Hollywood’s portrayal of the Catholic Church has long been a point of contention for faithful Catholics, who often see their beliefs and institutions unfairly caricatured on the silver screen.
From sensationalized conspiracies to depictions of clergy as corrupt or hypocritical, a pattern of anti-Catholic bias has been seen in numerous films, raising questions about artistic intent, cultural trends, and the responsibility of storytellers to portray faith accurately.
While some argue these portrayals are mere fiction meant to entertain, the consistent negative framing of Catholicism risks perpetuating stereotypes and undermining the Church’s mission in a world that has some skepticism of organized religion.
As Catholics, we are called to respond with charity and clarity, advocating for fairer representations while engaging constructively with the culture around us.
To that end, CatholicVote has taken up the mantle to defend the faith from the slings and arrows coming from Hollywood. In its latest campaign, CatholicVote has launched an email project in response to the latest assault on Catholicism.
In the Apple TV+ series “Your Friends & Neighbors,” a man and woman break into what appears to be a Catholic church. Once inside, they open the tabernacle, remove a ciborium filled with consecrated Eucharistic hosts, and begin snacking on the hosts like crackers, further desecrating the Blessed Sacrament by dipping the hosts in jam.
The email campaign,which has been active for less than a week, has generated over 423,000 interactions:
According to Joshua Mercer, vice president of CatholicVote, “We are not policing every transgression against Catholics, but this crosses the line with no artistic value. … It’s blasphemy.”
The growing evidence of Hollywood’s bias is striking when one examines recent films.
“Conclave,” released last year, drew ire for its portrayal of a scandal-ridden papal election, with critics like podcaster Megyn Kelly calling it “disgusting” for mocking the Church’s sanctity. The inclusion of an intersex cardinal being selected as pope has been particularly contentious and seen as undermining Church teachings on the all-male priesthood.
Other unhonorable mentions of popular Hollywood scripts include “The Da Vinci Code” and “The Godfather Part III.” When Hollywood consistently portrays it as oppressive or hypocritical, it risks shaping public perception, particularly among those unfamiliar with the faith.
In 2023, a Pew Research study found only 43% of Americans viewed the Catholic Church favorably, a decline partly attributed to media portrayals.
Such depictions can alienate Catholics, especially young people, who may internalize these stereotypes as reflective of their faith. Moreover, they contribute to a broader cultural narrative that dismisses religion as outdated or harmful, undermining the Church’s ability to evangelize in a secular world.
Catholics, for the most part, as a group, have not taken action to defend the faith. Hollywood has never had to deal with boycotts or demonstrations due to their negative portrayals of Catholicism. Perhaps CatholicVote can provide a unifying platform for Catholics to find the tools and methods for combating negative portrayals of Catholics.