10 famous Mormons you probably didn’t know were members of LDS
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the LDS or Mormon church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church. It was founded in the United States in 1830 by Joseph Smith, and its headquarters is in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Members of this assembly are called Mormons. Some of the famous Mormons have not shied away from disclosing their religion.
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Many Mormon celebrities are either actors, musicians or TV personalities. Some of them were raised in the faith, while others joined when they were already adults. However, they face several challenges due to their celebrity life contradicting the faith's strict rules.
Famous Mormon celebrities
The Mormon church holds strict rules, such as no drinking alcohol, coffee or tea, no intercourse before marriage and complete fidelity after marriage. Below is a list of LDS celebrities; some are active, while others have left the faith.
Katherine Heigl
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Katherine Marie Heigl is an actress born on 24 November 1978 in Washington DC, United States. She is the daughter of Nancy Heigl, a personnel manager, and Paul Heigl, an accountant and executive. She is widely known for appearing in films and TV series such as One for the Money, Firefly Lane and Unforgettable.
Katherine was brought up as a Mormon by her parents. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she said that her parents converted to the religion following her brother's death in 1986. The actress credited the church for helping her parents pull it together. Although she is no longer a Mormon, she still holds the values she was taught.
Eliza Dushku
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Eliza Patricia Dushku is among the most famous Mormon people. She is an actress born on 30 December 1980 in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States. She is popularly known for her roles in movies and TV series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse and True Lies.
Eliza was raised as a member of the LDS church. However, she no longer considers herself to be Mormon. During an interview with Intelligencer in April 2012, she said:
My problems with the church have to do with its stance on homosexuality and other things.
Paul Walker
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Paul was among the famous Mormon actors who grew up a member of the LDS church in Glendale, California, USA. Although he was not an active Mormon in his adult years, Paul remained a Christian.
Paul William Walker IV was an American actor. He was born on 12 September 1973 in Glendale, California, United States, to his parents, Paul Walker III and Cheryl Walker. He died on 30 November 2013 at the age of 40 in a car accident. Paul was known for his roles in the films Fast and the Furious and Varsity Blues.
Julianne Hough
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Julianne Alexander Hough is an American dancer, actress and singer best recognised for being featured in Footloose. She is also known as the judge of a famous dance reality show, Dancing with the Stars.
The dancer said in an interview that she was raised Mormon but no longer identified with that. Julianne Hough explained how she grew up in a household with strict rules based on faith. She also appreciated the fact that she was brought up in the religion.
Ryan Gosling
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Ryan Thomas Gosling is a Canadian actor born on 12 November 1980. He is the son of Donna, a secretary, and Thomas Ray Gosling, a travelling salesman. He is widely recognised for his role in the romantic drama Notebook. He is also known for appearing in Hollywood movies such as The Crazy, Half Nelson and Real Girl.
Ryan grew up as a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints member but wasn't into it like his parents. Therefore, his mother allowed him to choose his spiritual path. In an interview with Beliefnet, the actor recalled:
She said; This is an option, but this isn't the only option. This is an idea, but this isn't the only idea. You have to find your own truth.
Amy Adams
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Amy Lou Adams grew up as a member of the LDS church and revealed that religion greatly impacted her values. She expressed how she feels guilty whenever she goes against Mormonism's rules. She stated:
Even when I go out with friends, and we go overboard at bars or clubs, I wake up the next morning feeling a bit conflicted about having had too much fun.
She was born on 20 August 1974 in Vicenza, Italy and brought up in Castle Rock, Colorado, USA. Her zodiac sign is Leo. Amy is the daughter of Richard Kent and Kathryn Adams. She is an actress and has been featured in films and TV series such as Disenchanted, Sharp Objects and Arrival.
Chelsea Handler
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Chelsea Joy Handler is an American comedian, actress, television host and author. She was born on 25 February 1975 in Livingston, New Jersey, United States. Chelsea became famous for hosting the late-night talk show Chelsea Lately on E! from 2007-2014.
Chelsea is a best-selling author, having written books like My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. She grew up as a Jew and Mormon. Her father was Jewish, while her mom was a Mormon. When she became an adult, she became Jewish since she found Mormonism ridiculous.
David Archuleta
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David James Archuleta is an American pop singer. He is 32 years old as of August 2023. He was born on 28 December 1990. David is the son of Jeff Archuleta and Lupe Marie Mayorga. His hit tracks include Crush, A Little Too Not Over You and Touch My Hand.
David grew up in Utah as a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints member. He stepped back from the faith after coming out as a member of LGBTQ+ community in 2021, as the church condemns same-sex relationships.
Gladys Knight
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Gladys Maria Knight, known as Empress of Soul, was born on 28 May 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She is an American singer, actress and songwriter. Gladys is known for appearing in films and TV series like I Can Do Bad All by Myself and Hawaii Five-0. Her hit songs include Midnight Train To Georgia, and I Heard It Through The Grapevine.
Gladys is one of the celebrities who are Mormon. Unlike many popular Mormon people who grew up in the faith, Gladys was introduced to the religion by her son, Jimmy, and his wife. The singer joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was baptized in 1997 by her son Jimmy, who was a priest.
Aaron Eckhart
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Aaron Edward Eckhart is an actor born on 12 March 1968 in Cupertino, California, United States. He relocated to the United Kingdom with his family at a tender age. He is widely known for his roles in films such as The Dark Knight, Pantheon and Thank You for Smoking.
Aaron Eckhart was raised as a devout and conservative Mormon, but he isn't anymore. He served an LDS mission in France. In addition, he studied at Brigham Young University, a private Christian school for Mormons. He clarified in an interview that he is no longer in the faith. He stated:
I'm certainly not a deacon, I'm not a priest. I'm sure people think I'm a Mormon, but I don't know that I'm a Mormon anymore, you know? To be honest, to be perfectly clear, I'd be a hypocrite if I did say that I was, just because I haven't lived that lifestyle for so many years.
The Mormon church members are currently scattered in many parts of the world, with a population of over 16 million. There are many famous Mormons, and the above list consists of just a few who are mainly in the entertainment industry.
Legit.ng recently published an article about the top richest pastors in Nigeria in 2023. The wealthiest pastors in Nigeria have established lucrative businesses to support their luxurious lifestyles. Some pastors keep their properties private, while others have no problem displaying them publicly.
The richest pastors are known to have megachurches that have many branches and a large following across the globe. Most of these pastors are known to be highly educated. Some of them include David Oyedepo, Sam Adeyemi and Enoch Adeboye.
Source: Legit.ng
