By Rick Stevenson

Copyright slashfilm

In a 2025 profile for Esquire Australia, Baker discussed how much he enjoyed moving back to Australia in 2016 after his obligations on “The Mentalist” wrapped up. “When I lived in the States, I was often asked what I missed most about it here,” he told the outlet. “And the immediate, visceral feeling was, you know, how I felt on a rainy morning at the end of March. It was the smell of the ocean, those things.” He explained that returning home was “grounding” for him, which is likely a big part of why most of his work since then has been on Australian soil. The other part was a desire to simply be an actor, rather than a star, with all of the extra demands and baggage that major fame brings.

“Most of the big stars these days are pretty good at being famous,” Baker told Esquire Australia. “I was never really able to do that. I never felt completely confident throwing myself into it completely, and going, ‘I’m gonna be a big, bright, shining star, and I’m going to do the things that you have to do’.”

In the same interview, Baker explained that he stepped out of the spotlight intentionally after “The Mentalist” to give his career some room to breathe. That decision led to the sort of work he’s been doing for years now, and to hear him tell it, he’s happier than ever.