Kristen Bell (and a Bunch of Other Celebs) Didn’t Know Their Voices Were Used for Fox News’ Jesus Podcast
Fox News is releasing a 52-episode podcast series, The Life of Jesus, for its Fox Faith vertical. The project features the voices of celebrities like Kristen Bell, Brian Cox, Malcolm McDowell, Neal McDonough, John Rhys-Davies, Julia Ormond, Sean Astin, Michael York, Stacy Keach, and Hill Harper.Reps for several of these stars have revealed that they weren’t aware that their voices were being used for the podcast.Kristen Bell has a new project on the horizon…but she didn’t even know it was happening. This was the case for a bunch of celebs whose names are tied to Fox News’ upcoming podcast, The Life of Jesus, which is dropping later this month as part of their Fox Faith vertical.Per a press release, Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt will introduce the actors, who will play different biblical figures, in each 30-minute episode of the pod. The actors in question? According to Us Weekly, the project will feature Kristen as Mary Magdalene, Malcolm McDowell as Caiaphas, Neal McDonough as Jesus, John Rhys-Davies as the narrator, Brian Cox as God, Julia Ormond as Mother Mary, Sean Astin as Matthew, Michael York as Luke, Stacy Keach as John, and Hill Harper as an angel.As the news dropped, PR representatives for several of the actors featured have denied signing on for the podcast. In an unexpected twist, however, they clarified that the celebs had recorded audio for a different project from 2010 that has since been scrapped.Variety//Getty ImagesKristen BellMondadori Portfolio//Getty ImagesBrian CoxOne of Kristen’s reps told Rolling Stone that she wasn’t aware of The Life of Jesus until she was asked to promote it on November 18, one day before Fox News sent its press release. The rep also confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that she didn’t give permission for the audio to be repurposed.While Malcolm McDowell’s team confirmed he had recorded audio for a different biblical project, Brian Cox’s rep echoed the sentiment of Kristen’s team, telling EW, “We had no knowledge these recordings were being redistributed as a podcast until this week. This was long ago forgotten about.”According to EW, all of the featured actors except for Hill Harper were part of the initial 2010 project, Truth & Life Dramatized Audio Bible, in the same roles. One of Fox News’ spokespeople told the outlet that “Gulfstream Studios produced the Life of Jesus Podcast from The Truth & Life Dramatized Audio Bible, which was licensed by FOX News Audio, with full cooperation and participation by all the actors involved.”Related StoryKristen Bell Didn't Expect Backlash to Anni PostA producer of the podcast also reportedly asked one of the actors to “not mention that this audio New Testament Bible was produced years ago,” because the Fox News team would “like it to feel like something that was produced more recently.”…Okay, then!
