People want more accurate depictions of faith on screen. Why can’t the entertainment industry get it right?

A new study on faith and entertainment provides a roadmap for giving viewers the faith-infused content they want

By Mariya Manzhos

LOS ANGELES — Viewers in the U.S. and across the globe want to see more accurate and diverse portrayals of faith and religion in television and movies, according to a new global study that looked at faith in the entertainment industry.

The Global Faith and Entertainment Study, conducted by HarrisX in partnership with the Faith & Media Initiative, revealed that more than half of viewers across the world believe the industry perpetuates stereotypes about religion, sensationalizing religious identity and often resorting to inaccurate tropes and tired storylines. And 80% of viewers would like to see an improvement in how stories about faith are told: They’d welcome fresh and diverse narratives when it comes to depictions of faith.

“I believe and I know that we are spiritual beings having a human experience,” said Rainn Wilson, an actor, producer and author of “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.” “So why does the storytelling oftentimes not reflect this reality?”

Wilson was among leaders in the entertainment industry who spoke today at the “Spirituality and Faith in Entertainment” breakfast at The London hotel. The event was hosted by Variety and presented by the Faith & Media Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring more accurate and balanced representation of all faiths in entertainment and news, and which is part of Deseret Management Corporation.

Participants reflected on the need for more accurate and diverse faith-infused storylines and the growing openness within the industry toward spiritually inclusive content.

“The growth of this market cannot be denied,” said Cynthia Littleton, the co-editor-in-chief at Variety. “The evolution of the content has been significant in the last few years as the content business has been on steroids, and I think everybody in this room knows the market is wide and the demand is vast.”

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2024/2/13/24070920/faith-movies-tv-stereotypes-hollywood-rainn-wilson-roma-downey