When thinking of hotshot celebs, religion isn't always the first thing that comes to mind. Afterall, there really is no place with more temptation than Hollywood, right? Well, even if this is true, there are a few celebs out there who have managed to make fame and religion work. Of course, there are also a few actors and musicians who decided to leave the church behind once they were old enough to pick their own path.
In this article, we will be looking at 20 celebrities who were raised in Mormon households. Some of them continue to practice today, while others have left the church in their past. Some people may be surprised by a few of the famous faces featured on this list. Stars like Paul Walker, Amy Adams and Katherine Heigl have all had some sort of tie to the church. Let's take a look and see who else is on here!
20 Grey's Anatomy Star Katherine Heigl Was Raised In A Mormon Household
Even though Katherine Heigl is not technically practicing the religion anymore, she still credits a lot of her success to how she was raided. In an interview with Good Housekeeping, Katherine explained "That structure and discipline was really good for me,". She went on to say "I had a childhood that was a childhood. I listened to my parents. I respected the rules."
19 Julianne Hough Had A Very Traditional Mormon Upbringing
Julianne Hough has been open about her warm feelings towards the Mormon church, though she no longer follows the rules or the religion. While talking to the New York Post, she admitted that certain aspects of the lifestyle became a little tough to stick with after entering into Hollywood.
18 Paul Walker Left The Church, But Kept His Faith
As well know as Paul Walker was for his role in the Fast & Furious franchise, the late actor was also quite known for his faith and charity work. While he was not a practicing Mormon in his adult years, he did still consider himself to be a Christian up until the time of his passing.
17 Derek Hough Is No Longer A Practicing Mormon, Though He Has Stuck With Certain Values
Derek Hough, brother of Julianne Hough and fellow Dancing with the Stars allum, has parted ways with the church after being raised in a "very mormon" household. In 2014, Derek released a book where he talked about his upbringing. While he no longer practices the religion, he does try to follow certain rules.
16 Christina Aguilera's Parents May Have Been Mormon For A Time, But She Has Chosen A Different Path
While these days Christina Aguilera considers herself to be a Roman Catholic, she was actually born to two Mormon parents. Her parents were married in the the Washington DC Latter Day Saints Temple, though they divorced when Christina was still young. This could be why the famous singer decided to find her own religious path.
15 Aaron Eckhart Served As A Missionary For 2 Years
Before Aaron Eckhart was the famous Hollywood actor we know today, he was a devout Mormon. While in college, he performed in a Mormon film and afterwards even went on to serve a traditional Mormon mission in Geneva Switzerland. All of that being said, the actor has since said that he doesn't consider himself to be a Mormon anymore.
14 Eliza Dushku's Mormon Family Had Issues With Her Role On Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Eliza Dushku was raised in a very Mormon household. While the actress was still part of the church during her Buffy days, she no longer is. Back then, her scandalous character on the show really didn't sit well with her family. As to why she eventually left the church? Dushku told Daily Intelligencer "My problems with the church have to do with its stance on homosexuality, and other things."
13 Amy Adams Learned A Lot From Her Days As A Mormon
While Amy Adams isn't living a traditional Mormon life anymore, she still does have a lot of nice things to say about the church. When talking about the values she gained from being part of the church, Amy said "What I still feel and rely on from that kind of teaching, is how you can bring a lot of joy to the people around you by being positive and hopeful,".
12 Ryan Gosling's Parents Were Both Mormon
Is anyone surprised to see Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Gosling on this list? The Canadian-born actor was raised by two Mormon parents. While Gosling has said he never really identified as Mormon, he does give the church credit for socializing him at a young age. We guess that kind of thing is important if you dream of becoming a Hollywood star!
11 Chelsea Handler Was Raised Both Mormon And Jewish
It's true that Chelsea Handler doesn't really give off a "religious" vibe, but she was actually raised by two religious parents. Her mother was of Mormon faith, while her father was Jewish. Handler has opened up about her believes in the past and while she doesn't consider herself to be very religious, she has admitted that she identifies as Jewish.
10 The Killers' Brandon Flowers Is A Mormon Rockstar
Brandon Flowers, the famous lead singer of the rock band The Killers, has defended his religion on more than one occasion. The singer has said that growing up in the church really prepared him for the crazy life of a rock n' roller. It may not be everyone who gets where he is coming from, but only Bredon needs to.
9 Bryce Harper Was Married In A Mormon Temple
For those unaware, Bryce Harper is an MLB superstar. The man is also well known for being part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While he takes his own approach to the religion, he is still very much involved with the church even to this day. In a story done on Harper by Sports Illustrated, it was mentioned that as a kid, he attended "religious education classes nearly every morning".
8 Being Mormon Is Just Part Of Who Jon Heder Is
Jon Heder was the star of Napoleon Dynamite. Apart from that, he is also a practicing Mormon. The actor was raised in the church and continues to be a member to this day. Heder has said that he doesn't want to do raunchy comedies anymore because of his Mormon values and standards.
7 Jewel Was Raised In The Church Until The Age Of 8
Before Jewel's parents divorced, the entire family was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Her father even studied at Brigham Young University. Though after her parents split, they all seemed to leave the church behind. Jewel has not been a member of the church at all in her adult life.
6 Donny Osmond Is A Lifelong Member Of The Church
Donny Osmond is probably one of the most famous Mormons in Hollywood. He has been very open about his faith over the years and has credited his ties with the church to how he has managed to stay grounded after so many years in the biz. Osmond never served a mission, though he has never turned his back on the church.
5 David Archuleta Put Music On Hold To Complete A Mission
David Archuleta was a finalist on the seventh season of the hit reality show American Idol. To this day, Archuleta is a practicing member of the Mormon church. He served a two-year mission in Chile and had a very positive experience. He talked about the experience in an interview saying “When I went on my mission, it kind of gave me a step away from everything, and I was able to grow up a little bit".
4 Brendon Urie Was Raised Mormon, But Later Chose Music As His Religion
Brendon Urie is the front man of the band Panic! at the Disco. The singer was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, and his family was very much involved with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, as Urie grew older, he decided to separate himself from the religion.
3 DWTS' Chelsie Hightower Remains With The Church To This Day
Anyone who has been keeping up with their dancing reality shows, will surely remember Chelsie Hightower from both So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars. Apart from really knowing hot to cut a rug, Chelsie is also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2 Win Butler Decided To Leave The Church In His Adult Years
Win Butler is the frontman of the Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. He and his brother (who is a bandmate) were both raised by a Mormon mother. While Win still has some nice things to say about the church, it seems he and his brother are no longer practicing.
1 American Idol Finalist Brooke White Continues To Practice Her Religion
Brooke White was a contestant on American Idol. The singer finished in fifth place on the seventh season of the show (not too shabby). Not only was Brooke born and raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but she continues to practice the religion to this day.
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