Hollywood's uneasy dance with actors of faith

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Just the News

The stigma against Christians in Hollywood isn’t make believe, according to actor Matthew McConaughey, even as more faith-friendly movies emerge in marketplace.

Stars turning down multi-million dollar roles grab our attention.

Will Ferrell rejected a $29 million deal to star in an “Elf” sequel because the premise didn’t feel authentic.

 

Comic actor Chris Tucker similarly rejected a massive payday, but for dramatically different reasons. We learned last week that Tucker turned down up to $12 million to star in “Next Friday,” the 2000 sequel to his stoner comedy smash “Friday,” because he no longer wanted to “cuss or smoke weed” on screen for “religious reasons.”

That’s according to franchise star and co-screenwriter, Ice Cube.

Religious stars routinely make sacrifices for their art. Some do so with little or no fanfare, while others say being an openly Christian actor can hurt one’s career.

Oscar-winner Denzel Washington isn’t shy about his Christian beliefs. The director of “A Journal for Jordan” told The New York Times he considers his art “spiritual warfare.” The superstar, whose new film explores the true story of a soldier’s journal entries for his infant son, said his faith impacted his emphasis on directing.

He promised his mother, who passed away last year, that his career would “attempt to honor her and God by living the rest of my days in a way that would make her proud. So that’s what I’m trying to do.”

“This is spiritual warfare. So, I’m not looking at it from an earthly perspective. If you don’t have a spiritual anchor you’ll be easily blown by the wind and you’ll be led to depression.”