Ryan Phillippe has opened up about how his latest film, “Prey”—a gripping action thriller laden with faith-based themes—inspired him to embark on his own spiritual journey.
“It’s interesting because I was kind of in a darker place when we filmed this, and it was right after filming it where I went on this spiritual journey where I started going really deep inside,” Mr. Phillippe said.
“I got back into reading the Bible and various other religious tomes, but I found myself drawn to this notion of spirituality,” the 49-year-old added. “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.”
The actor noted that although he was “so thankful” for his illustrious acting career and his children, he still found himself desiring more in life.
“I wanted to have a relationship and understanding with God, and I was craving that,” he explained.
On a Spiritual Journey
Mr. Phillippe portrays a doctor in his new film, which was written and directed by South African screenwriter Mukunda Michael Dewil. The two previously worked together on the 2022 movie “Collide.”“He was a monk in India for seven years. He’s an author, a novelist, as well as a writer-director,” he continued. “We have some of the best conversations—theological, spiritual, metaphysical conversations—all of which are primary areas of interest for me.”
In “Prey,” Mr. Phillippe stars opposite Mena Suvari, known for “American Pie” and “American Beauty,” who plays his wife and a Christian missionary in the film.
After surviving a plane crash in an African big game reserve, Mr. Phillippe’s character is pitted against the elements—namely ravenous wildlife and an extremist militant group—causing the doctor to undergo a faith metamorphosis similar to the one the actor experienced in real life.
“They’re just good people trying to do a good thing in Africa in these villages and help others. Then something like this befalls them,” he explained, regarding the circumstances he and Ms. Suvari’s respective characters face in the film.
“It makes them question: ‘What’s going on here? Is it worth being good? Who’s looking out for me?’” Mr. Phillippe added, noting that the overarching theme of God’s providence in the film “really appealed” to him.
Mr. Phillippe, who had a religious upbringing, has previously reflected on his parents’ disdain for some of the films he undertook early in his career in the 1990s, including portraying Billy Douglas, a gay teenager, on the soap opera “One Life to Live.”
He also played the manipulative and highly promiscuous character Sebastian Valmont in the 1999 film “Cruel Intentions,” which also starred Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Selma Blair, Tara Reid, and Joshua Jackson.
“My first role ever, though, coming out of the Christian school when I was a senior in high school, I played the first gay character on a soap opera, first gay teenager ever,” he said, noting that he was “shunned at that point” by his parents.
Mr. Phillippe told Fox News Digital that he now has a “firm and fervent belief in God and that things happen for a reason.” And, as he explained to the publication, his faith “grows even more, every day.”
“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 shared.
“I spent a lot of time in prayer and studying things of that nature I find very fulfilling,” the actor 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.”
