‘Blessed’: Comedian and Actor Russell Brand Gets Baptized at River Thames

April 30, 2024

Months after expressing an interest in Christianity, comedian and actor Russell Brand was baptized on Sunday. Christian Headlines reports that the actor revealed that his baptism took place at River Thames in Southern England.

In a video posted on Monday, Brand described what he called “an incredible, profound experience.” Brand stated:

“Many aspects of it were very intimate and personal. The truth is this: as a person who has, in the past, taken many, many substances and always been disappointed with their inability to deliver the kind of tranquility and peace and even transcendence that I’ve always felt I’ve been looking for… something occurred in the process of baptism that was incredible; overwhelming.”

Brand had been hinting at an exploration of Christianity for several months and, according to the Christian Post, had shared a video in March asking his followers for their opinions on baptisms.

Brand had faced allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to the peak of his movie career between 2006 and 2013. Brand maintains that those relationships were consensual, though part of a wider pattern of inappropriate behavior.

In an interview with Tucker Carlson last year, Brand had said:

“Like many desperate people, I need spirituality. I need God, or I cannot cope in this world. I need to believe in the best in people. [I] didn’t have enough self-discipline to resist the allure of stardom and fell face-first into the glitter, and I’m only just pulling myself out now.”

Photo: top, Getty Images/Amy Sussman / Staff Source