Brooke Burns: In Hollywood, 'if you go to church you're crazy'

Actress Brooke Burns arrives at the film premiere of "Warrior" in Hollywood, California, September 6, 2011. REUTERS/Jason Redmond (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT) - RTR2QWC7

Brooke Burns said she learn something new every day from her work on "The Chase," a game show she hosts on GSN, alongside British quiz genius Mark "The Beast" Labbett.  FOX411 spoke to the ex-"Baywatch" star about the show, raising her daughter and being a Christian in Hollywood.

FOX411: You describe yourself as a spiritual person.
Brooke Burns: I grew up in a Christian home. My spirituality has evolved into my own personal faith. I definitely have a Christian background. It taught me to keep a world view perspective on a work industry and that's how I view Hollywood. It's a very tiny piece of the world. It's not what life is about. Working in this industry is an occupation which is really fun, I enjoy myself. We get paid really well, I feel very lucky to be doing what I'm doing but it's not to me what life is about. My identity has been grounded in something greater than who I am or what I'm doing in Hollywood, for sure.

FOX411: It is not cool to talk about faith in Hollywood?
Burns: I grew up in Texas. My dad is in the oil business but he also did missionary work. In Texas if you don't go to church you're strange, in L.A. if you go to church you're crazy. That was something I had to learn. It's a choice. I should be able to believe in what I want to believe in and so should you. It shouldn't be an area of tension. It's interesting, a lot of times when you bring it up, it becomes as controversial, if not more, than bringing up politics.

FOX411: You have a 13-year-old daughter (with ex-husband Julian McMahon).
Burns: I have a fantastic photo of her on her first day of eighth grade where I captured every teenage girl's feelings about a mother trying to take a photo. She's looking at me and smiling but the subtext is, “Please stop!” She's wonderful, we're very close. I was a single mother for 10 years. We're very tight. Touch wood nobody hates me yet, I guess I've got the teenage years to survive yet.

FOX411: It must be hard raising your daughter in Hollywood.
Burns: It's harder than it used to be. What we didn't have before was the social media aspect of it in terms of dating and friendship and what you're putting out there in the universe is forever.

FOX411: Religion must help with that.
Burns: I've always believed in having balance in life and if you feel your physical body, you have to feed your mind. If you're going to encourage young girls with emotional development, why not spiritual development as well? I think that's about being a well-rounded person. It's another aspect of being a whole human being. It can only help. I've gone through a lot of tough things in my life and definitely my faith has carried me through those things and given me not only a sense of purpose but it's helped me get back on the horse, given me a source of strength.

FOX411: Do you feel kind of dumb around [co-host] Mark Labbett?
Burns: I think anyone next to Mark Labbett would have some level of insecurity. I do often challenge him to trivia about motherhood. I have to use my advantages as much as I can! Ballet, modeling, motherhood.

FOX411: What do you like about doing the show?
Burns: I'm basically getting paid for continuing my education, instead of me paying for it. I'm still getting to learn new things every day.