
Considering the fact that Hailey has been a prominent figure in the skincare community, it makes sense that she would be approached for promotional work. And it would also make sense that she would also involve her mother from whom she has learnt all about taking care of their skin.
When she sat down with Vogue for an interview, she discussed her mother’s influence on her own skincare habit. She said:
“My mother is Brazilian and I grew up in a house where she and my grandmother only used organic products, from hair dyes to cleaning products. I’ve been surrounded by natural and clean beauty my whole life.” This explains why even today Kennya looks as amazing as before.”
Kennya is the One her Daughters Come for Advice
Kennya is not only a terrific wife but she is also the most doting mother who wants nothing but the best for her daughters. Even though she knew that careers as a model and actor would be very hard for both body and soul, she supported her daughters through everything. Even though her daughters are all grown up and married, they still value her advice. Especially the youngest, Hailey seeks her mother’s help whenever she gets overwhelmed.
During her appearance in the podcast ‘In Good Faith With Chelsea & Judah Smith’, Hailey talked about reaching a breaking point in her marriage. Her mother was one of the first few people she called. She said:
“I remember I called her a few different times. One particular time when we were in Brooklyn, and I was calling her, I was crying, and I was like, ‘I just can’t do it. There’s no way that I’m going to be able to do this if it’s going to be like this forever.’”“And I just remember she was so calm on the phone. And she was like, ‘It’s going to pass, and you’re going to be fine, and he’s going to be healthy, and we’re here for you.’”
If your grown-up daughter is seeking comfort and support from you, then perhaps you’ve done something right as a parent.
Kennya and Stephen were Accused of Tax Evasion
In 2013, Stephen Baldwin was accused of failing to pay his income taxes from 2008 to 2010 to which he pleaded guilty. Being his wife, Kennya was also questioned regarding the absence of their payment. He stated that it was never his intention to avoid paying his taxes and that he was a victim of bad financial advice from his lawyers and accountants.
He agreed to pay $300,000 within a year or he would face a sentence of five years probation and have five years to pay the liable money.