Hollywood
Mahershala Ali becomes first Muslim to win acting Oscar
By Kimberly Winston — February 26, 2017
(RNS) Ali, 43, who converted to Islam in 1999, won for best supporting actor.
A Jewish guide to Florida real estate
By Jeffrey Salkin — February 7, 2017
Do you live in a gated community? Don't make it a spiritual metaphor for life.
Will young Jews stand up for Judaism?
By Jeffrey Salkin — October 4, 2016
Young Jews need to stand up for themselves and their narrative. A manifesto.
Hollywood reworks Muslim stereotypes
By Julie Poucher Harbin — May 24, 2016
(RNS) Hollywood is slowly changing its "good Muslim, bad Muslim" paradigm, as more cultural advisers become part of the creative process.
DiCaprio gets a papal audience ahead of Oscars
By Rosie Scammell — January 28, 2016
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The actor kissed the pontiff's hand and gave him a book of paintings by a Dutch painter whose works meld fantastic imagery with reality.
Mayim Bialik: Religion isn’t ‘trendy’ in Hollywood
By Maeve McDermott — August 26, 2015
"It's never going to be trendy to be observant or religious in Hollywood circles," said the Emmy-winning actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik.
Jesus is all over the small screen, and that’s no accident
By Patrick Ryan — March 30, 2015
"We didn't make Sunday-school programming," says Hollywood producer Mark Burnett. "We made stuff that was accurate to the Bible, but realistic, and didn't feel like it had been made on a shoestring budget."
Ewan McGregor pulls off a convincing Jesus in ‘Last Days in the Desert’
By Dick Staub — January 30, 2015
PARK CITY, Utah (RNS) McGregor delivers a stand-out performance, and quipped that “somehow playing Satan came more naturally to me then playing Jesus."
Angelina Jolie defends ‘universal’ depiction of faith in ‘Unbroken’
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — December 10, 2014
(RNS) "He said he wanted the message to reach everyone," Jolie said. "He said to make faith and forgiveness universal.”
Will Angelina Jolie’s ‘Unbroken’ disappoint Christians? It depends
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — December 5, 2014
NEW YORK (RNS) The question is whether Hollywood can lure faith-based audiences with a story that's based on faith but doesn't pay much attention to it.
‘Left Behind’ and ‘The Good Lie’ face off during Hollywood’s year of faith-based films
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — October 3, 2014
(RNS) "Left Behind" and "The Good Lie" both aim to attract a faith-based crowd, and they’ll both test Hollywood’s appetite for religion.
Q&A: ‘Noah’ director Darren Aronofsky on justice vs. mercy
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — March 24, 2014
(RNS) "Noah" director Darren Aronofsky describes where he got the idea for the film, how he plans to respond to critics and why he focuses the film on themes of justice vs. mercy.
‘Noah’ film sparks debate over one of the world’s oldest and most beloved stories
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — March 13, 2014
NEW YORK (RNS) The biblical narrative of the flood is a touchstone in many religious circles, a story that's told and retold within Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Rick Warren, others, rent theaters for premiere of ‘Son of God’
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — February 13, 2014
(RNS) Christian leaders, including megachurch pastors Rick Warren and Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, plan to rent every screen in numerous multiplex theaters in 10 cities for the upcoming Jesus film, "Son of God."
Hollywood looks to the Bible for screenplay potential
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — October 23, 2013
(RNS) Nearly 10 years after the blockbuster success of Mel Gibson's “The Passion of the Christ,” which earned $611.9 million worldwide, studios are looking to the Good Book for good material.
