Ryan Phillippe said working on his latest film helped spur him on a faith journey.
The 49-year-old actor plays a Christian missionary trapped in Africa with hungry lions on the prowl in the upcoming action thriller “Prey.” During an interview with Fox News Digital, Phillippe said that his faith is very important to him and that “it grows even more every day.”
“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,” the “Cruel Intentions” star said.
“I spent a lot of time in prayer and studying things of that nature I find very fulfilling,” Phillippe continued. “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 also mentioned being in a “darker place” during filming. Phillippe said this is what led to him doing self-reflection and eventually going on a “spiritual journey.”
“I got back into reading the Bible and various other religious tomes, but I found myself drawn to this notion of spirituality,” the actor told Fox News. “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.”
“And so you look for more,” he went on. “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.”
“And I’ve got to tell you, since I started that journey…my depression is gone,” Phillippe said. “I shedded addictions so I’m a big proponent for people going inward and trying to understand those aspects of life.”
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Phillippe said the film, released on March 15, was appealing partly because his character questioned his faith.
“I also really dug that there was this spiritual thread through this story, certainly with my character questioning God and questioning the fairness of things and surrendering and getting ultimately to this numb place of just saying, ‘If there is a God, save me.’ If not, I’m going to be eaten by this lion and whatever happens, happens,'” he told the outlet.
He added, “I think a lot of us find ourselves at places in our lives where we question those things, or we challenge those things. And that resonated with me.”