#might be

Your Fave MIGHT Be Catholic: Susan Egan

Known for: Tony Award nominated actress, singer, dancer, & voice actress, she has done a number of beloved roles for stage, film, & television. As of right now, it’s hard to really state what she is best known for; some will say providing the voice of Megara in the Walt Disney animated classic Hercules, while others will say providing the voice of Rose Quartz in the beloved animated television series Steven Universe. Regardless, she got her start working in theater, & she got her big break playing Belle in the original Broadway run of Beauty & the Beast (as seen above in the left middle picture of the picture set). Other stage shows she has played in include Bye Bye Birdie, State Fair, Triumph of Love, Cabaret, Putting It Together, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, & Thoroughly Modern Millie. Besides Meg & Rose Quartz, she has provided other voice work as well, most notably in English dubs of Hayao Miyazaki films such as Porco Rosso & Spirited Away. She also has a career as a singer, having recorded her own songs & albums, & even performing her own live shows.

Why I say MIGHT as opposed to IS: The truth is, Susan is another celebrity who is excellent at keeping her personal life very private. Because of this, very little is known about her, & this includes her religious beliefs. There are only a few clues that suggest a possible Catholic faith. The first is that her last name, Egan, is a very Irish last name, & suggests an Irish background that possibly raised her in the Catholic faith. But, there’s nothing out there confirming or denying this. Her Instagram feed does show a few pictures of herself in a very Catholic looking wedding dress alongside her husband Robert,as well as a few pictures indicating that she does celebrate Christmas such as this one involving Elf on the Shelf hugging a Belle doll. But again, that’s not really enough to prove anything, & some could even argue that her wedding dress looks no different than any other wedding dress. Still, with what has been provided, anything is possible.

If this post is wrong: If this post is wrong & there is a reliable source out there that states that Susan practices a different religion or no religion at all, please politely inform me & I’ll have this post modified.

Your Fave MIGHT Be Catholic: Alex Trebek (real name: George Alexander Trebek)

Known for: Canadian television personality & game show host, he is best known for being the long running host of the beloved game show Jeopardy. He’s had a long career working in the television industry since the 1960′s, & even hosted some other game shows prior to Jeopardy, such as Music Hop, High Rollers, Double Dare, Stars On Ice, The $128,000 Question, Pitfall, Battlestars, Classic Concentration, To Tell The Truth, & even The National Geographic Bee. Besides hosting game shows & other television events, he also is known for making guest appearances on beloved television shows, whether its as himself or as a parody of himself, usually when the story involves Jeopardy or a fictional game show. He is also very active in the realm of philanthropy & activism, helping organizations such as World Vision Canada & the United Service Organizations, & also donating money & resources to such causes like land ownership, homelessness, children’s rights, blindness, & so on.

Why I say MIGHT as opposed to IS: In this particular instance, the answer isn’t very clear, though there is evidence that points that he could be part of the Catholic faith. In a more recent video he did regarding his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer, he actually does state that he’s a Christian, that he does have faith in God, & he really appreciates those who pray for him. Unfortunately, he does not specify what denomination he belongs to, & thus he could be any kind of Christian. Some may even point out that during the Pennsylvania Governor Debate, he went on a tangent about the scandals involving boyhood in the Catholic church, & thus probably wouldn’t be Catholic anymore. All that said, that same source still does confirm that he was born & raised Catholic, & in an article from The Wrap, he did later go on to apologize for these remarks & for his part as moderator of the debates. So, right here you can see that he is a man of faith, & while he may have been critical, he did see the errors he made, apologized, & could still be part of the faith. An anon also pointed out once that he has a plaque at St. Charles Borromeo Church in North Hollywood & was a member there for a time, which is also a potential indicator of being Catholic. But, at the end of the day, we won’t know for sure unless Alex says something himself or a loved one of his makes it clear.

If this post is wrong: If this post is wrong & there is a reliable source out there that states that Alex Trebek belongs to a different sect of Christianity, then please politely inform me in an ask & I’ll have this post altered right away!

Your Fave MIGHT Be Catholic: Zakuro Fujiwara

Known for: One of the main characters of the manga series Tokyo Mew Mew, as well as the anime series of the same name. She is the fifth girl to join the Mew Mew team, uses a whip as her main weapon, & her DNA is merged with that of a wolf. Of the main characters, she is the most mature & self-confident of the group, & is seen as the team’s older sister figure. She is also very smart & quick to protect others, though she is more independent & introverted than the others. Her backstory also makes it clear that she went to very prestigious schools, & it’s even implied that she went to the United States for a time, & because her parents were often too busy, she would end up having to care for herself. Regardless, she is still a valuable member of the team & does all that she can to make things better.

Why I say MIGHT as opposed to IS: The original manga & anime make it very clear that Zakuro is a practicing Christian - such details are made clear by the silver cross pendant she wears on her neck, as well as her whip handle resembling a cross (seen above in the bottom image in the picture set). The specific denomination of Christianity is not really specified, but it’s most likely another case of the trope “Anime Catholicism”. Unfortunately, if you’re only familiar with the English dub made by the dubbing company 4Kids titled Mew Mew Power (in this series, she was renamed Renée Roberts), none of these details will be featured, as 4Kids censored out all religious references to appeal to as wide of an audience in the United States as possible. Actions like this are one of many reasons why 4Kids is disliked by most anime fans. Regardless, the original Japanese mangas & anime feature details that show that Zakuro is religious & are clearly Christian, & thus possible lean towards Catholicism.

If this post is wrong: If this post is wrong & Tokyo Mew Mew creators Reiko Yoshida & Mia Ikumi have stated in a reliable source that Zakuro’s Christian beliefs are from a different denomination, then please politely inform me in an ask & I’ll have this post changed right away.

Your Fave MIGHT Be Catholic: Miguel Rivera

Known for: Main character of Coco, the beloved animated film by Pixar Animation Studios centered around Dia de Los Muertos. He is a child who aspires to be a great musician just like the famed musician & singer Ernesto De La Cruz, but his family straight up forbids any kinds of music & insists he follow in their shoe making business. On the night of Dia de Los Muertos (a.k.a. “Day of the Dead”), he tries to steal a guitar from Ernesto De La Cruz’s memorial, & thus he is cursed & stuck in the Land of the Dead. Only a blessing from his deceased family can bring him back to the Land of the Living, but their oppressive ban on music forces Miguel to try & receive a blessing from Ernesto De La Cruz. Thus, he teams up with the charming former musician Héctor & his dog Dante to get to De La Cruz’s mansion party to receive his blessing. Miguel is a good child who loves his family (being especially close to his great grandmother, Mama Coco), but his passion for music causes conflict with the other members of his family, & it’s over the course of the film where he learns why his family hates music. *SPOILERS* It’s also through his adventures where he learns where his passion for music comes from - he learns that Héctor is his true great great grandfather, that he is the real musical genius behind Ernesto De La Cruz’s music, & uses music to help revive Mama Coco’s fading memories to help save Héctor from fading away forever as well as make amends with his family. *SPOILERS*

Why I say MIGHT as opposed to IS: Coco is a very interesting film to discuss, & with the topic of religion like this blog explores, this instance gets very confusing. On the one hand, a cross can be seen hanging from the wall in Mama Coco’s room, which can be seen here, & thus indicates that the Rivera family is very religious. Adding to this, the dominant religion of Mexico (the film’s setting) is Roman Catholicism, which makes the case stronger. In the film itself, Miguel even admits that initially he thought the traditions described in Dia de Los Muertos were make believe “like vitamins”, but after seeing the afterlife itself, it’s clear that he is certainly a believer. This can be seen in a clip found here. Last, & most importantly, the film makes it very VERY clear that there is an afterlife, & one of the main fundamental beliefs of Catholicism & all of Christianity in general is that there’s an afterlife after we die. But now this is where things get confusing…. Despite the film making it clear the afterlife is real, The Land of the Dead is not the same afterlife as described in Catholic doctrine - i.e. Heaven, Hell, & Purgatory. It seems to be based on traditional Mexican culture, which most likely dates back to before Christianity arrived in Mexico, & thus it’s sort of contradictory with the current religious beliefs. The film itself doesn’t explore this at all, & so we don’t really know how exactly the current religious beliefs work with regards to the Land of the Dead, which is based on memories & the importance of remembering our loved ones & who we are (which again, is based on real Mexican traditions). So, to conclude, it’s really hard to tell if the Rivera family is a loyal Catholic family, or if at the end of the film they practice a new religion based on the Land of the Dead.

(On a separate note: the earlier animated Dia de Los Muertos film The Book of Life has a very similar problem to Coco - Catholic nuns are seen as recurring extras in the film’s setting, but then they establish that there are three deities that exist: La Muerta the goddess who runs The Land of the Remembered, Xibalba the god who runs The Land of the Forgotten, & The Candle Maker who binds the universe together & owns the titular book. It’s arguably even more confusing, as Catholic beliefs make it super crystal clear that there is only ONE God, & yet that film shows Catholicism existing in a mythology with three deities.)

If this post is wrong: If this post is wrong & director Lee Unkrich or anyone else from Pixar Animation Studios have stated that the religious beliefs of Coco are ONLY surrounded around the lore involving the Land of the Dead, then please let me know in a polite ask, & I will have this post altered right away. 

Your Fave MIGHT Be Catholic: Annette Hanshaw

Known for: Beloved jazz singer of the 1920s & 1930s, she was known for having a fairly short career in the music industry, & yet was still considered one of the greatest & most popular singers of her time. She initially planned a career in being a painter, but after performing songs on a local radio station, she was encouraged to make a career in music. Thus, she began her career in jazz singing, & was quick to gain popularity. During her career, she appeared on several radio shows, played with many popular bands & artists at the time, & recorded several records. After a performance with the The Chevrolet Musical Moments Revue in 1937, she decided to retire from music & since lived a quiet life with her family, only occasionally making radio appearances every once in a while. One reason for her sudden retirement from music was, according to a 1972 interview, she personally did not enjoy the show business life & preferred living a more introverted life, singing only for the fun of it. Despite this, she still has a very beloved legacy with many fans, & her music later went on to be used in the independent animated film by Nina Paley known as Sita Sings the Blues (a feminist retelling of the Indian epic The Ramayana told from the character Sita’s point of view, which is 100% free to watch & can be checked out here - I strongly recommend it!). She was known for having a very delicate & relaxed singing voice, & she ended all of her songs with the catchphrase “That’s all!”

Why I say MIGHT as opposed to IS: As previously mentioned, Annette did not enjoy the big show business lifestyle, & thus she did an excellent job keeping her private life very private. Because of this, there’s not really any information out there about Annette’s religious beliefs. There’s nothing out there about where Annette & her husbands got married, & she is buried in the Ferncliff Cemetery, which is a public cemetery in Hartsdale & thus isn’t restricted to any specific religion. The most that could be found about Annette’s religious beliefs are that the celebrity gossip website Who’s Dated Who has “Roman Catholic” listed under the religion section of her profile. But that website isn’t the most reliable, so we can’t be 100% sure. However, in this instance, it really wouldn’t be too hard to believe - many entertainers from this time period were devout Catholics, so it’s certainly very possible she could be one of them!

If this post is wrong: If this post is wrong & a reliable source somewhere states that Annette practiced a different religion during her life, please politely inform me in an ask & I’ll have this post modified.

Your Fave MIGHT Be Catholic: Booboo Stewart (real name: Nils Allen Stewart Jr.)

Known for: Actor of film & television, he is best known for playing Jay, the son of Jafar, in the hit television film series Descendants. Besides that, he is also notable for appearing in other successful film franchises, & his filmography includes 18 Fingers of Death, The Conrad Boys, The Fifth Commandment, American Cowslip, Smitty, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Parts 1 & 2, White Frog, X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Last Survivors, American Satan, & many more. His work for television includes Dante’s Cove, Everybody Hates Chris, Blue Dolphin Kids, Good Luck Charlie, Descendants: Wicked World, Lab Rats: Elite Force, Westworld, & several guest appearances on other successful shows. Besides acting, he is also an avid philanthropist who helps various causes, one example is being the celebrity ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Plus, he is also an expert practitioner of the martial art known as Jeet Kune Do.

Why I say MIGHT as opposed to IS: Because Booboo is fairly new in the world of celebrities & media figures, there is very little known about his personal life, & he is also fairly good at keeping things private. Thus, there isn’t really any information out there about Booboo’s religious beliefs. However, the celebrity gossip website Who’s Dated Who has Booboo’s profile list him as “Roman Catholic” under the religion section, which may be a possible indicator that somewhere out there it’s stated he’s Catholic. But then again, Who’s Dated Who isn’t the most reliable when it comes to that field, & thus it is only speculation. But still, it’s entirely possible that it’s correct.

If this post is wrong: If this post is wrong & a reliable source states somewhere that Booboo actually practices a different religion or no religion at all, please politely inform me in an ask & I’ll have this post altered right away!