15 Celebrities You Didn’t Know were Mormons
It might be a little more interesting if a famous celebrity rang my doorbell to talk about Mormonism (actually, it wouldn’t be; I discriminate against all who wake sleeping babies) than it is when an unfamiliar face rings the bell. Whether or not you’re familiar with the religion of the Mormons, you probably didn’t know that this particular religious affiliation has some pretty famous faces and believers, and not just the ones with multiple wives and a reality television show. Read on to find out which celebrities are actually practicing – or former – Mormons.
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Chelsea Handler
Take that and let it sink in for just a moment. Everyone’s favorite funny lady was actually raised in a Mormon household. She’s big on being a Jewish woman, but most people have no idea her mother was Mormon and her father was the Jewish. She doesn’t talk much about her Mormon upbringing, she prefers the Jewish side of her family. However, she was raised in a Mormon household and dabbled a bit with the religion as a child. She eventually went on to choose a different way of life, but she was raised in a household with Mormon beliefs.
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Christina Aguilera
She’s one of the most famous singers in the world, and she was raised a Mormon. This might be a bit of shocking information to many, if you can remember the days when Christina was in her “Dirty” phase. She got her start in the business alongside fellow superstars such as Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears on the Disney Channel, and she’s been a permanent fixture in Hollywood ever since. She’s also one of the least devout Mormons around. She no longer practices, and has admitted to being fairly uninterested in the religion when she was a child being raised in the church.
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Paul Walker
The late Paul Walker was a boy raised in the Mormon Church. His family was devoutly Mormon, and the religion was something he practiced as a child. However, as he grew up he began to feel that the rules and guidelines associated with the religion were too strict for his taste. As soon as he was old enough to make his own life decisions, he decided to stop following the Mormon guidelines and found religion elsewhere. He had always been a religious guy, he simply did not identify with the Mormon belief system later in his life.
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Ryan Gosling
He’s the soon-to-be father of Eva Mendes’ baby, and he’s one of the hottest actors in all of Hollywood. He was raised a Mormon. His family practiced when he was a child. He’s since talked about his childhood religion and has discussed the fact that while he practiced growing up, he knew as he got older that Mormonism was not a religion he felt he identified with and he no longer practices. However, he does admit that he still believes in some of the ideology behind Mormonism. He might not believe in it anymore, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t follow some of the ideas.
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Julianne Hough
Julianne and her brother, Derek Hough, are famous ballroom dancers who have each taken home several mirror ball trophies on multiple seasons of Dancing With the Stars. She’s also starred in a few movies opposite major movie stars, and she was in a relationship with Ryan Seacrest for many years. She’s also a Mormon. She was raised in a Mormon family and has not let go of her beliefs as an adult. She holds tight to her Mormon values and believes that living her Mormon lifestyle is right for her.
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Katherine Heigl
She’s the woman who had a very promising career in Hollywood until her reputation overtook her actual talent and people decided they no longer wanted to work with her. Heigl was a Mormon growing up. Her parents converted to Mormonism at some point during her childhood and she was taken into the religion with them. She says she was devout as a child because that’s what her parents wanted from her, but she admits that it was mostly for show and she wasn’t really all that Mormon growing up. She did practice, however, she just wasn’t into it.
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Amy Adams
She’s an award winning actress who has had some of the most memorable roles in Hollywood, including the role as the unofficial Isla Fisher (since the two look so much alike and are frequently mistaken for one another). She’s not a Mormon anymore, but she was raised in a very devout Mormon household with parents who were very into their religion. That is, until they decided to get a divorce. She was raised as a Mormon child and took part in the Mormon culture for many years, but she’s not part of the religion anymore.
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Stephenie Meyer
This one is probably surprising. No one expects someone with ideas like hers to belong to such a specific religion. She’s the author of the extremely popular Twilight series, and is a Mormon. It sounds crazy because it is crazy. The Mormons are typically very buttoned-up, very un-fantastical people who like things simple and precise. Meyer’s imagination tells the world she’s not really that kind of person herself, but her religious affiliation says differently. In fact, she’s not just someone raised Mormon, she’s still a practicing Mormon with a deep belief in her religion. It’s surprising, yes, but it’s the truth.
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The Osmonds
Donny and Marie. They’re not a married couple; they’re brother and sister. They’re also Mormons. They – along with their many other siblings – were raised in a very devout Mormon household and have held onto their religion despite their success in Hollywood and Vegas. The duo is a singing one, along with the variety show type. They have been very outspoken in their long careers about their Mormon lifestyles, and even though they don’t have multiple spouses (at once), they both have several children, which is another big belief in the Mormon religion.
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Roseanne Barr
If there is anyone in the world you would pick to be anything but Mormon, it’s probably Roseanne Barr. The comedienne is not the first person you think of when you think of religion, and certainly not when you think of Mormons. She was born and raised in the Mormon Church, however, and she even grew up giving speeches and preaching about the LDS church. While she’s not preaching about Mormonism and her religion anymore, it’s still believed that she’s a practicing Mormon because her values and beliefs are so in tune with the religion.
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Mitt Romney
The famous republican is actually a Mormon. He was born and raised in the religion and still practices today. He’s one of the many people who bring a most positive light to the religion, showing that it’s not all people who engaged in multiple partner marriages and crazy reality show antics. The former presidential candidate and his wife are big believers in their religion, much to the annoyance of many of their non-supporters. However, it appears they did a pretty good job not bothering to push their religion on others when they were in the limelight.
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Gladys Knight
The beautiful songstress wasn’t always a religious woman. It was during a dark time in her life when she turned to religion in an effort to save her, much the same way so many others do as well. Knight was addicted to gambling. Her addiction was causing her to ruin her personal relationships, it was taking a huge financial toll on her life, and she was spiraling out of control. She turned to Mormonism to help her escape her addictions and lead a more positive lifestyle, and it has helped her do exactly what she hoped it would do for her addiction.
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Brandon Flowers
You know him as the lead guy in a band called the Killers, and he’s a Mormon. What’s surprising about his Mormonism is the fact that he’s such a rock star that most people assume he has no sort of religious affiliation. However, he was born and raised in the Mormon church and has continued to practice his entire life. He’s been one of the most devout followers of the Mormon religion for his entire life, and he even named his son after a Mormon prophet, because his religion is so important to him and his life.
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Jewel
She’s been in the news as of late regarding her decision to divorce her husband, Ty Murray, after more than a decade together. However, the decision probably did not come lightly to her as she was raised a practicing Mormon. The idea of divorce is frowned upon in the Mormon church – and most all churches for that matter – and she was always big into her religion. She doesn’t talk much about it today, so we’re not sure if she’s still practicing or if she’s moved onto a lesser role in the church, but she’s someone who was raised in the church as a child.
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David Archuleta
You’re sitting here wondering why you recognize his name. He’s one of the youngest members ever to make it so far on American Idol, many seasons ago. Today, he’s a permanent fixture in Hollywood, and he’s a practicing Mormon. He was raised in the religion, having been brought up this way by his parents, with whom he is very close. He’s young, but he’s not afraid to discuss his religion and what it means for him in his life. He’s very outspoken about Mormonism, though he’s not knocking on doors and asking for conversions.
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