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Faith portrayals in TV, movies appeal across religious and political lines, new survey finds

(RNS) — Researchers studied religion in shows such as “The Pitt,” “Young Sheldon,” “Hacksaw Ridge,” “The West Wing,” “Ramy” and “Nobody Wants This.”
Faith portrayals in TV, movies appeal across religious and political lines, new survey finds
“Nobody Wants This” stars Kristen Bell, left, and Adam Brody. (Photo by Stefania Rosini/Netflix)
Fiona Murphy

(RNS) — Religion portrayed in contemporary American entertainment isn’t turning people away from their screens, but new research suggests it may be a key factor in some television shows’ and movies’ appeal, regardless of people’s religious or political affiliation.

A national survey conducted by HarrisX, a data analytics and market research company, in partnership with the Faith & Media Initiative, explored how audiences react to expressions of faith when they appear in mainstream movies and television, including in shows such as “The Pitt,” “Young Sheldon,” “Hacksaw Ridge,” “The West Wing,” “Ramy” and “Nobody Wants This.”

The survey, released this week, found that 77% of entertainment consumers agreed that faith in TV and movies is broadly appealing, with support consistent across age groups — including Generation Z (79%), millennials (83%), Generation X (78%) and baby boomers (72%) — as well as across political party lines (Republicans 82%, Democrats 75%, independents 73%). 


Brooke Zaugg, executive director of the Faith & Media Initiative since 2021, also pointed to the finding that 92% of consumers said they are open to faith representation in entertainment. “I knew it would be a big number, but that really is almost like 100%,” she said. 

The researchers conducted interviews with 32 “avid” entertainment consumers to identify themes that mattered most, and then studied them nationally in September and November 2025. More than 12,000 participants across ages, religious affiliations and political leanings watched over 100 scenes from 50 films and TV series and evaluated each clip on how entertaining it was, how authentically faith was portrayed and whether it made them more interested in watching the entire program or content like it.

Respondents to the survey came from diverse religious backgrounds and the researchers tested scenes depicting faith traditions including Christianity, Judaism and Islam. 

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Zaugg said the data exposes the appetite American consumers have for faith in their entertainment, a reality that she said has shifted since President Donald Trump took office a second time. “Whether you like the administration we have now or not,” Zaugg said, “people are much more open to talking about belief and faith.”

(Graphic courtesy of Faith & Media Initiative)

The survey’s findings revealed that people who identified as atheists and agnostics were especially affected by scenes portraying faith and cited “deepened connection” to the material after being exposed to these religious scenes. Among atheists and agnostics, before watching the scenes, 53% said they found shows that explore faith and spirituality more appealing than others, which rose to to 58% after watching the scenes. Of that same group, 53% said that, before watching the scenes, shows exploring faith and spirituality are more relatable, which rose to 61% after watching them — another surprise for Zaugg. 

“They were higher than the rest of the survey,” Zaugg said of atheists and agnostics. “They were the most responsive, like the biggest increase in terms of how they felt after watching it.”


And when researchers examined patterns across more than 100 scenes, emotional sincerity emerged as a key driver of audience engagement. Scenes described as emotional, reflective or thought-provoking consistently ranked higher, while those characterized by sarcasm, irony or discomfort were more likely to rank among the lowest-performing portrayals. 

At the same time, scenes portraying complexity and doubt performed nearly as well as overtly positive portrayals in terms of engagement, so long as they avoided stereotyping. More than 9 out of 10 viewers said they are open to humor in the entertainment they watch, but when humor intersected with faith, audience reactions varied significantly depending on whether the humor was deemed respectful or not. 

One of the lowest-performing humorous scenes came from the comedy series “Broad City,” which included a storyline centered on Yom Kippur. Only 48% of viewers agreed the scene used humor respectfully. In open-ended responses, some participants said the portrayal relied too heavily on familiar tropes. “It never got past the stereotypical assumptions that are typically associated with various religions,” one viewer in the study wrote.

“Comedy attracts near-universal appeal in entertainment” (Graphic courtesy of Faith & Media Initiative)

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The top-performing scene from the survey came from the HBO medical drama “The Pitt,” which follows medical professionals working at a fictional trauma hospital in Pittsburgh. The scene follows Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch as he experiences grief and emotional exhaustion during a difficult shift. During the scene, Dr. Robby thanks a medical student, Dennis Whitaker, for allowing him a “brief moment of silent reflection” when he felt as though he were “drowning.”

“What was that you were reciting?” Whitaker asks. Dr. Robby, who is Jewish, replies, “It’s the Shema prayer. It’s a declaration of faith in God. I lived with my grandmother when I was little, and we used to recite it every morning.”


Whitaker responds by reciting a passage from the Book of Isaiah, which he says he learned while majoring in theology: “Weary young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength and soar on wings like eagles.”

Dr. Robby listens with a small smile on his face, “I don’t know if I actually believe in God, especially on days like today,” he says. The scene ends with both characters clearly touched by the intimate interaction.

72% of survey respondents said the scene was emotionally moving, and 69% said it “invites reflection.”

Zaugg said what maybe was most relatable about this scene was when Whitaker revealed he studied theology.

“When you talk with people, there are so many surprise moments where that is true,” Zaugg said. “Maybe not that they minored in theology, but like they are deeply religious or deeply spiritual.” A medical professional who also has an ongoing interest in faith and theology, Zaugg said, exemplifies the complexity of people who can’t be reduced to a singular identity. 

In open-ended responses, viewers frequently cited the scene’s emotional honesty and realism. “It shows characters grappling with their beliefs in a meaningful way,” one respondent wrote. Another said, “I feel like this shows real human confusion and wonder.” A third said the moment demonstrated “how faith impacts daily decisions and relationships authentically.”


Dritan Nesho, founder and CEO of HarrisX, said the research offers a “road map” for producers on how to approach faith in ways that resonate with audiences, whether the story portrays doubt in belief or leans into its emotional vulnerability. 

“As long as those portrayals are approached with thoughtfulness, respect — that they are not dumbed down but address the complexity of human nature and belief in something higher than themselves — I think that that is the recipe for success,” Nesho said. 

Zaugg said the value in the survey’s findings lies in challenging the assumption that faith-based storytelling appeals only to an American small audience.

“I don’t think they realize how large that audience actually is,” she said. “Religion can feel scary to talk about — like politics — so it creates the illusion that it’s a small group. That makes it easy for filmmakers to oversimplify it or not give it much thought, instead of recognizing how valuable faith storytelling can be when it’s done well.”

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