16 celebrities that have converted or practiced different religions

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Julia Roberts, Ice Cube, and Shia LaBeouf changed religions.
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  • Some celebrities have veered away from the religions they practiced as children to embrace new belief systems later in life.
  • Insider rounded up 16 famous figures that take spoken about converting or practicing new religions.
  • Visit Insider'south homepage for more than stories.

While some celebrities are not-religious or keep their religion out of the public eye, others have spoken up about their decisions to comprehend a new organized religion.

Some, similar Zooey Deschanel and Karlie Kloss, studied and took classes before adopting the same religion as their electric current partners.

Others, like Katie Holmes or Jane Fonda, began practicing new religions afterwards their relationships ended.

Insider listed 16 celebrities that have converted or practiced new religions.

Isla Fisher converted to Judaism before marrying Sacha Baron Cohen.

Isla Fisher is an actress.
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The "Hymeneals Crashers" actress, who was born in Oman and grew up in Commonwealth of australia, met Sacha Baron Cohen, a Jewish actor, in 2002. The couple got engaged two years later.

"I volition definitely have a Jewish hymeneals just to be with Sacha," she told the Evening Standard ahead of their 2010 wedding ceremony.

Fisher added, "I would do anything — move into any organized religion — to be united in marriage with him. We have a future together, and faith comes second to honey every bit far as we are concerned."

The actress converted to Judaism in 2007 and took on the Hebrew name Ayala, which translates to "doe."

She'southward since spoken positively most her conclusion to embrace the Jewish faith.

"I love the focus on family, food and laughter," she told C Mag in a 2013 interview, co-ordinate to Express. "Y'all know, I didn't become to go to academy because I've been acting since I was a kid. And then, for me, studying theology was also fascinating. I love Judaism."

Snoop Dogg has changed religions several times.

Snoop Dogg is a musician.
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The rapper said that he joined the Nation of Islam in 2009 while attending one of the group's events in Chicago, according to BBC News.

Though Snoop Dogg didn't provide further details on when he joined the Nation of Islam, he told reporters that he was "already in the Nation."

"I'1000 an advocate for peace, I've been in the peace motility ever since I've been making music," he said. "My whole thing is non about really trying to push my affair on you. It's simply about the way I live, and I alive how I'one thousand supposed to live as far as doing what'southward right and representing what'southward right — that's why I was here today."

In 2012, he announced that he was converting to Rastafarianism, a faith adult in Jamaica.

He changed his proper noun to Snoop King of beasts, as calling someone a domestic dog is considered an insult in the faith's theology, and released a documentary called "Reincarnated" about his experience.

Musician Bunny Wailer later accused Snoop King of beasts of appropriating Rastafari culture, but the rapper denied the claims.

In 2018, he released a Gospel-inspired album titled "Bible of Love" and called himself a Born Over again Christian.

Karlie Kloss converted to Judaism alee of her spousal relationship to Josh Kushner.

Karlie Kloss is a supermodel.
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According to excerpts from Vicky Ward'due south "Kushner, Inc.: Greed. Appetite. Abuse. The Boggling Story of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump," Josh Kushner'southward parents wouldn't allow him to bring Kloss to gatherings until she converted to Judaism.

The supermodel did convert ahead of her 2018 wedding, a determination that she called "annihilation but weak" during a 2019 interview with British Vogue.

"Changing part of who you are for someone else tin be seen as weak, just you know what? Really, if you lot've been through what I've experienced, information technology requires you to be anything but weak. It requires me to exist stronger and self-loving and resilient. I really did not take this lightly," she said.

Kloss explained that she made the decision to catechumen both for Josh and herself.

"It wasn't enough to merely honey Josh and make this decision for him. This is my life and I am an contained, strong woman. Information technology was merely after many years of studying and talking with my family and friends and soul searching that I fabricated the conclusion to fully cover Judaism in my life and starting time planning for a futurity with the human I chose to marry," she explained.

Katie Holmes returned to Catholicism after her divorce from Tom Cruise, who practices Scientology.

Katie Holmes is an actress.
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The actress was raised equally a Catholic, but she began studying Scientology shortly after she started dating Tom Prowl in 2005.

"I'm actually excited about it," she told the Associated Press of her introduction to the movement.

The couple tied the knot in a Scientologist anniversary in 2006 and remained married until 2012, the same year that Holmes returned to Catholicism.

Orlando Bloom has been a practicing Buddhist since he was 16.

Orlando Bloom is an thespian.
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The histrion discussed his journey to practicing Buddhism in an interview with Sokka Gakkai International (SGI), a global Buddhist network.

Blossom said his best friend David introduced him to Buddhism while they were studying for exams as students. He later had an opportunity to meet philosopher Daisaku Ikeda.

"It was one of those 'Aha' moments of 'Wow, this is meeting my mentor, meeting someone I've looked up to so much."

Bloom explained that he was grateful for his practice after his acting career thrust him into the public eye at a immature historic period, calling the faith an "anchor" in his life.

Dave Chapelle converted to Islam.

Dave Chapelle is a stand-up comedian.
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According to CBS News, the comedian was raised by a Unitarian Universalist minister just converted to Islam in 1998.

"I don't ordinarily talk about my faith publicly because I don't want people to associate me and my flaws with this beautiful thing. And I believe it is a beautiful faith if you learn it the right way. Information technology's a lifelong try. Your faith is your standard," he said during an interview with Time.

Shia LaBeouf converted to Christianity after filming "Fury."

Shia LaBeouf is an actor.
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The actor, who was raised by a Jewish mother and a Christian begetter, became fully Christian afterward filming the 2014 motion picture "Fury."

"I constitute God doing 'Fury.' I became a Christian man, and non in a f---ing bulls--- fashion — in a very real style. I could have just said the prayers that were on the page. But it was a real thing that really saved me," he told Interview Magazine.

LaBeouf said that his costar Brad Pitt helped him navigate the feel.

"Brad comes from a hyper-religious, very securely Christian, Bible Belt life, and he rejected information technology and moved toward an unnamed spirituality," he explained.

LaBeouf continued, "It was nice to have conversations with Brad about the family he came from and what he was using to get through the day."

Julia Roberts said she was a practicing Hindu.

Julia Roberts is an actress.
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The "Eat, Pray, Love" actress referred to herself as a "practicing Hindu" during a 2010 interview with Elle.

Roberts, who had a Christian upbringing in Georgia, said that her family goes with her to "chant and pray and celebrate."

"I'1000 definitely a practicing Hindu," she said.

Leah Remini became Catholic afterward leaving the Church of Scientology.

Leah Remini is an actress.
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The actress grew upwards practicing Scientology and remained associated with the religion for decades before deciding to leave the church in 2013.

Remini began exploring Catholicism, a religion introduced to her past her grandmother, according to her book "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology."

Since switching back to Catholicism, Remini has spoken positively about her experience.

"Nobody is request me for money. Nobody is enervating that I come," she told People. "I light a candle. I sit and I mind."

Tina Turner began practicing Buddhism in the early '70s.

Tina Turner is a musician.
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The musician said that she institute Buddhism while trying to end her relationship with musician Ike Turner in the early '70s.

"The women who sold drugs to Ike said, 'What are you doing here, Tina? How can you alive with this madness?' And so one day, someone told me, 'Buddhism will relieve your life.' I was willing to attempt anything. I started to chant. One time, I chanted, went to the studio, and put down a song, merely similar that," she said during an interview with Oprah Mag.

She added that Ike also gave her money to go shopping with. "I thought, 'This chanting stuff works.' I was hooked. I still believe in the Lord'south Prayer. I find a form of the Lord's Prayer in Buddhism."

Elizabeth Banks didn't complete the conversion process only still considers herself a Jew.

Elizabeth Banks is an extra.
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The actress, who was raised past Catholic parents, met her now-husband Max Handelman on her first day of college at the University of Pennsylvania, she revealed on Marc Maron's podcast.

"No organized religion meant as much to me as Judaism meant to my husband," Banks explains, adding, "Nosotros got married afterwards 10 and a half years, and for the first five years I'm positive that his male parent did not learn my terminal name."

Though she didn't fully complete the process to convert to Judaism, she still considers herself Jewish.

"I've been essentially a Jew for like fifteen years. I oasis't had a Christmas tree in 15 years," she said. "I'm not officially stamped, but by all accounts yeah, my kids go to Jewish pre-schoolhouse, nosotros merely celebrate Jewish holidays, I love seder."

Jane Fonda became a devout Christian after her wedlock with Ted Turner ended.

Jane Fonda is an actress.
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Previously an atheist, the "Grace and Frankie" actress became a Christian afterward her marriage to media mogul Ted Turner ended in 2001, she explained in a 2009 blog mail service.

"I felt a presence, a reverence humming within me. Information technology was and is difficult to clear," Fonda wrote.

The actress, who said she didn't associate herself with Born Again Christians, explained that she'due south worked to discover a religion that empowers her, adding that Christianity has fabricated her a "deeper, more embodied feminist."

Richard Gere has adept Buddhism for years.

Richard Gere is an actor.
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The actor was raised by Methodist parents, but he began practicing Buddhism in his 20s.

"I recollect like most young men I was non particularly happy. I don't know if I was suicidal, but I was pretty unhappy, and I had questions like, 'Why annihilation?' Realizing I was probably pushing the edges of my ain sanity," Gere said during an interview with Panthera leo's Roar.

He continued, "I was exploring late-night bookshops reading everything I could, in many unlike directions."

He added that American anthropologist Walter Evans-Wentz'southward books about Tibetan Buddhism had an "enormous affect" on him. "I just devoured them," he said.

Gere has been practicing Buddhism for over xl years and has traveled to India and Nepal to deepen his practice.

Ice Cube converted to Islam.

Ice Cube is a rapper.
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The rapper, whose real name is O'Shea Jackson, converted to Islam in the '90s.

"What I call myself is a natural Muslim, because it'south just me and God. You know, going to the mosque, the ritual and the tradition, it's just not in me to do. So I don't do it," he told The Guardian.

Zooey Deschanel converted to Judaism.

Zooey Deschanel is an actress.
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While the "New Girl" actress was raised by a Roman Catholic mother and a Quaker father, she was never very religious.

"My family is liberal. I was raised in the 'you can be whatever you want' kind of style. And in the cease, I was like, 'Eh.' I mean I'yard interested in theology, and I love reading almost it. But I don't attach myself to whatsoever one religion or other," she told Vulture in 2011.

Months after her hymeneals to Jacob Pechenik, Deschanel converted to Judaism, according to The states Weekly.

Sharon Stone also embraced Buddhism.

Sharon Stone is an actress.
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The actress was raised by Methodist parents in rural Pennsylvania. She at present identifies every bit a Buddhist, nonetheless.

"It's important to have a philosophy or way of life or religion that keeps yous balanced. For me, that has been Buddhism. It's something that brings yous dorsum to center, and is actually the fundamental to serenity and dazzler — an internal sense of course and elegance," Stone told The New York Times.

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