Here Are 10 Famous People Who Have Strong Religious Beliefs

Famous People With Strong Religious Beliefs

The entertainment industry has never been one to encourage open dialogue about faith among its stars. Keeping silent about their ideas is a common strategy for many celebrities who are afraid of losing admirers. However, a few famous people have become public advocates for the faiths to which they belong because they are so devout in their beliefs and love sharing their stories with the world. Several celebrities have either maintained their religious practices from childhood or have had a spiritual awakening and subsequently converted to a different faith. 

1. Mark Wahlberg

No matter how much Mark Wahlberg may believe that being a devout Catholic is "not popular" in Hollywood, he never concealed it. During an interview with Savannah Guthrie on Today, the actor discussed how his religion has helped him become more disciplined at work. As per People, he said, "Discipline has always been important to me in life. Once I started getting into movies and transitioned from music, I realized I needed a lot of discipline in my life. And that discipline has afforded me so many other things."

2. Chris Pratt

For Easter 2016 Chris really put up a real cross. Actress Ellen Page accused his Los Angeles church, Zoe Church, of being "famously anti-LGBTQ" in early 2019, and he was compelled to defend it. Amidst Page's highly-received remark, Pratt stepped up to his own Instagram Stories to set the record straight. As reported by Elle, he wrote on his Instagram story, "It has recently been suggested that I belong to a church which ‘hates people’ and is ‘infamously anti-LGBTQ’. Nothing could be further from the truth. I go to a church that opens its doors to absolutely everyone. Despite what the Bible says about divorce my church community was there for me every step of the way, never judging, just gracefully accompanying me on my walk. They helped me tremendously offering love and support."

3. John Travolta

John Travolta's birthplace is Englewood, New Jersey, which is located outside of NYC. His upbringing was deeply influenced by Catholicism. However, during the peak of his career in 1975, when he was 21 years old, John Travolta committed to Scientology. Some even claim that Travolta was an early Scientologist celebrity, setting the stage for a long line of prominent adherents like Tom Cruise and Jason Lee. When asked about his beliefs, Travolta is more than eager to discuss Scientology, which he says helped him stay sane and cope emotionally with the loss of his young son. 

4. Justin Beiber

The one thing that has helped Justin Beiber through tough times was disclosed in the year 2022 when he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome (caused by a varicella-zoster virus, which causes chicken pox and shingles). He shared at the time, " Each day has gotten better, and through all of the discomfort I have found comfort in the one who designed me and knows me. I'm reminded he knows all of me. He knows the darkest parts of me that I want no one to know about and he constantly welcomes me into his loving arms. This perspective has given me peace during this horrific storm that I'm facing. I know this storm will pass but in the meantime, JESUS IS WITH ME."

5. DJ Khaled 

In 2018, Khaled told Vogue Man, "I'm Muslim all the way. One hundred percent. It's my way of life. I was born and raised a Muslim. I'm Palestinian. I'm Arab." When DJ Khaled was nine years old, he and his parents took a trip to Palestine. Khaled is the son of Palestinian immigrants. He also added, "I remember running through the streets of Ramallah. I remember the amazing food — the maqluba, the kibbeh — and the olive trees, they are just beautiful." Additionally, he gained valuable life lessons like 'the morals and respect of family first' along the journey.

6. M.I.A.

Despite her Hindu upbringing, the British rapper and singer who became famous in the early 2000s claims that all changed in 2017 when she received a vision of Jesus. As Premier Christian, revealed on the Zane Lowe podcast of Apple Music 1, "Since then, my head has been in a different place. Being a Tamil and being a Hindu, I was very comfortable that I’d arrived finding myself. Which is, I think, going to be weird for America to process. But I had a vision and I saw the vision of Jesus Christ. It’s very, creatively, it’s a very crazy thing because it turned my world upside down. Because everything I thought and believed was no longer the case."

7. Candace Cameron Bure

It was supposedly when Candace was twelve years old that she began attending church regularly with her parents. She was baptized at the same age as Candace. But in her early adult years, her Christian religion became an even more central focus of her life. Christian Broadcasting Network reported that Candace said on the Pure Flix Podcast that she took her faith seriously after marrying Valeri Bure, a hockey superstar and legend from Russia, and had a kid. She added, "My faith is just my life, it’s a part of it. It naturally flows from me and I feel like I’ve navigated my entire career differently than most people have. The goal for me isn’t necessarily the next project making more money or being a bigger star. I’ve always chosen the things that are true to me and that I’ve wanted to do."

8. Carrie Underwood

Country music superstar Carrie Underwood is among the genre's most beloved performers. The Christian religion of the artist is shown in several of her hit songs. In 2021, she even published a gospel album titled My Savior. Success on American Idol catapulted Underwood to stardom in 2005. The next year, in 2005, the artist released her self-titled first album. Among the album's Christian country tracks, Jesus, Take the Wheel peaked at number one on the charts. The song peaked at number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100. The gospel album My Savior was released by Underwood in March 2021. 

9. Michelle Yeoh

Another famous person who is religious but seldom talks about it publicly is Michelle Yeoh. The Hollywood actor or actress grew up in a Buddhist household and regularly worships and chants in the spirit of the religion. She recently told the New York Times about her daily ritual, which includes reciting a Buddhist mantra that she hopes would bring her blessings and protection. Buddhism, according to Yeoh, helps her stay grounded and is a driving force behind her insatiable need for knowledge.

10. Tom Cruise 

Tom Cruise is among the most famous people who are very religious. The actor from Top Gun has been a devout Scientologist for many years. In 1986, after being introduced to Scientology by his first wife, he became a member of the Church of Scientology. Mimi Rogers, the actor's then-girlfriend and now-ex-wife, reportedly recruited him into the group following L. Ron Hubbard's death, according to the Daily Beast. It was supposedly love at first sight. In all of Cruise's relationships, his dedication has been the driving force.