‘The Office’ Star: Talking About Faith Will Estrange Anyone in Hollywood
Actor Rainn Wilson says he doesn’t have any “smoking guns” confirming the shunning of faith in God in Hollywood.
But, the former actor in the hit comedy “The Office” revealed recently on a podcast that talking about God and about religion in “Tinseltown” hasn’t enhanced his prospects for landing solid roles in movies or on television.
“It certainly doesn’t help my career. I’m not doing any of this for any self-promotion or career,” Wilson said during a recent appearance on the “No Small Endeavor” podcast hosted by theologian Lee C. Camp.
In March, the 57-year-old Wilson exposed to Camp on the same podcast about the prejudice against believers in Hollywood.
“I do think there is an anti-Christian bias in Hollywood,” Wilson says. “As soon as the David character in ‘The Last of Us’ started reading from the Bible, I knew that he was going to be a horrific villain. “Could there be a Bible-reading preacher on a show who is actually loving and kind?”
Any kind of discussions of God, Wilson claimed at the recent Just for Laughs comedy festival, could become a hindrance for the careers of actors, comedians and production people in Hollywood.
“Here’s the catch: In comedy circles in Hollywood, the cool kids all pretend they are nerds and losers and alienated outcasts,” Wilson says. “But really, that’s just an act. And there’s no greater way to estrange yourself even further from the apex of the comedy industry as when you discuss God, the soul and spirituality.”
He should know. He’s been discussing his faith for approximately 12 years, despite the disdain from most of the industry.
Which doesn’t explain the success of the recent movie “Sound of Freedom” starring Jim Caviezel, an Angel Studios film about the taboo subject of sex trafficking that recently topped the $100 million mark in sales at the box office. Nor does it explain the success of the television series “The Chosen,” which continues to soar in popularity going into its fourth season.
An actor and composer, Aaron Fullan says there is a harsh reality to faithfulness in God for those in the Hollywood circles.
“Sometimes sticking to your guns in this industry will cost you,” Fullan said earlier this year.
Instead of turning to God, many others, like Raven Symone and Vanessa Hudgens, have shifted their focus to the occult.
Last month, Wilson spoke about the need for a spiritual revolution not only in Hollywood but the rest of the world, and how Christians must stand firm for what they believe.
“Comedians will call themselves nerds and say, ‘Oh, I’m so uncool, I’m so uncool.’ But it’s this weird thing,” Wilson said on the podcast. “It’s like, Hollywood is about who’s sitting at the cool kids’ lunch table.” {eoa}
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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.
