While Hollywood isn’t exactly known for producing Christians who are staunch in their faith, it isn’t entirely void of people who believe in God either. Consider these 7 examples of the most powerful Christians in Hollywood—
1.Johnny Cash
Raised in the Baptist Church, Johnny Cash made no secret of his faith, telling a writer, “I’m a Christian. Don’t put me in another box.” He once told a reporter from Christianity Today that verbally sharing the Gospel is only part of the responsibility of a Christian–the way we live actually speaks louder than anything we could say. He filled his music with songs about God and addressed it publicly in interviews on a regular basis
2. Mel Gibson
It is hard to deny that Mel Gibson is a powerful Christian in Hollywood, despite his unfortunate and public brushes with the law. Not only has he collected an impressive list of Hollywood credits, but he has made huge investments in projects such as “Passion of the Christ,” “The Chronicles of Narnia,” and “The Nativity Story.” Further, his movies led to the establishment of FoxFaith and re-opened conversations of faith in film.
3. Kristin Chenoweth
With a wide range of talents–stretching from Broadway to TV–Kristin is no stranger to entertainment. And she is also no stranger to expressing her faith in God. Not only did she play the role of an evangelical standing firm in the faith (in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) which many people guessed was based on her own life, but Kristin has spoken at conferences and released Christian music albums.
She has been quoted as saying, “We’re not all crazy right-wingers. I just want to be like Jesus, forgiving and loving and nonjudgmental, accepting of everyone even if they don’t agree.”
4. Martha Williamson
One of the rare producers in Hollywood who has created an impressive fan following on her own account, Martha set out to create a place every Sunday night where God was honored. When she was asked to direct “Touched by an Angel,” she went to CBS and asked for the opportunity to make the show one that brought glory to God. Perhaps unbelievably, she was given the green light, and the nine-year run appeared to many people to be touched by God. Martha proved it is possible to do what you love and honor Jesus Christ in the process.
5. Tyler Perry
A household name, Tyler Perry exploded onto the Hollywood scene in 2005 in “Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” and he’s not going anywhere any time soon. In spite of this huge and impressive success, he has maintained a solid faith in God, saying openly that he isn’t afraid to acknowledge his Christian faith or take a stand representing fellow Christians. He is quick to discuss his beliefs in interviews or accept roles based on religious characters.
6. Angela Bassett
A-List actress Angela Bassett is perhaps best known for her role in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It? Since then she has played supporting roles in many major motion pictures and TV series including a key role in 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen and the 2016 sequel London Has Fallen. Mrs. Bassett told the LA Times, “When you realize that every breath is a gift from God. When you realize how small you are, but how much he loved you. That he, Jesus, would die, the son of God himself on Earth, then you…you just weep.”
7. Mark Wahlberg
Although known for a long string of successful action films and his brash Boston tongue Hollywood tough guy Mark Wahlberg attends church almost every day. Raised a Catholic, Wahlberg told Piers Morgan in an interview “my faith has allowed me to overcome a lot of things.” He credits his faith with helping him to straighten out his life after dabbling in drugs, gangs and even jail time. Wahlberg credits his first Parish Priest, Father James Flavin with helping to turn his life around. Wahlberg told the Daily Mail, “He was the one person who never gave up on me.”
So watch and listen. The list of people claiming Christianity in Hollywood is growing–and sometimes, if we’re honest, it’s because faith is trendy. But watch to see whose lives match what they say they believe. Watch for the moments when actors like Matthew McConaughey who, upon accepting an Oscar said publicly, “First off, I want to thank God, because that’s who I look up to. He’s graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand.”
~ Christian Patriot Daily
