For actor Doug Jones, his faith is not something he hides.
“I had the advantage of growing up in a Christian household,” he told Instagram influencer Dylan Novak, also known as The Celebrity Evangelist. “My parents were both devout Christians, and so when I was about 6, I understood well enough to do the salvation prayer on my own…and I’ve been [a Christian] ever since. Now does that mean I’m perfect ever since? Heck, no! I’m human, I’m flawed. I am a sinner saved by the grace of God alone.”
The actor, who has appeared in projects like THE FANTASTIC FOUR, PAN’S LABYRINTH, THE SHAPE OF WATER and STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, said he is “neither overt nor covert about [my faith].”
“I don’t come into the room going, ‘Hello, everyone, I’m going to evangelize you today on this set’…because that will make people [retreat],” Jones joked. “But on the other hand, I don’t hide it, either. It’s not like, ‘No one can ever know.’ I just live honestly, and if it comes up, I will absolutely be happy to share my faith with someone.”
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He continued, “I lean into the power of God because I can’t get through [life’s hardships] by myself.”
“I don’t hide it, but I don’t try to sell it, either, because selling smells bad,” Jones said, then told fans, “Look at the God who saves me, not at me, because I’m a sinner.”
Jones has previously spoken about how he approaches being a Christian in the entertainment industry, telling Beliefnet, “Honestly, I have never felt shunned or been treated poorly because people found out that I was a Christian.”
“I think that if you’re just honest — if the subject matter comes up, speak about it freely,” he explained. “But if it doesn’t come up then maybe it’s not that time yet. Just be honest with the situation day by day.”
He has also talked about how his faith influences how he approaches projects; for example, HELLBOY.
“On the first HELLBOY, when I was given the script the first day…I’m reading the script called HELLBOY and he’s a demon from Hell. I’m thinking, ‘I have to find a way to respectfully tell Guillermo [del Toro, the movie’s director] I can’t do this movie,’” Jones recalled in an interview with Patheos.
However, Jones explained that he ultimately found that “my faith [was] being nurtured and challenged by this story,” adding, “Anyone who comes from the faith that I come from can relate to it and understand.”
It can be challenging to be a Christian in Hollywood, but Jones is sticking to his faith — and happy to share it with anyone who wants to know more.
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