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Even Hollywood's brightest stars aren't immune to the allure or dangers of controversial groups. Join us as we delve into the surprising connections between popular figures and organizations widely described as cults. From those born into them to others who joined later in life, these stories shed light on how fame and vulnerability can intersect with intense spiritual or social movements, revealing a darker side to the glittering world of celebrity.
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00:00I just want you guys to know that you're now involved in a spiritual organization with this
00:04guy. Welcome to Ms. Mojo. And today we're looking at 20 famous celebrities who have a history with
00:10cults. In fact, my cousin Dennis wanted us all to join Manson's family. The Scientologists. So
00:18when people say Tom doesn't leave because they have information on him or John, that's not the
00:23reason. The amount of power they receive from this church is like nothing in Hollywood. It is like
00:31nothing. There is no reason for them to leave this environment. This whole list could be populated
00:37just with Scientologists. So let's just clump them all together for the sake of variety. Founded in
00:44the 1950s by a science fiction writer, the Church of Scientology has long been described as such by
00:50its critics and the people who have escaped it. The Church has its claws firmly implanted within
00:56the Hollywood system, attracting a slew of popular household names. John Travolta, Michael Pena, Laura
01:03Prepon, Danny Masterson, Jason Lee, Juliette Lewis, Elizabeth Moss, all have identified themselves as
01:11Scientologists at one point or another. And that's just a fraction of the very long list. And of course,
01:17we'd be remiss not to mention Tom Cruise, the most famous and outspoken Scientologist of them all.
01:24Is Tom Cruise a true believer? I feel that he is a true believer.
01:31Keira McGuire. Obviously, you know, in the media, they've spoken about your cult upbringing.
01:39A popular reality star, Keira McGuire made her name on the Bachelor franchise in the late 2010s,
01:45and she has quite the fascinating backstory. McGuire was born into an Australian polygamist cult called
01:51the Seaside Sect, which was led by her father, Alista Laishkatov. He styled himself as a messianic
01:59figure and believed that he was Jesus, marrying nine women and fathering over 60 children,
02:05according to various sources. Luckily, McGuire's mother eventually removed her from that environment
02:11when she was a child, and she was subsequently raised by her mother and grandmother in Brisbane.
02:16She has since stated that she has no relationship with her father and remains estranged from him.
02:22Look, initially, I was a little bit like, overwhelmed, and it was very confronting for me. But I just kind
02:27of like, I don't know, I've come to terms of, you know, how this industry is. And I feel like for me,
02:33I'm quite resilient. So I'm fine. And I'm really happy. I feel like there's nothing you can do or say
02:39about me now that will actually upset me. Sharon Gans.
02:42And you know what? I'm gonna lose weight just for you, Billy. See, before, I needed a reason,
02:51and now, I have one. While she was never a huge name, Sharon Gans found a modicum of success in 1972,
03:01playing Valencia Merble Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse-Five. The movie was a huge critical success,
03:07even winning the jury prize at Cannes. But just as her career was taking off,
03:12Gans became deeply involved in the teachings of The Fourth Way, a spiritual system developed by the
03:18Russian mystic G.I. Gerjev. Alongside her husband, Alex Horn, Gans ran a number of schools teaching
03:25something called The Work. Unfortunately, these schools were widely criticized for their cult-like
03:30behavior, including intense secrecy, isolation, and psychological manipulation. Journalistic
03:37exposés and survivor accounts have painted a consistent picture of the group as cult-like,
03:43but Gans maintained a strong following until her death in 2021.
03:47That's wonderful. I'm gonna lose weight. Oh, I'm really gonna lose weight, Billy. I love you.
03:54Dennis Wilson. Wait, Spahn Movie Ranch? Yeah. That's where you're going, Spahn Movie Ranch?
04:01Uh-huh. Well, why are you going there? I live there. Alone? No. Me and my friends.
04:10You'd be surprised at how many people knew Charles Manson back in the day. In the late 1960s,
04:16Manson was an aspiring musician and was attempting to break into the Los Angeles music scene.
04:21Enter Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. He befriended the famous cult leader after picking up two
04:26hitchhiking members of the family, and he became captivated by Manson's charisma and musical ambition.
04:33He allowed Manson and several followers to live in his Sunset Boulevard home,
04:37and he even recorded one of his songs, retitled Never Learn Not to Love. But over time,
04:43Wilson grew disillusioned with Manson's increasingly erratic behavior, and fearing for his safety,
04:49Wilson severed ties and abandoned his house to escape the family.
04:54For the Beach Boys, a low point for the group, I have to say that my cousin Dennis's choice in
05:02roommates, meaning Charlie Manson, that was rough.
05:07Bethany Joy Lenz.
05:08You write about in the book how while you were filming,
05:10the leaders of this cult that you were a part of told you not to trust your co-stars and to
05:18essentially stay away from them.
05:20Yeah.
05:21Best known for playing Haley on One Tree Hill,
05:23Bethany Joy Lenz has spoken openly about her decade-long experience in a cult,
05:28something she kept private during her acting career.
05:31Lenz joined a Christian cult called the Big House Family after moving to LA,
05:36describing it as a seemingly innocent Bible study group. However, the group eventually shifted
05:41into something far more malicious, becoming highly manipulative, isolating, and controlling.
05:48Lenz was also indoctrinated during her time on One Tree Hill, partly alienating her from her
05:53castmates, many of whom continuously told her to leave the group. She also claims to have lost
05:59roughly $2 million to the cult, which was a significant chunk of her One Tree Hill earnings.
06:05To leave all my friends that I had known for the last 10 years, to leave my marriage,
06:10to leave the state all at the same time, and just me and my baby in Hollywood, like,
06:18hire me, anyone? Not knowing how I was going to make rent, because all the money was gone.
06:23Andrew Keegan.
06:24We have a creed. We do believe that everything is an expression of the creator,
06:29and that we, coming together, create our own destiny, our own path.
06:34Following a successful run on television, Andrew Keegan turned to film and found a great role as
06:40Joey in 10 Things I Hate About You. And after that, he turned to cult leadership, allegedly.
06:47In 2014, Keegan founded a religious movement called Full Circle, which he described as a,
06:53quote, non-denominational spiritual community, where people, quote, come together to meditate,
06:59practice yoga, and engage artistically. Other people called it a cult. Whatever it was,
07:04the group didn't last long, with its main center closing in 2017 after facing financial difficulties.
07:11Keegan continues to defend Full Circle, claiming on the podcast, Pod Meets World,
07:16that the media has spun the story out of proportion.
07:19If you do things from a place of love, you will feel good, and it's an energy exchange. It's being
07:24one with the environment, one with each other.
07:27Christopher Owens.
07:28When I moved to the U.S., it was 1996, and this was my introduction to all music. And I had no friends,
07:36not even one.
07:37Art is often born from pain. Take a look at Christopher Owens, a musician who found success both as a solo
07:44artist and as a member of the indie group Girls. Owens was raised in a famous cult called Children
07:50of God, which is known for targeting minors. Owens' infant brother died of pneumonia before
07:55Christopher was born, as his parents failed to seek medical intervention. While he was mostly raised
08:01on religious music, Owens was introduced to famous bands through the movies he watched,
08:06and he quickly developed an interest in harder rock. He ran away from the cult when he was 16,
08:12joining his sister in Texas, and learning how the outside world operated by busking on the streets.
08:18The first friends that I made were listening to, like, hardcore punk rock. So I naturally
08:25discovered a lot of that through them.
08:28Jeremy Spencer.
08:29Travel in the distant land. I really enjoy the day.
08:36Many celebrities were born into children of God. Very few joined as adults.
08:41But Jeremy Spencer did. Spencer was a member of Fleetwood Mac in the late 60s and early 70s,
08:47playing both slide guitar and piano. But in February of 1971, the band was on tour in Los Angeles when
08:55Spencer stepped out to get a magazine. He never returned, and the band later discovered that he had
09:00joined the Children of God. And just like that, he was out of the band, having chosen a new direction
09:06in life. He has expressed regret about how he abandoned his bandmates, but not about joining
09:11the cult. He is still a practicing member to this day, and many survivors have accused him of sexual assault.
09:18For your love, can I ever get enough of your love?
09:25Marilyn Monroe.
09:26Before she was the Marilyn Monroe, Norma Jean Mortensen was just another girl from West L.A.
09:38Her mother, Gladys, had been raised in a Christian science household, and some of that background
09:43filtered into Marilyn's early years and development. But when Gladys was institutionalized,
09:49Marilyn was sent to live with Anna Lauer, or Aunt Anna, as she was known, who was a devout
09:55Christian scientist. The group does not believe in doctors, and Aunt Anna worked as a healing
10:00practitioner within the movement. Despite the upbringing, Monroe eventually left the group while
10:06making it in Hollywood, seeking spirituality through other outlets.
10:10Let me just go put something on. I'll go into the kitchen and get dressed.
10:14The kitchen?
10:16Yes, when it's hot like this. You know what I do? I keep my undies in the icebox.
10:20Neil Young.
10:21But I hate them worse than leopards.
10:24And I'll kill them in the car.
10:27We told you you'd be surprised at how many people knew Charles Manson. Manson met several
10:33notable musicians through his personal connection to Dennis Wilson, including Neil Young, who at the
10:38time was known for being a member of Buffalo Springfield. Young reportedly saw Manson play
10:43and thought he had talent. And he even suggested to music executive Mo Austin that they consider
10:49Manson for a recording contract. But nothing came of it. But Young distanced himself from Manson after the
10:56infamous murders, describing him as a talented, albeit dark and troubled man. The association remains a
11:02minor footnote in Young's career, but it illustrates how closely the counterculture briefly intersected with
11:08the famous killer. You know, there are quotes in the book from the era of people who just were singing his
11:13praises left and right. I mean, Neil Young just talked about him like he was, you know, the greatest
11:19thing since sliced bread.
11:20Jaden Smith.
11:22I give you the orgone accumulator. Captures the vibratory atmospheric atoms of the life principle.
11:31Folks get cancer because they run out of orgone.
11:34Energy of the mind and body are at the center of the cult of orgone.
11:38Jaden Smith is one of a number of celebrities with an interest in this idea, which was first introduced
11:43back in the 1930s by Austrian physician Wilhelm Reich. The approach of young people like Jaden,
11:49his sister Willow and Kylie Jenner in orgone seems to be purely focused on the vibes, energy
11:55and libido of its source material. Still, Will and Jada's little boy has been known to wax
12:00faux philosophical on conspiracy theories. So who knows if orgone's more esoteric schools
12:05of thought are far behind?
12:07Don't ever let somebody tell you, you can't do something. Not even me.
12:16All right?
12:18All right.
12:19James Hetfield.
12:26Contrary to popular belief, not all heavy metal lyrics have roots in hellfire, brimstone,
12:31or the devil. In fact, many metal bands utilize their aggressive music to touch upon serious
12:36personal issues in their life. One such musician was Metallica's James Hetfield, who channeled his
12:42youthful anger and bitterness towards his parents into lyrics for songs such as the intense Dyer's
12:47Eve. Hetfield was born to strict Christian scientists who believed that prayer and faith,
12:53rather than modern medicine, should be used to treat disease and illness. James' mother,
12:57Cynthia, died from cancer when he was still a teenager, and the memory of his loss continued
13:02to inspire the front man for years to come.
13:11Val Kilmer.
13:12I'm your huckleberry.
13:18Why, Johnny Ringo.
13:21You look like somebody just walked over your grave.
13:24Speaking of Christian science, the next celebrity on our list is anything but bitter about his
13:29faith in this controversial religion, even to the point of challenging his own health.
13:34Val Kilmer was a superstar throughout the 1980s and 90s, a handsome and charismatic actor who
13:39delivered consistently impressive performances in films such as Tombstone, Heat, and Willow.
13:45However, Kilmer's strong devotion to Christian science caused him to ignore the initial signs
13:50of throat cancer, including an obvious lump in his throat. He only underwent chemotherapy after his
13:56children begged him to do so, and he lost his voice in the ordeal.
14:01The Navy needs Maverick.
14:06The kid needs Maverick.
14:11That's why I fought for you.
14:15That's why you're still here.
14:18The Arquette family.
14:20Listen up, people.
14:22John brought a guest to supper.
14:25So, um, everyone, this is Eddie.
14:27Eddie, this is everyone.
14:29Nice to meet you.
14:33Alternative living was all the rage back in the 1960s and 70s.
14:37The idea that a commune of like-minded people could make a go of it,
14:40constructing a small society outside the confines of the modern world.
14:45These communes usually attracted hippie types, as well as those seeking to profit from those
14:49same hippies.
14:50Hollywood's Arquette family lived on such a commune back in the early 70s,
14:54a place called Skymont with no running water or utilities.
14:58Patricia Arquette told the Wall Street Journal that she, her parents, and her four siblings
15:02all slept in the same bear cabin room,
15:05living in poverty until eventually making their way back to the city.
15:08Our commune's been monitoring the universe's life energy for like a really long time.
15:14And we're grokking some super weird junk.
15:17Um, I don't mean to be rude, but it's kind of hard to take you seriously when you say junk
15:21like grok and junk.
15:23What about commune?
15:25Especially commune.
15:26R. Kelly.
15:27A new BuzzFeed article is making some bombshell allegations that the singer is holding a Polk
15:32County woman and others in abusive cult-like relationships.
15:37If there's any R&B performer who seems to be a magnet for controversy, it's R. Kelly.
15:43The singer, best known for songs like I Believe I Can Fly and the epic Trapped in the Closet,
15:48has raised eyebrows for the sort of behavior which went on behind closed doors at his various
15:53homes. Accusations of a sex cult atmosphere were levied against Kelly, who was described
15:58as both mentally and physically abusive. Kelly's demands of personal submission and control
16:04have been compared to a Stockholm Syndrome type of situation. And he was said to be in
16:09charge of what the women wore, what they ate, and how they communicated. He is currently serving
16:14a 31-year sentence for sexual abuse.
16:17But we do begin tonight with singer R. Kelly, sentenced to 30 years behind bars after his conviction
16:22on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. Prosecutors accused him of leading a criminal
16:27enterprise of managers, bodyguards, and other employees to recruit and abuse women, underage
16:32girls, and a teenage boy.
16:34Michelle Pfeiffer.
16:35When it comes to food preferences, you've probably heard of a vegetarian, a pescatarian.
16:40How about a breatharian?
16:42It's a story as old as time. A young and optimistic star arrives in Hollywood with all of the hopes
16:48and dreams of becoming a star. So far, so good, right?
16:51But what happens when you make some poor decisions as to the sort of company you keep?
16:55Well, then you might find yourself in a situation such as the one Michelle Pfeiffer told reporters
17:00when she was promoting for her 2013 film, The Family. Pfeiffer revealed that she fell in
17:04with a niche cult run by two personal trainers early on in her career. It was called breatharianism
17:10and stated that food and water were unnecessary to sustain life. Right.
17:15The idea here is not to weigh yourself down with food so you can fill yourself with breath
17:21and life.
17:22Rose McGowan.
17:23What were its cult-like characteristics?
17:25Various things that made no sense to me at all. Like, sit on your bed and learn how to snap
17:30your fingers all day so God will teach you to drive and you're 16. I'm like...
17:33That was something you had to do?
17:34For like eight hours, I just snapped my stupid fingers and I was like, this is absurd.
17:38We return to the Children of God for the story of Rose McGowan.
17:42Rose McGowan grew up as a member of this religious cult, which first gained prominence back in
17:47the 1960s. Rose's father ran a chapter of the organization in Italy, a communesque existence which
17:53was noted by its acceptance of polygamy, as well as its sexual grooming of young girls for service to
17:58the men. McGowan and her father did eventually escape from the Children of God, but the organization
18:03still exists today under the moniker of the Family International.
18:07So this was in Italy?
18:08This was in Italy, in a gated commune, if you will. So I didn't really have interaction for
18:15most of my life until I got sent to America with other people that were not in this group.
18:21Alison Mack.
18:22Ahead of sentencing, former Smallville actress Alison Mack apologized and called her time in
18:26NXIVM, quote, the biggest mistake and regret of my life, saying, quote, I devoted my loyalty,
18:31my resources, and ultimately, my life to him.
18:34If you were looking for proof that not every cult was born from the psychedelic 60s and 70s,
18:39then look no further than our next troubling entry.
18:42One-time Smallville actress Alison Mack was one of a number of performers, alongside her
18:47co-star Kristen Kruk and Grace Park of Battlestar Galactica, to be connected with a disturbing
18:53cult known as NXIVM. Mack was arrested in 2018 on charges of sex trafficking for the organization,
18:59recruiting young women for the cult's founder, Keith Raniere. Mack was even accused of branding
19:05some women during initiation ceremonies for NXIVM, as well as blackmailing them into cooperating
19:11with the cult's wishes.
19:12What was your first reaction when you heard about the three-year sentence?
19:17Just disbelief, initially. It was just so surreal that it was actually happening. It's been
19:23such a long time happening, and it really just was sort of shocking.
19:28Glenn Close.
19:29People know the story, but your family was in a religious organization. Many people would
19:35call it a cult called the Moral Rearmament, and your parents at a delicate time in their
19:40own lives joined it and were taken away from the kids, and the kids kind of were scattered
19:45to the wind.
19:46Glenn Close made no bones about her bitterness towards her experience as a young child living
19:51under the watch of a cult known as the MRA, or Moral Rearmament. Glenn's father moved
19:56the family to Switzerland when the actress was seven, and they lived there in commune-like
20:00conditions for 15 years. Close's entire life and behavior was reportedly under the scrutiny
20:05of the MRA. Yet, she told the New York Times in 2017 that it was the trials of this behavior
20:10which gave her the strength and the skills to become an actress.
20:14How did that inform you? Or how do you think that informed you today?
20:20Um, it was incredibly destructive for all of us.
20:26Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
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20:40Joaquin Phoenix
20:43We return one last time to the Children of God, and to perhaps its most famous follower.
21:01Joaquin Phoenix, along with his brother River and other siblings, lived with their parents
21:06under the cult's rules for over a decade. The family traveled together with members of the
21:11cult throughout South America, and Joaquin, for his part, told Playboy magazine that he understood
21:16his parents' desire to commune with other like-minded people. Phoenix went on to add that he felt his
21:21life alongside his parents within the Children of God was rather innocent, although the family
21:25would break ties with the cult and return home to the U.S. in 1978.
21:30Hi, Gary.
21:32Hi.
21:33I'm moving out, Gary.
21:34Bye.
21:35See?
21:36You've upset your brother!
21:38Do you know of any other examples? Let us know in the comments.
21:42They believe in the authentic story that is life.
21:45See you soon!
21:55Hi!
21:57Hi!
21:57So...
21:58Hi!
21:58Hi!
22:00Hi!
22:01Where are you behind me behind me?
22:03Can I ask the whole world where I am?
22:04Hi!
22:05Hi!
22:06Hi!
22:06Hi!
22:08Hi!
22:09Hi!
22:10Hi!
22:10Hi!
22:11Hi!
22:12Hi!
22:13Hi!
22:14Hi!
22:15Hi!
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