Black was raised Jewish, but didn’t so much formally convert as become "kind of an atheist" for a while. Apparently since becoming a dad, he’s returned to Judaism.
The late American publisher was an evangelical Christian for one year in 1977. Later, he referred to himself as an atheist.
See also: What we know about the Holy Grail
For Shia LaBeouf, his religious awakening came after he starred in the 2022 movie 'Padre Pio.' The movie tells the story of the famous Catholic saint of the same name, with LaBeouf playing the titular character. The controversial star has gained a reputation as a method actor, and true to form, he went to live in a Capuchin monastery to prepare for the role. "I know now that God was using my ego to draw me to Him. Drawing me away from worldly desires. It was all happening simultaneously," he explained on the 'Bishop Barron Presents' podcast.
This bombshell became a Christian in 1957. Some believe this was the reason she left the modeling world.
In one of the more surprising twists of 2023, YoungBoy NBA revealed a change of faith. The 'Bad Morning' rapper appeared in a Billboard cover story on February 1 in which he detailed his religious awakening and change of direction. The 23-year-old has experienced a rapid rise to fame with five of his eight albums released in 2022 making it into Billboard's top 10. He has had connections to Salt Lake City, Utah, for several years, and when he was sentenced to house arrest for a 2020 weapons charge, he decided to take up residence in the predominantly Mormon community.
Monroe’s mother was a Christian Scientist, but Monroe converted to Judaism when she married Arthur Miller.
Sofia Richie revealed on social media that she converted to Judaism prior to her 2023 wedding to Elliot Grainge, who is the son of Universal Music Group chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge. Sofia was raised Christian by her father Lionel Richie and even attended Oaks Christian School in California for a few years, but she said converting has been one of the greatest experiences of her life.
On her Instagram Story on April 3, 2023, the 24-year-old shared a photo of herself signing a document written in Hebrew and wrote, "What a magical day. I want to thank cantor Nathan Lam for helping me along this journey of converting to Judaism. It has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Today was that day!!!” she concluded, adding five Star of David emojis.
LaBeouf revealed that he was in a dark place at the time, following public accusations of physical and sexual abuse by his ex-girlfriend, FKA Twigs. He shared that he was even considering taking his own life, but found forgiveness and salvation in Catholicism. "It was seeing other people who have sinned beyond anything I could ever conceptualize also being found in Christ that made me feel like, 'Oh, that gives me hope.'" LaBeouf was raised by a Jewish mother and previously practiced Judaism.
The first time two Mormon missionaries knocked on his door he sent them away, but after reflecting, he realized that he "wanted help very badly." When they came back, he invited them in and opened up to them about all the changes he desperately wanted to make. "It was just cool to see someone with a different mindset that had nothing to do with business or money—just these wonderful souls,” he recalled. The missionaries began to visit him daily and he is prepared for his official baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. YoungBoy says he was “very wrong about a lot of things" and regrets the violent lyrics that were common in his early music.
The Irish singer, best known for her 1990 hit version of the song 'Nothing Compares 2 U,' announced in 2018 she converted to Islam, changing her name to Shuhada' Sadaqat. O'Connor was raised a Roman Catholic but spoke out against the abuses of the Catholic Church frequently throughout her life. She said that her decision was "the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian's journey." O'Connor sadly passed away in 2023.
Religion: it’s not polite to argue about it over dinner, but it’s also a big part of many people’s lives. Some celebrities are very public and open with their religious choices and beliefs, while others choose to keep their faith a little more private. It’s a deeply personal decision, often made as a result of marriage, trauma, or a hunt for meaning.
Which celebrities have converted over the years? Read on to learn more.
Celebrities who converted to new religions
Some converted for marriage, while others went through dramatic spiritual awakenings
CELEBRITY Religion
Religion: it’s not polite to argue about it over dinner, but it’s also a big part of many people’s lives. Some celebrities are very public and open with their religious choices and beliefs, while others choose to keep their faith a little more private. It’s a deeply personal decision, often made as a result of marriage, trauma, or a hunt for meaning.
Which celebrities have converted over the years? Read on to learn more.