Hollywood is a deeply secular industry.
People who profess religious beliefs are often ostracized.
But Hollywood star Kelsey Grammer made one powerful statement about his faith.
Kelsey Grammer, star of the classic series Frasier, has been able to work while maintaining some conservative views.
For instance, Grammer is deeply pro-life.
In 2018, he said: “[it]gets a bit dishonest to call something reproductive rights when you clearly have a choice well before a baby is conceived…If someone has to die as a result of rape, then we should kill the rapist – not the unborn child…It’s a dicey area, but if you have respect for life, and respect for choice, then you can’t take life away from an infant.”
While discussing his new movie Jesus Revolution, Grammer expressed the profound effect Christianity has had on his life.
Grammer said in an interview, “I’ve had hiccups. I’ve had some tragic times. I have wrestled with those and worked my way through them…Sometimes rejecting faith, sometimes rejecting God even, in a period of being pretty angry about it…Like, ‘Where were you?’ That kind of thing. But I have come to terms with it and have found great peace in my faith and in Jesus…It’s not cavalier. Jesus made a difference in my life…That’s not anything I’ll apologize for.”
Others in Hollywood do not always have that perspective.
Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey confessed he’s seen Christians in Hollywood afraid to express their faith because of the irreligious culture in the industry.
McConaughey said, “I have had moments where I was on stage receiving an award in front of my peers in Hollywood, and there were people in the crowd that I have prayed with before dinners many times, and when I thanked God, I saw some of those people go to clap, but then notice that, ‘bad thing on my resume’ and then sit back on their hands.”
Despite Hollywood’s aversion to Christianity, audiences are still starved for faith-based content.
Jesus Revolution, the story of a Christian revival in the early 1970s started by young hippies in Southern California, was projected to make a meager $7 million opening weekend – but brought in nearly $16 million, pulling in $35 million thus far.
On the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Jesus Revolution got a positive “fresh” score of 62% among critics, and an audience score of 99%.
One reviewer wrote, “Jesus Revolution was a breath of fresh air…We are so in need of great Christian films and the fact that it is historical is a bonus. Thanks for a great experience!”
Another wrote, “It was an uplifting Christian movie. We want more movies like this. We want to see movies that have Christian values. So tired of the darkness in so many movies and the evil.”
It’s encouraging that Grammer was able to express his faith in a film, and audiences were encouraged to go see it.