Kelsey Grammer reflected on refusing to “apologize” for his faith.
In a recent interview, the 68-year-old actor, who was raised a Christian Scientist and plays a pastor in the new faith-based film “Jesus Revolution,” opened up about how his relationship with religion has evolved throughout his life.
“I’ve had hiccups,” the “Frasier” star admitted to USA Today. “I’ve had some tragic times.”
He continued, “I have wrestled with those and worked my way through them: sometimes rejecting faith, sometimes rejecting God even, in a period of being pretty angry about it, like, ‘Where were you?’ That kind of thing.”
Kelsey Grammer said his faith is “not anything I’ll apologize for.” (Donald Kravitz/Getty Images)
‘FRASIER’ STAR KELSEY GRAMMER SAYS RELIGION GUIDES HIS CAREER
“But I have come to terms with it and have found great peace in my faith and in Jesus. It’s not cavalier – Jesus made a difference in my life. That’s not anything I’ll apologize for.”
In “Jesus Revolution,” Grammer portrays Pastor Chuck Smith, a minister who befriends hippie street preacher Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie) in the early 1970s. Smith invites Frisbee and his followers into his traditional Southern California church to the dismay of his aging congregation. Together they lead a spiritual movement that attracts thousands of new followers, including future Evangelical pastor and author Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney).
“Jesus Revolution” was a surprise hit at the box office, more than doubling industry estimations when it premiered last weekend. The Lionsgate Christian drama was forecasted to earn around $6 or $7 million in ticket sales but raked in more than $15 million and placed third overall.
Grammer plays Pastor Chuck Smith in “Jesus Revolution.” (Dan Anderson)
Ahead of “Jesus Revolution’s” debut, Grammer spoke with Fox News Digital about the film and the strong connection that he felt to the story and his character.
“It strikes me, you know, I probably have been preparing for [this role] all my life, honestly,” the five-time Emmy Award winner said. “It was a pretty seamless transition into playing Chuck.
“I’m kind of a Bible guy. I’ve been reading the Bible all my life. I turn to it for prayer, for reflection, for information, and I just always have. It’s just always been sort of at my fingertips throughout my life, ever since I was a boy.”
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Jonathan Roumie plays hippie preacher Lonnie Frisbee, who is befriended by Smith and brought into his parish. (Dan Anderson)
“I lived it. I lived in that same time,” Grammer said. “I lived throughout that period in the ’70s and stuff and what he accomplished. I saw on some of the faces that I met in my life. I didn’t know it was, you know, his footsteps, but I was walking alongside him in many things. When this role came along, it was just … slipping into a nice suit.”
Grammer also expressed that he hoped audiences would take away a few messages from the movie.
“There might be something to it, might be something to this movement that happened then, and maybe it’s worthwhile to think about … the way we’re positioned in terms of faith and society,” he said. “A great society can embrace a great faith, and probably enhance both. That’s what I’d like to see happen.”
Over the years, Grammer has endured many difficult times that have tested his faith. When the actor was 13, his father was shot and killed by a man trespassing on his property in St. Thomas. Seven years later, his younger sister, Karen, was kidnapped and brutally murdered. One of her convicted murderers is still on death row in Colorado.
Kelsey’s half brothers, Billy and Stephen, died five years later while scuba diving in a suspected shark attack. Grammer also struggled for years with alcohol and drug addictions.
“Well, honestly, there were times when I lost it. I mean, there were times when I didn’t hold up so well,” he admitted.
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“I’m writing a book about that right now, about my sister and how to sort of navigate that kind of shock in your life, that kind of horror … that so many encounter, and they lose their faith and don’t know what to do and to climb back out is very hard.”
He shared that he is writing the book to “help people” with words of comfort and offer “insight into my own personal life.”
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Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright and Nikolaus Lanum contributed to this report.
