Advertisement

25 Celebrities You Probably Didn’t Know Were Catholics

We all love to know everything about our favorite celebs. Most of the time, the stars are happy/open to share, but one area that is frequently kept secret is religion. Celebrities frequently keep their religion out of the public eye, whether because it is too personal, bad PR, or just plain NOYB. For this reason, some individuals believe that religion has fully vanished from the Entertainment industry. There are still many celebrities who not only possess religious beliefs but are highly pleased to display these beliefs in front of the whole world.
And Catholicism, one of the world's most popular religions, is strongly represented among both current and former celebrities. Catholic celebrities are simply too numerous to ignore, even if most people would not connect Catholicism with Hollywood. A list of 25 famous people who practice the religion is provided below if you're curious about which of your favorite stars may be Catholic.

#1 Leonardo DiCaprio

Source: Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BY-SA 

Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has won multiple honors, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. He is well known for his work in biopics and historical dramas. Although he was raised as a Catholic, Leonardo DiCaprio doesn't seem to embrace his religion much these days. He met Pope Francis in 2016 to talk about the increasing effects of climate change on the planet.

#2 Gerard Butler

Source: Marco Manna / flickr / CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0 

Gerard James Butler is a film producer and actor from Scotland. Butler became well-known all around the world for his role as King Leonidas in the movie "300." He received nominations for the Best Actor categories of the Saturn and Empire Awards for his performance in that role, as well as the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight. Gerard Butler's mother was a Roman Catholic. He does not appear to follow any particular religion today, but he considers himself to be a spiritual person.

#3 Bono

Source:  Metaweb (FB) / Public domain

Bono is the stage name of Paul David Hewson, an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the rock band U2's lead singer and main lyricist. His father was a Catholic, whereas Bono's mother belonged to the Church of Ireland. While Bono was brought up as a Catholic, his brother was brought up as an Anglican. Although he does not formally adhere to any particular religion, he was greatly impacted by both.

#4 George Clooney

Source:  Michael Vlasaty / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

George Timothy Clooney is an American actor and director. Numerous awards have been given to him, including two Academy Awards—one for acting and the other for producing—four Golden Globe Awards, a British Academy Film Award, and a British Academy Film Award. George Clooney was brought up as a devout Roman Catholic because both of his parents are devout Catholics. These days, it appears that Clooney favors an agnostic or atheist worldview. "I don’t believe in Heaven and Hell. I don’t know if I believe in God. All I know is that as an individual, I won’t allow this life — the only thing I know to exist — to be wasted." - He said.

#5 Denise Richards

Source: j-No / flickr / CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0

Denise Richards, an American actress, television personality, and former model, was born on February 17, 1971. Her most well-known performances were Bond girl Christmas Jones in "The World Is Not Enough," Kelly Van Ryan in "Wild Things," and Carmen Ibanez in "Starship Troopers" (1997). (1999). A Catholic, Denise. After the death of her mother in 2008, she became even more religious. She has said that her faith helped her get through that difficult moment.

#6 Frank Sinatra

Source:  WikiImages / Pixabay / CC0 1.0

Francis Albert Sinatra was a singer and actor from the United States. With an estimated 150 million records sold, Sinatra is one of the best-selling musicians ever. He was raised a Catholic and lived his entire life as a practicing member of the faith.

#7 Martin Scorsese

Source:  david_shankbone / flickr / CC-BY 2.0

Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. His parents were devoutly Catholic Italians. He continues to follow the faith now. His contentious movie "The Last Temptation of Christ" caused a stir among Christians.

#8 Tom Brady

Source:  Bob Levey / Getty Images

Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is a National Football League quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL). Brady is largely recognized as the best quarterback to ever play the position. His parents brought him up as a Catholic, and he still follows that faith now. Brady's father feels that since Brady fathered a child outside of marriage, he should be a better Catholic.

#9 Mark Wahlberg

Source:  ElHormiguero / flickr / CC-BY-ND 2.0

Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg's former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, producer, businessman, and former rapper. He has won numerous honors and been nominated for two Academy Awards in addition to a BAFTA Award. Mark is a Catholic. He was brought up in the faith and continues to do so today.

#10 Nicole Kidman

Source: Patrick Riviere via Getty Images/AFP via Getty Images / Shutterstock

Nicole Mary Kidman AC is an Australian-American actress and producer. She has consistently been one of the highest-paid actresses in the world. Nicole Kidman was brought up by devout Catholics and went to Catholic schools while growing up. Until she wed Tom Cruise, she held fast to her convictions. Throughout the marriage, Kidman followed Scientology as well as other religions. Kidman went back to her Catholic roots after her 2001 divorce from Cruise. She routinely attends church with her family, along with her husband Keith Urban.

#11 Michael Moore

Source: david_shankbone / flickr / CC-BY 2.0

Michael Francis Moore is an American documentary filmmaker, author, and left-wing activist. His writings typically touch on capitalism and globalization. His parents raised him as a Catholic, and he grew up going to Catholic schools. At one time, he even thought about becoming a priest. Despite having a liberal outlook on the majority of social concerns, he continues to practice the religion today.

#12 Selena Gomez

Source:  AleeDear / flickr / CC-BY 2.0

Selena Marie Gomez is an American singer, actor, and producer. Media outlets have labeled her a "triple threat." Selena Gomez was brought up as a Catholic by her Catholic parents. She continues to practice now and even wore a commitment ring. In California's Los Angeles, she joins Hillsong Church.

#13 Arnold Schwarzenegger

Source: Zero Emission Resource Organisation / flickr / CC-BY 2.0

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American actor, producer of motion pictures, businessman, former bodybuilder, and politician who presided as California's 38th governor from 2003 to 2011. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed his religious affiliation as being Catholic. He added that he did not let his religious convictions influence how he led California.

#14 Mel Gibson

Source:  kjd / flickr / CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0

Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is most recognized for his portrayals of action heroes. Mel Gibson was brought up as a Catholic by parents who are also Catholics. He now practices Traditionalist Catholicism, a minor Catholic sect. With his 2004 movie "The Passion of the Christ", he carried his faith to the big screen.

#15 Kobe Bryant

Source: Aaron Frutman / flickr / CC-BY-NC 2.0

Kobe Bryant was an American professional basketball player. He played shooting guard and spent all 20 years of his National Basketball Association career with the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA). He was widely recognized as one of the best basketball players of all time. Kobe Bryant was brought up as a Roman Catholic and continued to practice it for the rest of his life.

#16 Nicole Scherzinger

Source:  Alison Martin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

Aside from being a singer and songwriter, Nicole Scherzinger is also an actor, dancer, and television personality. Her grandparents are priests, and she was reared by Catholic parents. She continues to practice the religion today.

#17 Sylvester Stallone

Source:  @officialslystallone / Instagram

Sylvester Enzio Stallone is an actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker from the United States. His mother is half Jewish and his father is a Catholic. He was brought up as a Catholic. Although he briefly abandoned his faith, he again sees himself as a devout Catholic who attends mass regularly.

#18 Vanessa Hudgens

Source: j-No / flickr / CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0

Vanessa Anne Hudgens is an American actress and singer. Hudgens achieved great mainstream media popularity when she played Gabriella Montez in the "High School Musical" film series (2006–2008). Vanessa Hudgens was brought up as a Roman Catholic, but she currently leans more toward non-denominational Christianity. In Los Angeles, she currently attends Hillsong Church. LA.

#19 Conan O'Brien

Source: @teamcoco / Instagram

Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, actor, writer, podcaster, and producer. He is best known for having hosted late-night talk shows for almost 28 years, beginning with "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993–2009) and "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" (2009–2010). Conan O'Brien was raised in a devoutly Catholic family.

#20 Ray Romano

Source: The Big Sick / Amazon Studios

Raymond Albert Romano is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and screenwriter. He won an Emmy Award for playing Ray Barone on the CBS comedy "Everybody Loves Raymond," for which he is most remembered. Despite having been brought up as a Catholic, Ray Romano has jokingly said that he now more closely resembles an Easter-Christmas Catholic.

#21 Steve Carell

Source: TristanReville / flickr / CC-BY-ND 2.0

Steven John Carell is an American actor and comedian. Steve Carell was raised by Catholic parents, and he continues to follow the faith to this day. In the movie "Evan Almighty", he even played the historical character Noah.

#22 Lindsay Lohan

Source:  Rafael Amado Deras / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Lindsay Dee Lohan is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur. She was brought up in the Catholic faith by her two Catholic parents, Lindsay Lohan. In her mature years, Lohan studied Scientology and Kabbalah, and there were even reports that she was converting to Islam. Lohan, who prides herself on being extremely spiritual, may have just been experimenting with other religions, though.

#23 Anne Hathaway

Source:  Modern Love / Amazon Prime

Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. She was among the highest-paid actresses in the world in 2015 and has received numerous honors, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Her parents were devout Catholics, and when she was a teenager, she seriously entertained the idea of becoming a nun. Hathaway cut ties with the church after her brother came out as gay. Her entire family converted to Episcopalianism due to that faith's more open view of being gay.

#24 Jim Carrey

Source: s_bukley / Shutterstock

James Eugene Carrey (aka Jim Carrey) is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. Jim was brought up in the Catholic faith and was born to Catholic parents. As an adult, he studied Christianity, Transcendentalism, Kabbalah, and Scientology among other religions.

#25 Stephen Colbert

Source: jonursenbach / flickr / CC-BY-NC 2.0

Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert", which debuted on CBS in September 2015, is his most well-known hosting job. He grew up in a Catholic Irish family and continues to follow it today. He even admitted that he instructs Sunday school.
Share this article
Advertisement
 
Advertisement