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Surprising Celebrities Who Don't Believe in a Higher Power

Many celebrities grew up just like us, in a household that prayed over dinner and went to church on Sundays. It’s definitely not uncommon for people to question their faith as their lives change with time and experience. In fact, it’s one of the oldest questions from the beginning of time! Why are we here? Who came before us? These questions have many different answers. For some, these questions help solidify their face, but for others, it causes them to lose their faith completely.

Some of these celebs traded their faith for fame, and others never believed at all. To each their own! You may be surprised to know which celebrities are atheists or agnostics, but it shouldn’t change your view of them. Personal beliefs are just that, PERSONAL!

Granted, not every one of these celebs is an outright atheist. Some are agnostic, and others choose to hold spiritual (but not religious) beliefs that would be described as a nontraditional interpretation of a higher power. While some keep their beliefs under wraps, others are very vocal about their perspectives on religion and God. For better or worse, this is a personal, inside look at some of our favorite celebs. Hopefully, they can explain their belief systems for themselves in their own words.

Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore might not believe in God, but at least she’s keeping a somewhat open mind and sense of humor about the whole thing. When asked what God would say to her in heaven, she replied, “Well, I guess you were wrong. I do exist.”  And that certainly sounds reasonable!

Julianne Moore does believe in a creator though - just not the kind you are thinking. Rather than god dictating people's paths, Moore believes that we do, saying "The idea that you’re the center of your own narrative and that you can create your life is a great idea" and she herself "created [her] own life.”

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix doesn’t just have harsh words for God--he’s got something to say about all sorts of metaphysical claims. Phoenix has been quoted as saying, “I don't believe in God. I don't believe in afterlife. I don't believe in soul.” He does, however, support others having a different option on the matter.

Phoenix is of the sentiment that people should believe whatever makes them happy. He just personally feels that the idea is "preposterous." It is ironic, nonetheless, that Phoenix was chosen to play Jesus in the film "Mary Magdalene," opposite his finacee Rooney Mara. While Phoenix practiced no religion, Mara was raised a Catholic.

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Kathy Griffin

Kathy Griffin

It can be difficult to decide when Kathy Griffin is joking or being serious, so you might want to take her atheism admission with a grain of salt. In her Emmy acceptance speech, Griffin said, “A lot of people come up here and they thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. He didn't help me a bit. ... So all I can say is suck it, Jesus. This award is my god now.”

Kathy Griffin's remarks caused much controversy. While intended as satirical about celebrities thanking God in acceptance speeches, the Academy deemed her remarks as offensive and removed them from the telecast. On top of this, Griffin, who was set to star on Hannah Montana was fired. Although she is now an atheist it seems, she was raised Roman Catholic.

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Ian McKellen

Ian McKellen

When speaking about his atheism, McKellen spoke of God more like a stranger than a non-entity. “I'm an atheist. So God, if She exists, isn't really a part of my life.” It should be noted, though, that this statement is not an outright denial in the existence of a higher power but he certainly doesn't seem to give it much power to the idea himself.

In an interview with Men's Journal, Ian McKellen said " I don’t understand religion. I don’t get it at all. I understand why people need it, but I think they’re wrong." And on that note, he also doesn't believe in any form of an afterlife, saying "it’s nice and comforting to think that they’re going to heaven and that they’re going to be wrapped up warm for eternity. But they’re not. Heaven doesn’t exist."

David M. Benett/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Billy Joel

Billy Joel

Musician Billy Joel had strong words about his lack of belief in God. During a Howard Stern interview, Joel remarked that he was an atheist who would rather “laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.” He is not totally against religion, however, as his song "The River of Dreams" has religious themes and its music video features Christian singers.

Billy Joel does identify with his Jewish heritage but doesn't practice Judaism. Growing up, he was also exposed to the Catholic church and couldn't get into that either. He said of the catholic church, "I viewed the whole business as a lot of very enthralling hocus-pocus. There’s a guy hanging upon the wall in the church, nailed to a cross and dripping blood, and everybody’s blaming themselves for that man’s torment."

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Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane has never been one to shy away from his atheism nor the importance he places on it. Like the cartoon dog, Brian, he voices on Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane has vocally expressed his ideas for all to hear. He sees atheism as a cure for mysticism and New Age practices. 

Seth MacFarlane told Steppin’ Out magazine in 2007 that “I do not believe in God. I'm an atheist. I consider myself a critical thinker, and it fascinates me that in the 21st century most people still believe in, as George Carlin puts it, 'the invisible man living in the sky.' ”

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Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon is an atheist who strongly believes in the separation of church and state. Unfortunately for him, his most famous atheist quote doesn’t quite capture his high-mindedness: “I don't believe in God, but if I did, I would say that intercourse is a God-given right.” And that certainly tells us where his priorities are, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Kevin Bacon has said more directly, in 2005, in The Times of London, "I don't believe in God."  But before he became an atheist, he was raised as a Catholic. His wife, actress Kyra Sedgwick is Jewish, but she does not practice Judaism  - religiously if you will.

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Patton Oswalt

Patton Oswalt

Patton Oswalt considers himself an atheist, but he can’t quite bring himself to condemn religion as forcefully as some other celebrities. “My feelings on religion are starting to morph. I'm still very much an atheist, except that I don't necessarily see religion as being a bad thing.”

On Patton Oswalt Twitter's account, he wrote about the bible: "It’s a cool book with some wonderful passages but it also has ghosts & giants & super babies & demons. It’s why we don’t make laws based on Game of Thrones, My Little Pony or Legend of Zelda."  In addition, atheism is often referred to in his stand-up comedy.

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Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais

Comedian Ricky Gervais is another atheist comedian, which should surprise exactly no one--he really can’t seem to shut up about it. There’s never a time when he’s not cracking jokes, and that includes when he’s speaking about atheism.  When actually asked about his atheism, Gervais says,  "I always try to give a sensitive, reasoned answer. This is usually awkward, time-consuming and pointless. People who believe in God don't need proof of his existence, and they certainly don't want evidence to the contrary. "

Ricky Gervais does want to make it clear that atheism is in of itself a belief system. In a Tweet, Ricky Gervais said "Atheism is merely the rejection of the claim that any god exists. Saying it is a belief system is like saying not going skiing is a hobby."

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Larry King

Larry King

Journalist Larry King was not one to shy away from tough issues, and that included the issue of religion. He argued that religion stems from a fear of death and that if death didn’t exist, neither would religion.  Larry King said that he was an agnostic atheist, which just means general disbelief in God without claiming to know for certain.

Nearing the end of his life, after a nearly fatal stroke, King said, "I have less fear of dying now." And what did he want to do with the rest of his time, King told People magazine "I’m 86 and it is what it is. I just want to keep working until the end. I’d like to die at work—I’ll retire right there!"

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Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow had an unusual response when asked if he believed in God. Instead of talking about the big man upstairs, Manilow mentioned another guy: “Yes, his name is Clive Davis, and he's the head of my record company.” And indeed he owes Clive Davis much of his success.

When talking about his upbringing, Manilow does not credit religion for becoming an upstanding gentleman. Manilow says "We were very poor, but I never knew it. I was given a secure upbringing and I always felt loved and wanted," and credits his grandparents for making him the man he is, saying "Grandma and Grandpa taught me Jewish traditions and raised me to be polite, caring and sensitive, a gentleman."

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Woody Allen

Woody Allen

Filmmaker Woody Allen may be Jewish, but that doesn’t mean he’s religious. However, like most things, he doesn’t take atheism very seriously itself. He was quoted as saying, “Not only is God dead, but just try to find a plumber on weekends.” Allen regards himself as an agnostic more than an atheist but in either case, he doesn't practice religion.

Growing up Jewish, he describes his religious upbringing, "It was a joyless, unpleasant, stupid, barbaric thing when I was a child and I've never gotten over that feeling. If you're talking about religion it's one thing; I don't hold Jewish religion with any more seriousness than I would any other."

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Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie has never called herself an atheist, but when it comes to God, she’s skeptical to say the least. “There doesn't need to be a God for me. There's something in people that's spiritual, that's godlike. I don't feel like doing things just because people say things, but I also don't really know if it's better to just not believe in anything, either.” 

Angelina Jolie may be leaving her pat Athiest attitudes behind her. In a life-changing meeting with WWII vet and Olympic track star Louis Zamperini,  who is also the subject of her film Unbroken - his unbelievable tale of survival givers her a sense of hope. She now says, "I don’t know if there’s a name for that – religion or faith – just that there’s something greater than all of us, and it’s uniting and beautiful, so while she's not saying there is a God, she seems to believe in something.

Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

Amber Heard

Amber Heard

Amber Heard was raised in the Catholic church, but she lost her faith at the age of 16. After a friend's death in a car accident, the actress realized that tomorrow wasn't promised and that she had no one looking out for her except herself. And now she does just that.

All signs point to Amber Heard as an Atheist, despite some claims of the contrary. In 2019, she was seen wearing an "Atheist AF" t-shirt to a meeting with Richard Dawkins, which was posted on Twitter. In an April 2008 issue of Missbehave, Heard said "I know Christianity, especially Catholicism, like the back of my hand. And my education has given me the freedom to know that it is completely absurd for me to believe it."

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James Cameron

James Cameron

James Cameron has had one of the most commercially and artistically successful careers as a director in Hollywood history. His hits include major blockbusters like Titanic, Avatar, and The Terminator. However, don't expect this universally acclaimed director to thank God for all his success because it's definitely not happening! 

Cameron has been very open about his atheism, as well as the problems he had with his traditional Protestant Christian upbringing. However, he's gone further than to just attack Christianity—he's also attacked his fellow skeptics by calling agnosticism "cowardly" compared to full-blown atheism. 

(Image via Gage Skidmore; Wikipedia)

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton

When it comes to the issue of God, actress Diane Keaton has sort of been all over the place in terms of belief. In her earlier years, she publicly called herself agnostic, but in the 2000s, she said she was a Christian who was once an atheist. It's all very confusing, but it's clear that Keaton is just as confused as we are. 

Keaton's former acting and romantic partner, Woody Allen, had his own humorous thoughts about Keaton's beliefs. He said that she believes in God but that "she also believes that the radio works because there are tiny people inside it." Something tells me he might have been a little facetious. 

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Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti

Actor Paul Giamatti is well-known for popular movies like Sideways and American Splendor, and he's made no effort to hide the fact that he does not believe in God and was not raised in a religious household. However, things are a little complicated for him because his wife is Jewish and they are raising their son Jewish. But Giamatti doesn't see anything wrong with that. 

"I consider myself an atheist. My wife is Jewish. And I'm fine with my son being raised as a Jew. He's learning Hebrew and is really into it. I will talk to my own son about my atheism when the time is right. But there's a great tradition of Jewish atheism, there are no better atheists in the world than the Jews."

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Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming is a Scottish actor who's achieved major fame both in the theater and in movies, with big hits like Cabaret, Endgame, and The Good Wife. During his life and career, he's never shied away from sharing how he truly feels, and that includes the subject of religion as well. 

In addition to not believing in God himself, Cumming doesn't think particularly highly of those that do go to church, saying, " I don't hold any beliefs about God and stuff. And I can't do the church thing. Last year, I was here in New York, at a Christmas party, and everyone went to midnight Mass except me. I just listened to music while they were all out, supposedly communing with God, but they were just doing it because it's habit."

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Uma Thurman

Uma Thurman

Uma Thurman technically had a religious upbringing, but she doesn't seem to identify with it too much. Unlike many Americans, Thurman was actually raised with Buddhism in the home, as her father taught Buddhist studies as a professor. However, the teachings of the Buddha don't seem to have stuck with her. 

In an interview with Reader's Digest, she said, "When asked if I consider myself Buddhist, the answer is, ‘Not really’. But it’s more my religion than any other because I was brought up with it in an intellectual and spiritual environment. I don’t practice or preach it, however."

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George Clooney

George Clooney

Clooney is fairly tight-lipped about his personal beliefs, but he did state "I don't happen to have those beliefs as much. I don't believe in those things." on a Larry King interview. In 1997,  in an interview with The Washington Post, he also said "I don't believe in Heaven and Hell." 

Additionally, George Clooney added that "I don’t know if I believe in God. All I know is that as an individual, I won’t allow this life — the only thing I know to exist — to be wasted."  Like Portman, he believes in living life to the fullest, making the best of the time you have.. 

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Sam Smith

Sam Smith

When Sam Smith took the stage at the 2023 Grammy Awards show, some viewers seemed convinced they were channeling Satan. Their powerful vocals and stunning stage presence had everyone in awe–it almost felt like some kind of dark ritual was being performed! Of course, this led to speculation about whether or not they're a person of faith (as well as outcries from the religious right).

So how does Smith feel about religion? They let us know in their lyrics for "Pray": "You won't find me in church (no) reading the Bible (no)," and "I'm not a saint, I'm more of a sinner." So, I guess it's fair to say Smith is not a person of faith.

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Richard Branson

Richard Branson

Is there anything Richard Branson can't do? He's created a hugely successful company, he's been knighted, and he's even been to space! However, there is one thing that this entrepreneur superstar just can't bring himself to do—and that's believe in God. However, unlike some atheist celebs, he's got a pretty nuanced view of faith and religion. 

Branson has acknowledged that religion can be a force for good in people's lives, and he's even gone as far as to say, "I would love to believe...it's very comforting to believe." However, he just hasn't seen enough compelling evidence to make the leap into belief in God. 

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Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong

Athlete Lance Armstrong has been public about his lack of belief in God, and for his sake, we hope he's right. If he's wrong, there's going to be some really uncomfortable questions waiting for him at the pearly gates about doping and cheating. All joking aside, Armstrong is quite serious and thoughtful about spiritual questions, especially since his cancer scare. 

Before his cancer surgery, Armstrong reflected on his life and religion: "I asked myself what I believed. I had never prayed a lot. I hoped hard, I wished hard, but I didn't pray. I had developed a certain distrust of organized religion growing up, but I felt I had the capacity to be a spiritual person, and to hold some fervent beliefs." 

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John Lennon

John Lennon

Is this one really a shocker to anyone? It's not a stretch to assume that the musician who wrote the lyrics, "Imagine no religion," doesn't believe in God. While all the Beatles may have dabbled in spirituality during their lives, Lennon could never make the leap to being a card-carrying religious man. 

"People always got the image I was an anti-Christ or antireligion. I'm not. I'm a most religious fellow. But the whole religion business suffers from the 'Onward, Christian Soldiers' bit. There's too much talk about soldiers and marching and converting. I'm not pushing Buddhism, because I'm no more a Buddhist than I am a Christian, but there's one thing I admire about the religion: there's no proselytizing."

(Image via Wikipedia)

Matt Smith

Matt Smith

British actor Matt Smith rose to fame thanks to his turn at the role of the Doctor in the iconic sci-fi series Doctor Who. On the personal side, Smith is a huge science fan, and that seems to have interfered with his ability to believe in God. And Smith can point to exactly what it was that spurred his de-conversion. 

Smith said he became interested in atheism after reading the book The God Delusion by fellow Brit Richard Dawkins. Smith says that the book "ignited my interest in a scientific, mathematical version of the world. No, I’m not religious. At all. I’m an atheist." He doesn't seem to mince words about the whole affair! 

(Image via Gage Skidmore; Wikipedia)

Darren Aronofsky

Darren Aronofsky

Darren Aronofsky hasn't sold his soul to the Devil, but you might be inclined to think so when you survey his critically acclaimed directing career in Hollywood. His biggest hits include major films like Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream, and Pi. Aronofsky is so dedicated to his craft that he says it's basically replaced God in his life. 

"It’s probably because I’m Godless. And so I’ve had to make my God, and my God is narrative filmmaking, which is — ultimately what my God becomes, which is what my mantra becomes, is the theme." Leave it to an artsy director to say something so enigmatic about God! 

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Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein

When it comes to show business, Harvey Fierstein has done a little bit of everything. From starring on Broadway in Torch Song Trilogy to amusing audiences on Cheers, his career has been a wild and successful ride. Despite being Jewish, Fierstein rejected his roots and turned to atheism. 

However, he doesn't have an axe to grind with the religious—he simply wants to be left in peace. "We are lucky enough to be living in a country that not only guarantees the freedom to practice religion as we see fit but also freedom FROM religious zealots who would persecute and prosecute and even physically harm those of us who do not believe as they do." 

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George Carlin

George Carlin

Comedian George Carlin called things like he saw them...for better or worse! So, it shouldn't come as any surprise that the foul-mouthed icon had plenty of enthusiastic and colorful thoughts to share about religion and God. Needless to say, he was not a fan of either! There were plenty of jokes in his act about the folly of believing in God, but Carlin was also capable of doing more than just joking around about the subject. He also shared his difficulties and desire for believing.

"I want you to know, when it comes to believing in God - I really tried. I really really tried. I tried to believe that there is a god who created each one of us in his own image and likeness, loves us very much and keeps a close eye on things. I really tried to believe that, but I gotta tell you, the longer you live, the more you look around, the more you realize...something is F--KED UP." 

Herb Ball/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBC Universal/Getty Images

Bill Gates

Bill Gates

Bill Gates has changed the world with both new technology and philanthropy, but don't get any wrong ideas about where his altruistic nature comes from. While he may be sympathetic to the positive benefits of religion, he's made it clear that he doesn't actually believe in God or need him to be good. 

"I agree with people like Richard Dawkins that mankind felt the need for creation myths. Before we really began to understand disease and the weather and things like that, we sought false explanations for them. Now science has filled in some of the realm – not all – that religion used to fill." 

LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal has probably spent thousands of hours perfecting his game on the tennis court, but it seems like he's also spent just about as much time pondering the existence of God. There's no shortage of interviews and quotations from the tennis pro waxing on about faith, but, despite all his words, his actual position is pretty simple: he doesn't believe in God. 

In a Sports Illustrated interview, he said, "It’s hard to say, 'I don’t believe in God.' I would love to know if God exists. But it’s a very difficult thing for me to believe. I don’t know. It’s private and I don’t want to speak about it." Confusingly, he then went on to speak at length about his lack of belief in God. 

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Janeane Garofalo

Janeane Garofalo

'90s comedians on the whole seemed to be a pretty godless bunch, and that includes SNL alum Janeane Garofalo. She's made jokes about being a non-believer, like during a David Letterman appearance when she sarcastically quipped that a higher power was responsible for all the terrible reruns she was watching. 

However, she's also been much more forceful in her atheism at other times. In her book, she says, "Organized religions and their dogmas only serve to indoctrinate the participants into sheeplike common behaviors. This type of blind assimilation promotes the popularity of top-forty count-down radio stations and movie sequels. Skepticism towards groups, holy or otherwise, is enriching and makes you a far more entertaining person." 

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Hugh Hefner

Hugh Hefner

Honestly, it's not going to be too much of a surprise to most people that Hugh Hefner was not a religious guy. Hugh Hefner definitely didn’t thank God for all the beautiful women in his life. The Playboy founder regarded religion as “a myth” and an attempt to explain the unexplainable. 

Interestingly, Hefner does have a religious background. Growing up, Hefner was raised as a methodist. The strict views of his family were that intercourse was from procreation only and that smoking, drinking, hugging and kissing were big no-nos. He has also described his mother as somewhat cold. Undoubtedly, this turned him off from religion.

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Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro

Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro was born and raised in Mexico, which is a majority Catholic country. So, it's no surprise that he had a pretty traditional religious upbringing. And while he might not be comfortable calling himself a full-blown atheist, it's clear that he's moved away from the orthodoxy of his youth. 

He's been quoted as saying, "I’m semi-agnostic. I believe that there are so many things that are entirely unknowable that it’s better to abandon yourself to the wisdom of the universe, or its indifference." That doesn't sound like a very enthusiastic endorsement of God if you ask us! 

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Sean Penn

Sean Penn

Actor Sean Penn had a pretty unusual religious upbringing that clearly has influenced his religious beliefs as an adult. While his father was a non-practicing Jew, his mother was actually Catholic! However, Penn describes his home life as "secular." In interviews, Penn has made it clear that he's open to the idea of God but not fully convinced. 

"I feel like it's respectful enough of God to say I believe in the mystery. But meanwhile, there is some kind of design to all this thing. . . Either our experience in life is one of tremendous coincidence, or there's a design. We may have a part in creating it or not. . . I think we kind of get born and we step into a chair and the roller coaster starts and we don't have an enormous amount to say about where it's going to go."

seher sikandar, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Natalie Dormer

Natalie Dormer

British actress Natalie Dormer is probably most famous for her portrayal of Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones, but she's been acting up a storm ever since she started studying drama professionally as a child. While plenty of celebrities have spoken publicly about not believing in God, Dormer has one of the strangest responses we've ever seen. 

At the premiere of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Dormer was asked by a reporter if she believed in God, to which she responded, "I say I’m an atheist but I wouldn’t mind being visited by a ghost." That was definitely not the reply most people were expecting! 

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Seth Green

Seth Green

Seth Green was raised Jewish, and he's taken plenty of opportunities to poke fun at the religion during his comedic career, especially on his Adult Swim show Robot Chicken. However, he's made it clear that just because he's ethnically Jewish he has pretty much nothing but animosity for organized religion. 

Green believes God has been used as an easy out for humans to escape responsibility for our actions. In a 2000 interview, he stated, "God is, to me, pretty much an idea. God is, to me, pretty much a myth created over time to deny the idea that we're all responsible for our own actions." 

(Image via Gage Skidmore; Wikipedia)

David Cross

David Cross

David Cross may embrace his Jewish ethnicity, but he doesn’t embrace the religion of Judaism itself. He’s talked about his atheism publicly on multiple occasions.  He is married to Amber Tamblyn who seems to be on the agnostic side, having no clear views about whether there is or isn't a God. 

In jest, David Cross has described the Bible as the "oldest game of telephone" in that it's a story passed down from one person to the next and is constantly being rewritten to where the original story is no longer clear.  This is why many who don't believe - don't believe. It's almost impossible to get the story straight.

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Antonio Banderas

Antonio Banderas

Antonio Banderas might not be a full-blown, hardened atheist, but he's definitely not placing any bets on the big man upstairs. The iconic actor has made no attempt to hide the fact that he's agnostic when it comes to the question of God. He may not be willing to say that God doesn't exist, but he's not saying he does either. 

However, it seems that Banderas is pretty open-minded when it comes to others and their beliefs, especially with his children. In a People magazine interview, he was quoted as saying, "I have to recognize that I am agnostic. I don't believe in any kind of fundamentalism. I prefer to take life in a different way, with a sense of humor. I try to teach my kids to be open. Whatever they believe is fine with me."

(Image via Rincón Friki/Starlite Gala 2019/CC BY-SA 2.0/Wikipedia)

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt

Though Brad Pitt was raised Southern Baptist, in an interview with German newspaper Bild, Pitt responded to the question "Do you believe in God?" by answering "No, no, no." He then went on to clarify that he was "probably 20% atheist and 80% agnostic," making him somewhat on the fence about it.

For a while, Brad Pitt identified as a full-on atheist but has said that it was only because he wanted to feel "rebellious." He told GQ, "I kinda labeled myself that for a while. It felt punk rock enough. Then, I found myself coming back around to just belief in—I hate to use the word spirituality, but just a belief in that we’re all connected."

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Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe

Radcliffe's lack of belief in God may be even more problematic for people who find the Harry Potter series religiously troublesome. But don't worry, he doesn't worship Satan either - but then again, neither does Harry Potter. Recently, current Ohio governor John Kasich criticized Radcliffe for his atheism.

According to a report in Concord Monitor, Kasich asked" Why would a guy who has had all that success just, I mean, what the hell is wrong with him?" Of course, one can be successful without attributing all their success to a higher power. Radcliffe certainly had the talent, work ethic, and perhaps a little luck, too, that helped him get where he is.

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Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman

Perhaps the most ironic entry on the list is Morgan Freeman. The actor is famous for playing the role of God on a number of occasions, but the man himself takes a more nontraditional outlook and would classify himself as spiritual. He even has a miniseries The Story of God on the National Geographic channel.

Of course, the real goal of his series is to better understand faith and why so many in the world cling to it. According to the Washington Post, Freeman's belief is that man invented god and that while he doesn't question the existence of God, he is interested in "merely how we arrived at the existence of God."

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Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

While having a Jewish background, Portman said in a 2011 Rolling Stone interview when asked about the afterlife, "I don't believe in that. I believe this is it, and I believe it's the best way to live." And regardless of your personal beliefs, she does have a point about living life to the fullest. 

However, just because she doesn't believe in the afterlife, doesn't necessarily mean she is completely void of religious belief. In the past, she told Ynetnews that she wanted to raise her children Jewish, and in 2014, she had her husband in the process of converting, according to the Huffington Post

(Image via Gage Skidmore/Wikipedia)

Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra

In a Playboy interview (of all places), Sinatra laid out his belief system as, "I believe in nature, in the birds, the sea, the sky, in everything I can see or that there is real evidence for. If these things are what you mean by God, then I believe in God. But I don't believe in a personal God to whom I look for comfort or for a natural on the next roll of the dice."

So, where should people find comfort according to Sinatra? To him: it doesn't matter. Sinatra said to Playboy, "I'm for anything that gets you through the night, be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniel's." He also said that man's relationship should be more personal and not involve a "witch doctor" - likely referring to a priest. 

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Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright

Interviews with Wright always moved toward the philosophical and ethereal, even if the intention wasn't to start out that way. In a Mike Wallace interview in 1957, Wright stated, "I go occasionally to this one, and then sometimes to that one, but my church I put a capital N on Nature and go there" regarding church.

Frank Lloyd Wright's philosophy and man in his relation to the world is best summed up by his own words, “Man is a phase of Nature...and only as he is related to Nature does he matter, does he have any account whatever above the dust.” At least that's what he believed nearing the end of his life at 90-years-old.

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Keira Knightley

Keira Knightley

Keira is not on the fence about anything and actually seems to look at religion with some contempt. In Interview magazine, Knightley once stated, "If only I wasn’t an atheist, I could get away with anything. You’d just ask for forgiveness and then you’d be forgiven. It sounds much better than having to live with guilt."

But just because Keira Knightley doesn't have religion, doesn't mean she doesn't have a clear conscience. Knightley has supported a number of humanitarian efforts including the Amnesty International campaign, Women's Aid and raising awareness for the global refugee crisis. She also attended a charity even promoting sustainability in the fashion industry.

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Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson

Thompson is adamantly non-religious. In an interview with The Australian, she said, "I'm an atheist; I suppose you can call me a sort of libertarian anarchist. I regard religion with fear and suspicion." One reason she opposes religion is that many religions oppress women and is well-aware of the long history of it.

However, Thompson has clarified that she is only an atheist insofar as her belief in world religions. According to Inquirer.net, she does believe in having a spiritual life. Thompson is liberal and a supporter of the Labour party in the UK.  She supports human rights and is an environmentalist.

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Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren

The famously frank British actor told the Daily Express that "I'd describe myself as a Christian who doesn't believe in God. I can't help being Christian because I was brought up in Britain and the morality of Christianity is part of the fabric of this country.  But I don't believe in God."

So what does she believe in? Well, nudity for one thing. Helen Mirren is a self-proclaimed naturist. She likes going to adult-only beaches. But get the dirty thoughts out of your head, she describes it as natural and "liberating" in a British Naturism article. So, that's something!

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Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster

The Silence of the Lambs actor once flatly told Entertainment Weekly that she was an atheist and that she hadn't found her own proof that would make her believe in God. But while she doesn't quite believe in God, she does like to partake in religious rituals and observes holidays.

Jodie Foster celebrates religious holidays like Christmas, putting up a Christmas tree and giving her kids advent calendars. However, they don't identify by any one religion. And she told Entertainment Weekly that when her kids turn 18, they can choose any religion they want. She just doesn't want to impose any one thing on them and there is nothing wrong with that.

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Zac Efron

Zac Efron

In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2007, Efron noted that he was raised agnostic and that his family never practiced religion. He is, however, of Jewish ancestry but his family never exposed him to it and therefore he doesn't really have any ties to it other than blood relation.

Nevertheless, Zac Efron does have some holistic practices and rituals that are a part of his life. For one, he's used transcendental mediation which helped him disconnect from his serial killer persona in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile where Efron played the infamous Ted Bundy. Additionally, Efron loves nature and lives a vegan lifestyle.

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Javier Bardem

Javier Bardem

In an interview with GQ, while doing press for the James Bond movie he was in, Bardem stated that “I’ve always said I don’t believe in God, I believe in Al Pacino.” Additionally, he doesn't look fondly at the Catholic church, saying - following the legalization of LGBT marriage in Spain — that if he were gay, he would marry immediately just to mess with the church.

Although Bardem was raised a Catholic he no longer holds those beliefs as an adult, but that doesn't mean he believes there is nothing else out there. Javier Bardem does not believe strongly in the supernatural per se, but he does believe they may be more beyond the physical world. Moreover, he told CineNews "We are just this little tiny spot in the whole universe, so of course there must be other things, other people, other creatures, other lives and other dimensions."

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Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn

In an interview with Ladies' Home Journal, Hepburn proclaimed, "I'm an atheist, and that's it."  She also said that I believe there's nothing we can know except that we should be kind to each other and do what we can for each other," making her at least somewhat open to the idea of a higher power.

Additionally, in an interview with D. Cavett, she stated, "No, I don't think you go anywhere when you die. I hope you just lie in the ground happy, at rest at last." While many find comfort in the idea of the afterlife, Katharine Hepburn had said she was not afraid of death.

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