If you are part of a culture or religion that differs from the perceived norm, it is always of interest to see how this facet of your life is represented by celebrities. In America, celebrities are our brightest beacons, our most visible citizens, and it is no wonder that there is a great deal of attention paid to how they express themselves religiously. When it comes to the Jewish faith, it is always interesting to see how our celebrities choose to display this part of themselves to their public, and it is important to ask ourselves how this reflects not only on our faith, but also on the weight that we give fame and celebrity in our culture.
One interesting example of this phenomenon contrasts the way that the British press and the American press might differ when it comes to the portrayal of religion. Daniel Radcliffe, the 17 year old English actor who stars as the title character in the Harry Potter movies, recently revealed that he was of “half-Jewish blood,” a phrasing that is more common in the UK for people who have Jewish parentage. It was mentioned that typically, British actors and the British press do not speak much about religion and that this statement from Radcliffe was in response to a general question regarding the quality of darkness in his recent movies and whether he was a religious person.
Compare Radcliffe’s taciturn response with Shia Lebeouf, an up and coming young star in Hollywood who recently contributed an essay to the book I Am Jewish, a collection of statements made by famous Jews who were inspired by the last words of Daniel Pearl, who was killed in Iraq. Leboef states bluntly that he is not a Jew who attends Shabbat every Friday, but that he has a personal relationship with God, one that works within the confines Judaism. Along with this statement, he states that his heritage is a cause for pride.
These are just two examples of the way that Jewish celebrities can represent themselves to the media. In some ways, it seems to boil down to a matter of definition. It is easy when people only carry one label, whether that is Jewish, or actor, or musician. When you start combining them, there is a certain amount of dissonance that occurs, something that can cause some confusion among the people who are watching, and when you are perceived to be a celebrity in America, there are a lot of people watching!
One example of this dissonance can be seen at the singer Christina Aguilera’s wedding, which was an interesting representation of faith. Her bridegroom, Jordan Bratman, was wearing traditional attire and the flowered structure behind the couple at the ceremony was the traditional chuppah. This was confusing to many onlookers, who commented that it was tacky and overdone. Others stated that it was traditional, and still others stated that it was traditional and tacky at the same time. As Aguilera is expecting a baby soon, there have been several comments regarding whether or not the baby, if male, will be having a traditional bris, something which has been a source of curiosity for some sources.
Similarly, Darryl Hannah, although she has not formally converted, has stated that she considers herself to be Jewish. Her mother’s second husband was Jewish and she grew up in an environment that we might consider to be culturally representative. Hannah worked on an Israeli kibbutz as a teenager and as an adult, she has contributed to Nina Amir’s book of Jewish recipes by Jewish celebrities. Ten percent of the book’s profits will go to Mazon, a Jewish hunger organization, and the recipe that Hannah contributed for matzah brei is said to be quite good.
One thing that celebrities do just by virtue of being who they are and what they do is draw attention and visibility to things that the public might be unaware of. One example of this is Matt Lauer’s interview with Julia Roberts. When asked about her Christmas, she stated that she was Jewish. There are a few different ways to interpret this incident. Some of us are wondering why Lauer, who is known to be an excellent newsman, would not know this about an extremely important actress before he asked her the question. Others might be annoyed at the general assumption on Lauer’s part that Roberts must have been Christian. Still others are pleased that Judaism and Jewish culture got a little bit of representation in such a well-regarded forum and hope that it would instill a bit of curiosity and dispel some of the otherness of Jewish faith to people who are not a part of it.
Then of course, you’ll find problematic incidents, like that of rock star Pink regarding Mel Gibson’s famous anti-semitic remarks. Pink has repeatedly claimed that she follows no faith and often mentions that her mother is Jewish and her father is Catholic. When asked about the comments that Gibson had made, though, her response was to basically exonerate Gibson, saying that people who felt that way need well-wishing, and that she was Jewish. How should we feel about celebrities who only bring up their religion when it is advantageous to do so, or to back up viewpoints that heretofore have had no religious background?
The question of identity when it comes to celebrity is always a difficult one, and when you add religious identity to the mix, it can grow exponentially more complex. There is a lot to think about with regards to these questions, and even if no easy conclusion can be reached, it is still important to consider them.
