Technically, a practicing Mormon can be dead or alive. For the purposes of the list, we will only consider the celebrities living among us on Earth. Celebrities who have renounced Mormonism, such as Ryan Gosling, Jewel, Christine Aguilera, and Marco Rubio, do not qualify for inclusion on the list.
A little about the religion itself is in order, as there are many common misconceptions about how Mormonism began. The founder of the church was Joseph Smith when he lived in upstate New York, and he called the church The Church of Christ. After his death in 1844, the Church followed leader Brigham Young west and settled in what is now Utah. The name of the religion comes from the Book of Mormon. The book is said to have been written by a fourth-century AD prophet, Mormon, whose writings are considered as important as the Christian Bible. Most Mormons live outside of the United States, but the Church in Utah is the focus of Mormon culture and influence.
If you go through the list you will find some surprises; Celebrities you didn't know were practicing Mormons, including a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, a Hawaiian mayor. You will not only meet Hollywood stars, but also politicians and musicians. Perhaps most interestingly, you will find that not all practicing Mormons necessarily view their faith the same way, so you will likely find that any preconceived notions you had about Mormonism or religion can be changed by reading this list.
1. Orrin Hatch
Hatch has been Utah's senior senator since 1977, and it makes perfect sense considering he's a Mormon. Mitt Romney, also a Mormon, ran for president in 2012, but his religion was considered a factor in preventing him from garnering the full support of Republican voters. Hatch doesn't have this problem because his constituency is mostly Mormon. He has been President pro tempore of the Senate since 2015 and is the longest-serving Republican Senator in US history. With all the current political chaos in the country, this is one of the few things that makes sense.
2. Bryce Harper
We're moving to the sports arena with Bryce Harper. At 24, he stands in direct contrast to Orrin Hatch, who is 83. He had a great start to his career when he was selected by the Washington Nationals as the first pick in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft. His rookie accomplishments include being named MLB Rookie of the Year and making history as the youngest player selected for the MLB All Star Game. Just 3 years later, he was unanimously named baseball's most valuable player. Despite making the MLB playoffs four years after arriving, the Nationals are still awaiting their first World Series appearance.
3. Shining Torah
To continue with the sport, we present Australian snowboarder Torah Bright. His unusual first name was suggested by his sister, who believed the Torah would have a spiritual message to share with the world. Professionally, she won gold and silver medals in Olympic halfpipe snowboarding. As for her personal life, she is currently in her second marriage to snowboarder Angus Thomson since 2015. As for divorce in the Mormon religion, although they do not condone it, it is usually permissible without much debate. Bright initiated a divorce from her first husband and remarried a year later.
4. Shawn Bradley
Shawn Bradley was an NBA professional basketball player for three teams - the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks. He was the 76ers' second pick in 1993, at a time when international players were becoming more accepted in the NBA. Bradley was 7ft 6in tall, but many pundits questioned his relatively slim 235lb height. After retiring from the NBA, he devoted much time to volunteer and charitable work, including working with Rising Star Outreach to treat leper colonies in India and the better-known Basketball Without Borders program.
5. Danny Ainge
Sport appears to have more than a few Mormon representatives and another name added to the list is Boston Celtics Danny Ainge. Currently General Manager and President of Basketball Operations for the Celtics, he also played in the NBA and had a three-year baseball career with the Toronto Blue Jays. Ainge and his wife live in Wellesley, Massachusetts, where he serves as Mormon bishop. Together they have 6 children from a marriage, a reality some in the media were unwilling to accept. "I've heard that my kids were in rehab, that I was having an affair, and that I was getting divorced... I've heard most of it and just have to laugh about it."
6. Harry Reid
With former Democratic US Senate Chairman Harry Reid, we return to high-level politics. Reid, who recently resigned from his Senate seat in his home state of Nevada, was a focal point for Republican strikes in the 2016 election cycle. He has some notable accomplishments in his personal life, having been married to his wife Landra since 1959 and having a one tidy sum of money estimated at between $3 million and $10 million. It is worth noting that Utah is a very republican state and many Mormons in Utah question Reid's actual practice of religion because of some of his political views.
7. Waterfall
In the disc jockey world, Kaskade is one of the most famous and best paid. According to one source, he managed to make more than $17 million in 2015 is hyper straight. Kaskade says he started practicing his DL skills at his BYU dorm. He manages to separate his DJ life and personal life most of the time. "I am married and have three children. I have a life outside of it.” He's seen as a party boy, just without drugs and alcohol.
8. Donny and Marie Osmond
These two were once the most famous Mormon faces in pop culture. Although they still have a presence in the celebrity world, they are not in the limelight like they used to be. They were part of the singing group The Osmonds and soon had their own 1970s variety show Donny and Marie. They later hosted a talk show together and found a revived career by appearing on "Dancing with the Stars." They are currently under contract to perform in Las Vegas since 2008. Front row seats are $95 per person.
9. Ricky Schroeder
Many Ricky Schroder fans were in full mode of support when his 24-year-old wife filed for divorce just over a year ago. Schroder is a Mormon convert and, according to his ex-wife, the reasons for his divorce were progressive after he achieved her personal goals in life as his wife. She was responsible for Ricky's conversion to a Mormon, and Mormon divorce principles leave plenty of latitude for either party to initiate a process limited only by the civil laws of the country. She has filed for sole custody of their youngest daughter, Faith, and child support. His estimated net worth is $8 million.
10. Julianne Hough
Julianne Houghis a practicing Mormon with some reservations. She was raised in a Mormon home but has publicly stated that she chooses not to strictly observe all of the religion's restrictions. Her first marriage took place this year in July 2017 to Brooks Laich of the Los Angeles Kings. Although her move to ex-boyfriend Ryan Seacrest hit the gossip columns, she still maintains very close ties with her father, who is a devout Mormon. She may not go to church, but she's apparently reverted to a more traditional Mormon lifestyle, saying after her engagement, "So it's really nice to feel like a strong woman and still have my man at the center." See if Father will take her back to church and not just to the altar. "I've made decisions based on the fact that I want to be a good guy."
11. David Archuleta
David Archuleta was employed at a relatively young age of 26, which included serving two years as a Mormon missionary in Argentina in 2012. He explained in an interview that his early success inamerican idoland sales of his first album saw him challenged by what other people defined as happiness. He took a step back and realized that what everyone defined as happiness wasn't. He said thoughtfully, "I forget what has always made me happy." His late teens (18, 19) have been challenging as he has reportedly had several dating relationships in 2008 - 2009 but currently has no romantic interests despite rumors to the contrary.
12. Mitt Romney
Romney is definitely the most widely recognized political Mormon and has been a serious contender for the US Republican Party presidency for many years. He was the party's preferred candidate in 2012 and lost to incumbent President Barack Obama. Believe it or not, he turns 71 on March 12th. There's no evidence that Mormonism makes you look younger, but a look at some recent photos of people on the list makes you wonder. While many practicing Mormons rank in the sports and entertainment categories on the list, Romney attended BYU but also holds a JD-MBA from Harvard University.
13. Glenn Beck
Beck is no stranger to controversy in his many years as a radio host and Fox News contributor. After leaving Fox he started his own radio station, The Blaze, where he continues to spread his views on a daily 3 hour radio show. Often criticized for using inflammatory rhetoric solely for classification purposes, his political views are very conservative and many are considered prone to conspiracy theories. As for his Mormonism, he became a practicing Mormon after many years dealing with his own personal demons including alcoholism, drug addiction and says he has ADHD. He became a practicing Mormon after spending time investigating a variety of spiritual and religious alternatives.
14. Katherine Heigl
The oldGreys AnatomyThe star grew up in a Mormon household after her parents converted a few years after she was born. While practicing her faith is immature at times, she said before marrying her current husband, Josh Kelley, in 2007, "I...didn't want to live together before we were married...I wanted to keep it a little sacred." Her home is close by Park City, Utah, and she says that despite indulging in anti-Mormon vices like smoking and drinking, she still prays every night, a sign of this is her strong fondness for living in the state, which is the center of Mormon culture that she remains more inclined to return to the full practice of her faith rather than putting it aside for the Hollywood lifestyle.
15. A. J. Koch
Best known as Jennifer "JJ" Jareau in the TV seriescriminal thoughts,Cook is definitely a practicing Mormon seen as an actress who prefers roles that allow her to demonstrate and teach her Mormon faith. It is understood that she will not accept roles that contradict her personal beliefs as a Mormon. She married Nathan Andersen just months after her 23rd birthday. Although they met at a film class in Orem, Utah, she moved 40 miles north to Salt Lake City to be with (not live with) Andersen.
16. John Willard Marriott Jr.
His most common nickname is Bill Marriott. If you've heard of the Marriott chain of hotels, including brands like Courtside, St. Regis and Westin. A devout Mormon, he has been married for over 50 years and they have 13 great-grandchildren, 15 grandchildren and 4 children. But that public commitment to Mormonism has been challenged when he advocated for LGBT celebrations, which conflict with the church's clear stance on traditional marriage. Interestingly, his position contradicts A.J. Cook's refusal to accept roles that conflict with his personal beliefs and values. Marriott justifies its position by keeping private and professional life separate. There's one statistic that has a clear business interest for Bill Marriott -- $202 billion. This is the industry estimate of the LGBT community's annual travel spend. You can judge for yourself whether Marriott has managed to separate his personal life from his professional life or whether he has used his religion for personal gain.
17. Steve Young
Of all the people on this list, Young is perhaps the most "deserving" of celebrities, being the great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, founder of the restored Church of Latter-day Saints. Of course, like his children, he attended Brigham Young University. But one thing missing from Young's life as a Mormon, which is common to the vast majority of longtime devout Mormons, is the two-year stint of missionary service. The reason is a bit strange, but at the same time understandable. As he was deciding when and where to go on his mission, he was very nervous and concluded that he actually suffered from separation anxiety from his parents and people he had as friends. He sought counsel from his father and the bishop of the Church, who supported his decision to remain at BYU and continue his life without the normally required missionary service. Although he didn't see his future tied to football as closely at the time, he won numerous awards and ended his career as the best passer in NFL history. He currently works part-time for ESPN as a football commentator.
18. Brandon Manumaleuna
In keeping with the sport's personalities, Brandon Manumaleuna was a highly sought after TE and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams (now the Los Angeles Rams) in 2001. Some professional football scouts had him pre-draft positioned as a potential full-back-tight end combination player due to his size and athletic ability. He played for the San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears football franchises. His long, fun last name means "bird of paradise," and he is of Samoan and African-American descent.
19. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
The list certainly features a number of sports, political, and entertainment personalities, which might suggest that practicing Mormons today fit into a relatively narrow group of Americans. But you can add literature and education to the categories. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich is a professor at Harvard University and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. her book,The Story of a Servant, is famous for its depiction of women in 18th-century America. His style is to approach the story from the perspective of "the quiet work of ordinary people". Anyone who studies feminism and history is already familiar with Ulrich's work. Her writings were also specific to issues in the Mormon Church, including her founding membership of the independent publication Expoente II, which chronicles the experience of being a Mormon woman.
20. Mufi Hannemann
Rounding out the list with a look at the 50th state and mayor of the city of Honolulu, Hawaii. To be honest, his service as mayor and his political career in general have been interesting, to say the least. At 6ft 11in he is almost the tallest person on this list (Shawn Bradley is huge) and also represents a Samoan heritage. He is only the second Mormon to serve as mayor of Honolulu and the first of Samoan descent. In 2002, Hannemann resigned as mayor and threw his hat in the ring to become governor of Hawaii. He lost in the Democratic primary. During his years in office, he walked very fine lines on the LGBT issue and how it conflicted with his Mormon beliefs.
The list contains some very interesting personalities, and many of the individuals are no strangers to controversy. Some on the list waver in their practice, while others may be accused of using their religion for personal gain. As already mentioned, there is a lot of controversy in the group. At the same time, some individuals who made the list have chosen to keep their personal lives largely private, which is certainly a challenge in today's social media environment.
However, this group of practicing Mormons is very powerful, some having made it to the top of their respective professions in one way or another. Many excel at the sport, while others have received awards for excellence in their craft. Quite a few have chosen to put their personal beliefs ahead of what the world expects of them, giving up additional fame and fortune in the process. The women on this list have chosen to practice their faith, especially when it comes to romance and marriage.
There are many celebrities who were once Mormons who have chosen to give up the practice to adjust to their new environments of fame and success. From the evidence of these people who have stayed the course, marriages last longer, happiness is easier to find, and Utah is where they call home. Like your faith, it's a personal choice that few seem to regret. Many of these people have amassed a lot of money without giving up their faith, and it would be interesting to find out if they would have had the same financial and personal success had they chosen a different direction.