Fox News finds itself at the centre of a Hollywood controversy after several high-profile actors discovered their voices are being used in a new Christian podcast without their knowledge or consent.
Unexpected Announcement Causes Confusion
The network recently announced The Life of Jesus Christ Podcast, a 52-episode series featuring an all-star cast including Kristen Bell as Mary Magdalene and Brian Cox as the Voice of God. However, representatives for multiple actors have revealed that their clients were completely unaware of the project's existence until the announcement was made public.
According to statements provided to Rolling Stone, Kristen Bell's team learned about the podcast just one day before the official announcement when they received an invitation for her to appear on Fox & Friends. Her representatives confirmed that the audio recordings were made fifteen years ago for a different project called The Truth and Life Dramatized Audio Bible, released in 2010.
Widespread Shock Among Cast Members
The confusion extends beyond Bell, with Brian Cox's representative stating the actor only became aware of the podcast when news broke about Bell's situation. "Brian recorded audio for a project over a decade ago," the statement read. "He was unaware that the audio would be repurposed for a new podcast series in 2025."
Malcolm McDowell's team expressed similar surprise, confirming they "found out about it when everyone else did. We were never consulted, nothing was renegotiated, and we would not have approved." John Rhys-Davies, who serves as narrator, also learned about the "repurposed" project earlier this week.
The situation becomes more complicated considering some actors' previous criticism of Fox News. Brian Cox has previously referred to the rightwing network as "the devil," making his involvement particularly ironic.
Fox News Defends Podcast Launch
Fox News acquired the audio through a licensing deal with Gulfstream Studios and maintains that everything is above board. A network spokesperson told Rolling Stone that the podcast was produced "with full cooperation and participation by all the actors involved."
However, internal communications obtained by Rolling Stone reveal a producer requested that a cast member "not mention that this audio New Testament Bible was produced years ago, we'd like it to feel like something that was produced more recently."
The podcast represents part of Fox News Media's larger push into Christian-themed programming through its Fox Nation subscription service. Jason Klarman, the chief digital and marketing officer at Fox News Media, told Variety that "there is an insatiable appetite among a very passionate audience that is underserved."
The Life of Jesus Christ Podcast is scheduled to launch on 30th November, with 13-episode instalments released throughout the Christian calendar year. The timing coincides with Advent, Christmas week, Lent and Palm Sunday.
