10 Celebrities Who Grew Up as Pastors’ Kids

There are a lot of stereotypes about pastors’ kids — some more fair than others — but maybe the safest thing you can say about being a PK is that it comes with some expectations. Every Sunday morning, you’re on a stage (sometimes literally), with members of the congregation going through a mental checklist of how you do or don’t fit in with their preconceived notions of what the son/daughter of a preacher ought to be like.

Some PKs go on to become pastors themselves. Some hightail it out of the Church as fast as possible. And some of them go on to be extremely famous entertainers. Here are a few stars that you probably didn’t know came from ministry families:

1. John Boyega

The Star Wars star is fairly private when it comes to his family, but he has shared that his father was a Pentecostal minister who has had a major impact on his faith and career. “The skill and ability that I’ve received has been from your prayers, and I cannot ignore what God has used my parents to do in my life,” Boyega wrote in an Instagram post about his parents.

2. Hunter Schafer

In a new interview with GQ, the Euphoria actress reveals that both her parents are church leaders in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her father, Mac, is the lead pastor at Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church, and her mother, Katy, is the director of children & family ministries at First Presbyterian Church.

3. Marcus Mumford

Before Marcus Mumford teamed up with his Sons, he grew up as a PK to John and Eleanor Mumford, who were international leaders of the Vineyard Church. In 1987, the couple established the first British Vineyard church in South West London and led the church until 2015. In a 2022 interview, Mumford shared that watching his parents lead a church shaped the way he led Mumford & Sons.

“I was watching my folks at the center of attention and, I think, dealing with that really well,” he said. “But it did provide some element of training for what I chose to do.”

4. Katy Perry

You may know that Katy Perry got her start in a church choir, but she’s not the only one who started their fame journey from the pulpit. Perry’s parents, Keith and Mary Hudson, served as traveling preachers and speakers for a few years while their daughter was gaining notoriety.

5. Adam Driver

The Star Wars actor was raised by his mother and stepfather, who was a Baptist pastor in Indiana. Driver grew up in the church, and even credits his time in the church choir as his first step into the entertainment world.

6. Kelis

The “Milkshake” singer grew up with a Pentecostal minister for a father, but he was also a musician and professor who helped Kelis develop her career.

7. Phil Jackson

Regarded as one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time, Phil Jackson was known off the court for his New Age philosophy. That’s a stark contrast to his upbringing, where he was raised by two Assemblies of God preachers who assumed he’d one day become a minister.

8. The Jonas Brothers

Nick, Joe and Kevin grew up as PKs in New Jersey. Their father, Kevin Sr., began his ministry as a singer with Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas before becoming the senior pastor of a church in Wyckoff, New Jersey.

Honorable mention: Frankie Jonas, the “bonus Jonas” and co-host of reality competition series Claim to Fame.

But the Jonases aren’t the only PK siblings who grew up to be musicians…

9. Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon’s Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill grew up with a father who was a United Pentecostal Church preacher. The boys first developed their love of music by playing in church bands before their dad spoke from the pulpit.

10. Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington’s father served as a Pentecostal pastor in New York. Washington attended church for the first 14 years of his life before his parents’ divorce and he lost touch with his dad.