Disney Star David Henrie Says Following Christ Came at a Cost in Hollywood: 'I Lost Everyone'
The Hollywood actor who became a household name among Disney fans for his role in "Wizards of Waverly Place" says he lost friends and opportunities after becoming a Christian—but through it all, God had a plan for his life and was guiding him all along.
David Henrie starred in "Wizards of Waverly Place" from 2007 to 2012 and later reprised his role in "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" (2024-2026), but he has also appeared in non-Disney projects, including CBS’s "How I Met Your Mother" (2005-2014) and the 2024 film "Reagan."
Henrie became a Christian in his early 20s while working on the 2015 film "Little Boy."
“I've had situations with roles where they really wanted me for something, and I said it was against my beliefs, and people were like, ‘What the heck?’ Like, ‘Anyone would want this thing.’”
Henrie made the comments on the "Bryce Crawford Podcast" to host Bryce Crawford, who asked him what being an open Christian in Hollywood cost him.
“At first, dude, it was rough. It was rough. I lost my agents,” Henrie responded. “I walked away from a lot. I walked away from a lot. I turned down a lot of roles. I was like, ‘I'm just not going to do something that I think will disrespect my belief now or disrespect our Lord. I'm just not going to do it. I'm not going to go near it.’ And it cost me a lot. It cost a lot. It cost a lot of money, friends, a girlfriend at the time.
“I kind of was stripped of everyone that I would call a friend. I have one guy that kind of stuck around, but I lost everyone —but I made new friends. I found new friends. I found guys I respected, guys I loved that were building me up in Christ.”
He compared friendship to an elevator, with the people around you either bringing you up or pulling you down. His friends today, he said, strengthen his faith.
“I made new friends, and I made friends that elevated me, and that challenged me, gave me great books to read, and helped form me in my faith and led to meeting my wife, my best friend now.”
Incredibly, he said, some of the people who walked away from him years ago are now exploring faith. Henrie is now 37.
“It's been a great journey,” he said. “And some of those people who left have now come back into the picture. They've gotten older. They've changed the way that they think. And I get texts from people like, ‘Hey, just want you to know, I went to church this Sunday.’ And I was like, ‘Oh no way! I would have never thought this person —that would happen.’
“It's a marathon. It's not a race.”
Meanwhile, Henrie said the pressures of Hollywood can make it especially difficult for young actors to remain grounded in their beliefs.
“Hollywood's a tough thing, man. You're so driven by what other people think that it's so easy to lose yourself. It's so easy to sell your soul. … A lot of young people when they come here, they give up all their beliefs, and they just go, ‘I'm going all in. I'll do whatever it takes.’ And so symbolically, that's kind of like selling your soul.”
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published September 22, 2026.
