Many Hollywood fans are aware that actor Tom Cruise follows a religion known as Scientology. Cruise has been associated with The Church of Scientology for a very long time now, however, there is another famous actor that was once a part of it, Johnny Depp.
Depp has admitted that he is not a religious person but he finds the idea quite fascinating. He once recalled that he came across Scientology when he was struggling as an actor and the practices actually helped the actor for some time. The actor also talked about the incident that made him turn away from “organized religion.”
Johnny Depp once joined a Scientology organization
In a 2001 interview with Vibe magazine, actor Johnny Depp recalled the time Scientology helped him get through a tough phase of his life,
“A while ago, I took over this little apartment on Hollywood Boulevard from a friend of mine. I was dead broke, scrounging. He’d go to Mexico all the time and leave all these pesos lying around. I’d change them at the corner check-cashing place so I could get a meal and some cigarettes. I did that until I found this Scientology place down the street. They’d give you $3 to take this weird f***ing test. I’d answer all kinds of strange questions under different names. I survived that way for a little while.”
Tom Cruise has been associated with the Church of Scientology for many years now and has openly expressed his support for the church and its practices.
Johnny Depp admitted that he is not a religious person
In a past interview with The Straits Times, Depp admitted that he is not religious, however, he finds the ideologies quite interesting. The actor said,
“I don’t look negatively upon organized religion or anything – people believe whatever they want and I think that’s wonderful, I’m saying that everyone has their own kind of thing. And it’s not that I don’t have what might be construed as spirituality. I have a great many beliefs, but I don’t hang my hat on one particular thing.”
The actor has taught his kids the same. He once stated that he has “faith in his kids.” The actor has two children, Lily-Rose Depp, and Jack Depp.
The actor doesn’t believe in “organized religion“
In the same interview with Vibe magazine, Depp talked about the time he questioned religion as a kid. The actor said,
“When I was a little kid, my uncle was a preacher in Kentucky. Full on – Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! That kind of thing. I knew the guy off the podium. And I’d go and see this persona, and all these adults were screaming, crying, being saved, and kissing his shoes. I remember thinking, This ain’t what it’s about. If you have a god, you don’t have to do this. It’s got to be a little more personal. That turned me off to organized religion.”
Despite starring in several movies, Depp was struggling as an actor in 2001. Finally, in 2003, he appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, marking a turning point in his career.
Source: Vibe magazine