Hollywood Goes to Church

Have you ever watched a movie and wondered what the actors are like off-screen? Growing up I thought Keanu Reeves could probably kick my butt, or that Harrison Ford would be a fun guy to go with on archaeological digs. Or, I used to wonder what Heath Ledger was like between takes while shooting The Dark Knight (Many of his fellow-actors say he was a funny and enjoyable guy.) But why do we wonder? I think deep down we want to encounter the humanity of these actors and actresses in Hollywood. We only get a superficial glance at them on the silver screen or through the media, and that limited access can only go so far to satiate our appetites. Also, only having that superficial perspective has led me to romanticize what their lives must be like. Similar to reducing homeless people to stats and numbers, we can perceive what’s on-screen as who they really are. And just as one may think and feel a bit different when they put a face and story to the numbers of the homeless population, I think we can also come to approach the “celebrity” of actors and actresses in a different way if given the opportunity. We can encounter them more deeply in their story, through their humanity, just as God did when he became human, like us, in the person of Jesus.