Sir Ian McKellen“THOUGH SHALL NOT PASS”… into the gates of heaven because they don’t exist. Or, at least so believes Sir Ian Mckellen. As Ian himself puts it, “I’m an atheist. So God, if She exists, isn’t really a part of my life.”
Woody AllenWoody Allen has had a couple great and memorable quips that pertain to his atheism. For example, “If it turns out that there is a God, I don’t think that he’s evil. But the worst that you can say about him is that basically he’s an underachiever.”
Hugh LaurieYou’ll find a lot more British celebrities who are atheist (or at least willing to admit it) than American celebrities. Hugh Laurie is a case in point. Not only is his television character, Dr. Gregory House, a self-proclaimed atheist, but so too is the actor himself.
Daniel RadcliffeYet another British atheist. Actually, I’m sure this comes at no surprise to those Christians who believe Harry Potter books and magic in general are tools of the devil. According to Radcliffe, “I’m an atheist, but I’m very relaxed about it.”
Keanu ReevesIs ‘sad Keanu’ so sad because he has nothing to look forward to once his life here on earth is over? Probably not. In interviews Keanu seems perfectly content with his conclusion that God does not exist.
Gene WilderCelebrities from the older generations of Hollywood who ‘come out’ as atheist are typically more surprising than all those hedonistic young kids growing up in Hollywood these days. In a 2005 interview, the original (and best) Willie Wonka told a reporter, “Well, I’m a Jewish-Buddhist-Atheist, I guess.”
Daniel Day-LewisActually, Daniel Day-Lewis considers himself an agnostic. This fact means that he believes the existence of a God is currently impossible to know. As such, he chooses to suspend his judgment on deciding whether or not one (or many) exists.
Julianne MooreDuring a 2002 interview on Inside the Actor’s Studio, James Lipton asked Julianne Moore what God would say to her when she appeared before him at the pearly gates. She replied, “Well, I guess you were wrong, because I do exist.”
James LiptonSpeaking of James Lipton, Tom Cruise once turned Lipton’s famous “God at the pearly gates” question around on him. In response to the question Lipton answered in a similar manner as Julianne Moore, “You see Jim, you were wrong. I exist, but you may come in anyway.”
Roger EbertAccording to the world’s most famous TV critic (sorry, Gene Shalit), “I have never said, although readers have freely informed me, that I am an atheist, agnostic, or at the very least a secular humanist – which I am.”
Bruce LeeWhen considering the master martial artistry of Bruce Lee, one might guess that he was perhaps Buddhist. However, towards the end of his life in the early 1970s he confirmed the fact that he was indeed an atheist.
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin was a public atheist well before it was socially acceptable to be so (although, it’s really still not all that acceptable). Regardless, Chaplin discusses his atheism in his 1964 autobiography and has been quoted to say, “By simple common sense I don’t believe in God, in none.”
