Faith is a delicate subject for Hollywood. Despite the popularity of religious films, not all celebrities adhere to traditional conceptions of God or faith. For these 10 actors and actresses, God or religion is a concept that simply has no place in their daily lives.
Emma Thompson
The Nanny McPhee actress has stated that she refuses the concept of God and organized religion altogether, claiming that religion has oppressed “so many women for so long”. She still chooses to call herself a “spiritual universalist,” however.
Angelina Jolie
Despite being raised a Catholic, Jolie has embraced a more spiritual faith that rejects the idea of a singular God. Her perspective changed slightly after directing Unbroken, where she admired the devotion of the Christian Olympic runner Louis Zamperini.
Brad Pitt
Despite giving up his atheism in 2019, Pitt still struggles with the idea of a God in the traditional monotheistic sense of the concept. Instead, the actor chooses to believe in a universal spiritual force that binds the world together.
Julianne Moore
The Still Alice star has explicitly said she is an atheist, blaming the sudden death of her mother in 2009 (and her unanswered prayers) due to septic shock as the reason why she stopped believing in God.
Javier Bardem
The Oscar-winning Spanish actor, best known for his chilling performances in No Country for Old Men and Skyfall, is a devout atheist. He’s mentioned that he finds religion “unnecessary”.
Ricky Gervais
Gervais is easily one of the most outspoken atheists in the entertainment industry. Some might even define his extreme disdain for religion as “anti-theism” instead of atheism, as he opposes nearly all forms of spiritual affiliation.
Jodie Foster
While she doesn’t hold religious beliefs, Foster has expressed that she respects the rituals and devotion that come with faith. She and her family would frequently participate in religious events, even if she doesn’t necessarily believe in the existence of God.
Johnny Depp
After a traumatizing event in his childhood in which he saw his preacher uncle behaving hypocritically, Depp became disenchanted with religion. Despite calling himself a spiritual person, Depp doesn’t believe in any form of existence after death, and says that he has “never seen” God, questioning his existence in multiple interviews.
Joaquin Phoenix
The Phoenix family had terrible experiences with religious cults since Joaquin was very young. They ended up escaping the Children of God (later Family International) cult and changing their names from “Bottom” to “Phoenix” in the process. Such traumatic events no doubt influenced Phoenix’s disenchantment with organized religions and faith in general.
Daniel Radcliffe
Radcliffe reached global popularity from a young age thanks to his legendary role as Harry Potter. The British actor identifies as an atheist, but maintains that he’s also a proud Jewish man. Raised in a multicultural home with a Protestant father and a Jewish mother, Radcliffe ultimately chose no religious affiliation for himself.
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