Ryan Phillippe Reconnects With His Christian Faith After Filming "Prey"

Phillippe, 49, known for his roles in films such as Cruel Intentions and I Know What You Did Last Summer, took on a different kind of challenge when he signed on to portray a character in "Prey."

Starring Phillippe as well as Emile Hirsch and Mena Suvari, the movie is about "a young couple must flee their missionary post in the Kalahari Desert after their lives are threatened by an extremist militant group. When their aircraft crashes in an animal preserve, they must battle man and beast in a fight for their lives."

Phillippe shares two children (Ava and Deacon) with his ex-wife Reese Witherspoon. He met Witherspoon at her 21st birthday party, and the pair has maintained a friendly relationship since their divorce in 2008.

"It is so important as divorced parents to keep that connection," he told Ellen DeGeneres in 2010. "It makes the kids feel better that the parents are interacting. We go to all the school events together, and we're there for each other."

When Phillippe was named PEOPLE's 2021 Sexiest Man Alive issue, he joked about Ava and Deacon that, "They're both better looking than me, thankfully. They obviously have a very pretty mom. Deacon and I connect very heavily in regard to music. He's like my best friend, and Ava is very much my personality. They're very self-possessed, conscientious people who care about the world, who treat people with respect, and take care of themselves. I think that's also something that you model as a parent."

He also shares a daughter (Kai) with ex-girlfriend Alexis Knapp.

A Surprising Journey

Aside from his fair share of heartbreak, Phillippe has also shared some of his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, which is one of the reasons why his role in Prey led him on a personal journey of self-discovery and renewed faith. "I was kind of in a darker place while shooting the movie," he recently shared in an interview, reflecting on the experience. It was right after filming it where I went on this spiritual journey where I started going really deep inside." This introspection led him to reevaluate his beliefs and reconnect with his faith in a profound way.

"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," he went on. "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."

"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."

For Phillippe, that "more" was a relationship and understanding with God. Through prayer and studying the Bible and other religious texts, he found fulfillment beyond the trappings of Hollywood success.

"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, 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."

Phillippe isn't the only celebrity who's openly talking about his faith. He joins a growing list of public figures who have shared candidly about their beliefs, like Kat Von D, Shia Lebeouf (also inspired by a movie role), former atheist Russell Brand, and Conor McGregor.

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