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Is there any Hollywood actor-actress who follow Hinduism?

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Updated on09/09/26

Yes, and the clearest example comes with a direct quote from the actress herself rather than secondhand speculation. Several Hollywood celebrities who follow Hinduism have spoken publicly about practicing or converting to the faith over the decades, each arriving at Hinduism through a genuinely different path.

Julia Roberts and Her Public Conversion

Julia Roberts Hinduism conversion happened around the time she filmed Eat, Pray, Love in 2010, and she confirmed this directly in her own words rather than leaving it to speculation.

  • In an interview with Elle magazine, she stated plainly: "I'm definitely a practicing Hindu"

  • She described going to temple with her husband, cinematographer Danny Moder, and their children to "chant and pray and celebrate"

  • Roberts was raised by Christian parents in Georgia, making this a genuine celebrity religious conversion rather than something she was born into

  • Her family reportedly celebrates Hindu festivals, including Diwali, as part of an ongoing practice rather than a passing interest tied only to a film role

Actors of Indian Heritage Raised in the Faith

Not every Hollywood connection to Hinduism involves conversion. Several Hollywood actors of Indian descent were simply raised within the religion from childhood.

  • Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar, House) was raised in a Hindu household and has spoken about continuing to practice as an adult, rather than treating it purely as a cultural background left behind

  • Mindy Kaling (The Office, The Mindy Project) grew up in a Hindu family and has referenced this heritage directly in interviews and in her creative work

Other Documented Historical Figures

Hollywood and adjacent entertainment circles have a longer history of famous Hindu converts than most people realize.

  • George Harrison, the former Beatle, converted from Christianity to Hinduism in the mid-1960s, a well-documented turning point that shaped much of his later music and worldview

  • J.D. Salinger, author of The Catcher in the Rye, converted to Hinduism in 1952, a lesser-known but well-recorded detail of his personal life

  • Ricky Williams, the former NFL player rather than an actor, has also been publicly identified as a practicing Hindu, often cited alongside these entertainment figures in broader lists of notable Western converts

What This Says About Religious Identity in Hollywood

Public religious conversion in Hollywood to a faith outside one's upbringing remains relatively uncommon among celebrities, which is part of why these particular cases draw so much attention whenever they resurface in interviews or retrospectives. Roberts, Harrison, and Salinger each made the decision publicly and permanently rather than treating it as a private or temporary phase, distinguishing genuine religious conversion from the more common celebrity trend of borrowing individual practices like yoga and meditation without adopting the underlying faith itself.

Sources:

  • CNN, "Julia Roberts is practicing Hinduism": https://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/06/julia.roberts.hinduism/index.html

  • Ranker, "26 Famous People Who Practice Hinduism": https://www.ranker.com/list/hindu-celebrities-list/celebrity-lists

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