The rich and famous are people, too, and they wonder about the meaning of life just like everyone else. Most celebrities possess everything that is traditionally thought to bring happiness — beauty, success, money, power — yet many find themselves asking, "Is this all?" Celebrities are infamous for gravitating towards some of the more "different" religious paths, yet many have also chosen various traditional organized religions and others have developed a set of beliefs that transcend any one religion. In the following celebrity spiritual profiles, you can find out what actors, musicians, politicians and other celebrities believe about God, the meaning of life, the afterlife and other religious topics.
Index of Celebrity Religious Affiliations
Did you know that John Travolta is a Scientologist? Probably. But maybe you didn't know that Nicole Kidman is a devoted Catholic, that John Woo is a Lutheran, or that George Lucas identifies himself as a "Buddhist Methodist." Learn the religious affiliations of dozens of celebrities from movies, music, literature and politics in our celebrity religion index.
Tom Cruise
Cruise, one of the most famous movie stars in the world, was raised Catholic and considered a career as a Catholic priest. But he went on to adopt Scientology, for which he is now its most outspoken advocate.
Angelina Jolie
Known for her wild-child ways and, more recently, her large international family and humanitarian work with the UNHCR, actress Angelina Jolie is an intense and passionate woman on a lifelong quest for meaning.
Evangeline Lilly
This breakout star of TV's Lost spent her first summer break from filming doing missionary work in Africa. Known equally for her Christian morality and tomboy potty-mouth, she hopes to put her celebrity status to use for others.
Christy Turlington
Raised a Catholic in California and Miami, supermodel Christy Turlington studied comparative religion in college. Today, she is a devoted practitioner of yoga and a practicing Catholic.
Peter Jennings
Born in Canada, raised Anglican, and always interested in the role of faith in people's lives, this award-winning journalist worked towards sensitive and serious treatment of religion in the media.