Ryan Phillippe, known for his role in Cruel Intentions, recently opened up about what brings him peace.
In a conversation with Fox News Digital, Ryan Phillippe shared insights into what brings him a sense of tranquility in life.
The actor emphasized the significance of his faith, describing it as “incredibly” important, with its significance growing daily. He elaborated on undergoing a “spiritual journey” following the completion of his latest film, Prey.
Prey follows the story of a young couple forced to flee their Christian mission in the Kalahari Desert due to threats from an extremist militant group. After a crash landing, they find themselves battling both human adversaries and the wild environment, as depicted on IMDb.
Phillippe explained, “I have a firm and fervent belief in God and that things happen for a reason and that we should put positive energies out into the world and treat people with respect and spread as much love and light as we can to offset the darkness that we see around us everywhere.”
He added, “I spent a lot of time in prayer and studying things of that nature I find very fulfilling. I feel like it’s the most important thing that you could spend your time thinking about or learning about or trying to understand. So it’s become a very, very important part of my life.”
The actor claims he was “kind of in a darker place”
Ryan Phillippe revealed that he struggled with his inner state during the filming of a movie, describing it as a “darker place.” Reflecting on this period, he shared, “It was right after filming it where I went on this spiritual journey where I started going really deep inside.”
During this introspective journey, Phillippe found solace in exploring spirituality. He turned to reading the Bible and various religious texts, searching for meaning beyond conventional sources of fulfillment such as success and wealth. “You get to a point in life, a certain age, and the things that you thought would bring you pleasure or make you feel satisfied – these would be success or money – and it doesn’t. It doesn’t,” he asserted.
“And so you look for more,” the father of three shared. “And I’m so thankful for what I’ve been given and for the experiences that I’ve had and for my children and everything else. But I wanted to have a relationship and understanding with God, and I was craving that.”
He went on, “And I’ve got to tell you, since I started that journey, I have not been more at peace. My depression is gone. I shedded addictions so I’m a big proponent for people going inward and trying to understand those aspects of life.”
Faith, family, and finding his place in Hollywood
Ryan Phillippe, known for his portrayal of the scandalous Sebastian Valmont in the 1999 cult classic Cruel Intentions, recently reflected on his upbringing and its intersection with his acting career.
During a 2020 appearance on Barstool Sports’ KFC Radio, Phillippe opened up about his religious upbringing and the challenges he faced. Recalling his parents’ reaction to his roles, he shared, “I thought my parents were going to disown me.” Raised in a religious household by Richard and Susan Phillippe, he explained the strain caused by his early career choices, particularly his portrayal of a gay teenager, Billy Douglas, on One Life to Live from 1992 to 1993.
Having attended Baptist and Christian schools, Phillippe described feeling ostracized after his first acting role. “My first role ever… I played the first gay character on a soap opera, first gay teenager ever,” he recounted. “I was shunned at that point, so they were already out of the picture.”
Reflecting on the clash between his career and his religious background, he added, “This was 1992, and I was playing a gay teenager and I was in a Christian school. They weren’t happy about it.”