The female Christian actors taking Hollywood – and the world – by storm

Acting is a tough job and I’m pleased I don’t have to do it. The rejection, the superficiality, the schmoozing, the reliance on “right place at the right time” would all just grind me down. And then if I actually got cast in something – having to act would be the worst part of all. 

I have huge respect for those who feel called to act. It is a craft that, when done right, can move people to empathise and respond like few others. As with any industry of influence, we need Christians in the mix, doing their best to shine light where darkness can easily seep in. Thankfully for us, there are some Christian women absolutely smashing the acting game and here are just a few…

Chrissy Metz 

This Is Us actor Chrissy Metz is deeply committed to her faith. In an interview she explained that she believes we live in a time where it’s hard to be vocal about faith, but that she still wanted to share despite it not being “cool”. She said: “It is hard I think, now, to just be really vocal about your faith, or what you believe in because people want to think ‘it’s not cool,’ but I’m like, I don’t care!”

Letitia Wright 

British Hollywood star Letitia Wright, of Black Panther fame, is happy to share about her faith too. She has taken part in a devotional series with the YouVersion Bible app and, before she deleted her accounts, she was very open about her faith on social media. So much so that she’s been warned to stop discussing Christ. She said: “I’ve had people tell me, ‘Hey, you should stop talking about Jesus.’ But there will always be pressures to keep things private that the world may not agree with. And I’m not trying to force anything on anyone. I’m sharing my truth because I probably wouldn’t be alive right now if it wasn’t for Jesus, I probably wouldn’t have been able to cope.”

Naomi Scott

Naomi Scott, who brought Princess Jasmine to life in Disney’s live action Aladdin, credits her faith in Jesus with helping her cope with the trials she faces. In an interview she said: “Quite honestly, I don’t see [faith] as this separate thing, this add on thing. My faith is just a part of who I am and what I do.” 

Nicole Kidman

There are very few people who don’t know who Nicole Kidman is, but most of us don’t realise she has a (tentative) Christian faith. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the Moulin Rouge actor explained that she and her husband are raising their family to know Jesus. She said: “I had a very Catholic grandmother, and I was raised praying, so that had massive impact. I wouldn’t say it’s absolutism, there’s constant questioning.”

Viola Davis

How To Get Away With Murder’s Viola Davis is also a follower of Jesus. The award-winning actor told how she prayed for a husband who ticked all her boxes. In an interview with Oprah, she said: “And I went and I got on my knees, and I did. I said I want a big black man from the South who’s probably been married before, has kids — because I don’t want any pressure in that department. Someone who has maybe been an actor who understands the artistic community. Someone who goes to church and loves God. I said, ‘If you give me that, I’ll start going to church, God. I really will. I’m committed to it.’ And then I signed off.” Three weeks later she met her now husband Julius Tennon, who met her full criteria.

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez was raised by her parents in a Catholic home. These days, she’s still a practicing Christian but attends a Pentecostal church. In a 2021 interview with Vogue magazine, the actor and singer said: “I’m very, very spiritual. I believe in God, but I’m not religious. I’ve been a Christian for a while now. I don’t talk about it too much—I want to, but it’s gotten a bad rep.”