Stranger Things’ Caleb McLaughlin deleted Instagram to spend the summer getting closer to God

He said that he has “always felt a connection with God in my spirit," but sometimes life gets in the way of actions such as praying. “But then you have those moments like, ‘wait, I need to pray and talk to God, sit down and like, ground yourself.’ I did that a lot this summer, and I went to church a lot with my family, and I deleted Instagram and got off social media and just started grounding myself a little bit more and talking to God more,” he said. “It’s been really replenishing.”

https://twitter.com/libbyemmons/status/2087269136204218728?s=20

McLaughlin has not been shy about his faith in the past and told Essence in 2022 that he viewed his acting through a faith-themed lens.

“I feel like it’s my calling,” he said. “God has called me to do this thing called acting and the performing arts. I never wanted to do it — it just happened. I love it more than anything now.”

McLaughlin said that while his father is a church leader, he always allowed McLaughlin to find his faith for himself and that now he has a personal relationship with God.

“My dad is a reverend. But he never forced religion or church or God on me,” he said. “He’d ask if we wanted to go, but if we didn’t, he wouldn’t push it. I kind of found my own relationship with God.”

“It’s just always been a part of me, but it’s always a different level to me [now],” he said. “Because I feel like sometimes you live your life, and you kind of get into the world a little bit, and then you kind of stop praying sometimes, and you’re like, ‘All right, I’m praying before I go to sleep. All right, great.’ But then you have those moments like, wait, I need to pray and talk to God and ground [myself].”

Other actors have also spoken publicly about how their Christian faith has shaped their careers. Chris Pratt has frequently discussed his relationship with God and credited his faith with helping guide his life and work. Denzel Washington has similarly been open about the importance of prayer and Christianity, often describing faith as a central part of his life. Mark Wahlberg, meanwhile, has been vocal about his Catholic faith and regularly incorporates prayer into his daily routine.

https://rumble.com/embed/v7btq3s/?pub=2n05b