Reports suggest Baker has a deal with producers of The Mentalist that will net him a staggering $30 million, but he's so amiable it's hard to believe he's a big TV power player.
There's no better measure of the regard in which he's held than his workmates Robin Tunney and Owain Yeoman.
Tunney, who plays detective Teresa Lisbon opposite Baker's Patrick Jane, says, "When they published how much money he's making, I sent him a text asking if I could borrow $3000.
"Let's face it, most actors aren't rocket scientists and are really fragile. The idea that I'm working with somebody who makes my day so much shorter ... he just makes me better."
Yeoman (agent Wayne Rigsby) adds: "Simon is such a down-to-earth guy. He was joking the other day and said, 'I've bought a Lamborghini'. He's not at all flashy. It turns out he bought a Lamborghini tractor for his farm."
Baker, 44, was born in Launceston. His local profile was boosted when, as star of E Street, he won the 1992 Logie for most popular new talent.
He relocated to Los Angeles with wife Rebecca Rigg, making an impression alongside Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce and Kim Basinger in the acclaimed 1997 movie L.A. Confidential.
His only real stumble came after filming The Devil Wears Prada, when he signed on for TV series Smith, which co-starred Ray Liotta and was canned after just three episodes.
Baker is now approaching the most critical point in the six-season history of The Mentalist.
For 10 years, Patrick Jane has been traumatised by the murder of his wife and daughter and unable to nail the killer, known as Red John. CBS made it known early this year that season six would reveal the identity of Red John.
The million-dollar question is will bringing the mystery to a close kill viewer interest in the show?
The show's creator and producer Bruno Heller says, "It's gonna be a great show after Red John. It's up to the audience to decide if they like it. I'm not really concerned. It felt to all of us that chapter was done.
"Frankly, I think the great value of the show is in Baker's head and what he does. In terms of moment by moment pleasures of the show, those are delivered by Simon Baker and his people, not by Red John".
Baker confesses, "I did feel a sense of pressure, because we've been working toward this for so many years and it was something that had pushed the character from the very beginning. Somehow I had to live up to that in that one moment - the one moment in the life of the character where he's stepping into the unknown.
"Just the challenge of trying to keep it interesting for myself is the goal. I've got a really good relationship with the crew and the other cast, we're kind of a little family now. It cooks along.
"We have a pretty open dialogue about the direction it goes in. It'll get infinitely more interesting for me when we have an end date; when we know, OK, it's only going to be one more year so we ought to close up all the stories.
"The other thing that keeps it interesting for me is directing episodes. It's exhausting, but it keeps me stimulated. I will do more of it (directing) eventually. I'm just using this now as an opportunity to fail, practise, make mistakes."
As yet, there has been no confirmation of a seventh season of The Mentalist. But Baker confirms there is a plan to wrap up the show: "There is an end in sight, but I'm not allowed to reveal it."
Another great challenge for Baker is maintaining balance in life.
While he slaved away for years in Hollywood before his big break with The Guardian, his wife Rebecca Rigg gave up her career to play housewife and supporter. Asked how he manages long hours on the set of The Mentalist and his role as a dad to Stella, Claude and Harry, Baker offers a simple response.
"She's been amazing,'' Baker says of Rigg. "If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't be able to be in this situation.
"The idea of happiness is a lot simpler to me now than what it ever was when I was younger, before I had a family.''
Baker continues to look for projects to stretch his wings outside of The Mentalist and was seen earlier this year in UK movie comedy I Give it a Year.
"The success of the show worldwide has given me more opportunities. I have a limited amount of time and I'm also always looking to do something that feels a bit different so that I get a bit of a break," he says.
"I also look for something that's not going to take up my whole time off, because I do like to have a bit of a play and a rest.
"The Killer Inside Me was a Michael Winterbottom thing, a real departure and a supporting role so I didn't have to work the whole run. Margin Call, it was a very different character again.
"I've got opportunities, it's really just how badly I wanna do it. I'm not a snob, I don't mind commercial films, but I like it when they have a new take."
The Mentalist, Channel 9, Sunday, 9pm
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