Kristen Bell blindsided by news she will voice Mary Magdalene for Fox News after Dax Shepard controversy

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Kristen Bell was just as shocked as her followers to learn she’ll be voicing Mary Magdalene on the Fox News podcast, ‘Life of Jesus.’

A conservative media personality has obtained audio recordings made by Bell in 2010 for use in a New Testament audiobook featuring many well-known actors.

The Truth and Life Dramatized Audio Bible, released in 2010, featured a star-studded cast including Brian Cox (known for Succession), Sean Astin and John Rhys-Davies (from The Lord of the Rings), and Malcolm McDowell (who starred in A Clockwork Orange).

An older audiobook has been transformed into a 52-part podcast series about Jesus, and will be launched by Fox News Audio on the first day of Advent.

According to a Fox News representative, the ‘Life of Jesus’ podcast originated from a dramatized audio Bible called ‘The Truth and Life.’ Fox News Audio licensed the podcast and created it with the complete collaboration of the original actors.

According to a spokesperson for Bell, the actress only learned about the podcast the day before its announcement and did not authorize the use of her previous audiobook in the new series, as reported by Rolling Stone.

According to Deadline, the new podcast, The Life of Jesus, will launch on November 30th, the Sunday following Thanksgiving, as part of the Fox Faith platform.

These episodes will feature audio from a 2010 New Testament audiobook, and will be introduced by Ainsley Earhardt from Fox & Friends.

The series features Brian Cox as God, Neal McDonough as Jesus, Sean Astin as Matthew, Malcolm MacDowell as Caiaphas, and Julia Ormond as the Virgin Mary.

John Rhys-Davies, famous for playing Gimli in The Lord of the Rings, provides the narration, while Michael York, a performer known for his work in Cabaret, voices the character of Luke.

A spokesperson for MacDowell said they were surprised to learn about the podcast, stating they weren’t aware the recordings were being shared again. They described the recordings as something from the distant past, according to Entertainment Weekly.

A spokesperson for Cox has stated that the Scottish actor didn’t know his voice recording from the original audiobook would end up being used in a product for Fox News.

One report suggests a producer for the Fox News podcast reached out to an audiobook performer who will be featured on the upcoming show.

According to Rolling Stone, the producer reportedly emailed a request that the actor avoid mentioning the audio New Testament Bible was created several years prior, as they wanted it to seem more current.

Okay, so things are a little hectic in the celebrity world right now, and it all started with a post I made about my 12th wedding anniversary with Dax. Let’s just say people had a lot to say about it, and I’ve been dealing with some pretty strong reactions ever since!

Can you BELIEVE it’s been twelve years?! My husband – oh, my amazing, complicated husband – said the sweetest thing to me once. He literally told me, ‘I would never kill you. So many men have, sadly, but even though… well, let’s just say there were reasons he could have, he absolutely wouldn’t!’ It still gives me chills! 🥰

People reacted with strong anger to the joke, calling it offensive and insensitive, especially because it was Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

One Instagram user wondered how anyone could tolerate a partner who made jokes like that, saying it would be a dealbreaker even for someone as easygoing as herself. She joked that she’d leave immediately.

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2025-11-21 07:03