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  1. Home
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  3. Actors who have played God

Actors who have played God

From George Burns in Oh, God! to Steve Buscemi on TBS' Miracle Workers, and Whoopi Goldberg (twice!), here are some actors who have portrayed the Almighty on screen.

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By Marcus Jones January 27, 2020 at 07:52 PM EST
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Rex Ingram in The Green Pastures (1936)

THE GREEN PASTURES, Rex Ingram, 1936

In one of the most successful classic films with an all-Black cast, Ingram plays God, Adam, and more in a set of stories that combine the Bible and Black folklore.

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Groucho Marx in Skidoo (1968)

MBDSKID EC028
Credit: Everett Collection

Groucho Marx called his final silver screen performance — in which he plays God in the heavily LSD-influenced experimental film — "God-awful" in his 1976 book The Groucho Phile.

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George Burns in Oh, God! (1977), Oh, God! Book II (1980), Oh, God! You Devil (1984)

MBDOHGO EC013
Credit: Everett Collection

Through the Oh, God! film franchise, veteran entertainer George Burns found new wind in his career playing Lord and Savior to a different character in each movie.

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Ralph Richardson in Time Bandits (1981)

TIME BANDITS
Credit: Everett Collection

In director Terry Gilliam's first film in his Trilogy of Imagination, Richardson plays a Supreme Being that employs little people to fix holes in the space-time continuum. 

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Robert Morley in Second Time Lucky (1984)

Second Time Lucky (1984) (screen grab)Robert Morley
Credit: Broadbank Investments

British actor Robert Morley plays God making a wager with Satan on whether or not Adam and Eve can stay moral through a series of different time periods, and save humanity from eternal damnation.

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Ferdy Mayne in Night Train to Terror (1985)

NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR, (aka, SHIVER), from left: Ferdy Mayne, Lu Sifer, (c) 1985 Visto Intertnationa
Credit: Everett Collection

European actor Ferdy Mayne plays another version of God making a wager with Satan on whether a sample size of humans deserve heaven or hell.

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George Plimpton in A Fool and His Money (1989)

A Fool and His Money (1989) (screen grab)George Plimpton
Credit: Blossom Pictures

Writer and media personality George Plimpton makes a quick appearance as God in this religious satire starring a young Sandra Bullock.

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Charlton Heston in Almost an Angel (1990)

Almost An Angel (1990) (screen grab)Charlton Heston
Credit: Paramount Pictures

While we actually see Charlton Heston play God in this box office bomb starring Paul Hogan, the late actor was much more known for voicing the deity in The Ten Commandments.

Related: Hollywood finds God (again)

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Robert Mitchum in Les Sept Péchés Capitaux (1992)

Robert Mitchum Portrait Session
Credit: Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images

Classic film actor Robert Mitchum somehow found his way into playing Dieu in an obscure Belgian comedy.

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Scott Bairstow on Touched by an Angel (1994)

touched by an angel
Credit: CBS

The long-running CBS drama Touched By An Angel came to a conclusion with Monica (Roma Downey) finally meeting God in the body of a young man, played by Scott Bairstow.

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Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves (1996)

BREAKING THE WAVES, Emily Watson, 1996

Provocative filmmaker Lars von Trier made God a woman in the form of Emily Watson. The role earned her a Best Actress nomination at the 1997 Oscars.

Related: Legacy of an indie film legend

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Bob Odenkirk on Mr. Show (1998)

MR. SHOWBob Odenkirk
Credit: HBO

In a popular sketch from David Cross and Bob Odenkirk's cult classic sketch show Mr. Show, the future Better Call Saul star plays a God that emulates the late Hollywood producer Robert Evans.

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Maurice Roëves in The Acid House (1998)

THE ACID HOUSE, from left: Maurice Roeves, Stephen McCole, 1998, © Zeitgeist Films/courtesy Everett
Credit: Everett Collection

As is common with many of these projects, actor Maurice Roëves is another person woven into several interconnecting stories who turns out to be God himself.

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Alanis Morisette in Dogma (1999)

MSDDOGM EC005
Credit: Everett Collection

Alanis Morisette appeared as God in Kevin Smith's cult classic film that came out around five years after the release of the Canadian "You Oughta Know" singer's groundbreaking Jagged Little Pill album. 

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Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf in Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV (2000)

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV (2000)Henry Joseph Nasiff Jr

Henry Nasiff Jr., also known as Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf from radio personality Howard Stern's Wack Pack, has a cameo as God in this B-movie sequel that came out in New York shortly after his death.

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Whoopi Goldberg in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)

IT'S A VERY MERRY MUPPET CHRISTMAS MOVIE, Pepe the Prawn, Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Whoopi Goldb
Credit: Everett Collection

Yes, there's a Muppet movie where God is a character, and, of course, they are played by Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg.

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Morgan Freeman in Bruce Almighty (2003), Evan Almighty (2007)

BRUCE ALMIGHTY, Morgan Freeman, Jim Carrey, 2003, (c) Universal/courtesy Everett Collection
Credit: Everett Collection

Morgan Freeman put his velvety voice to good use as the entity reigning over heaven in the Jim Carrey-lead comedy Bruce Almighty. He even returned in the lesser sequel Evan Almighty, where Steve Carell plays a modern Noah.

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Antônio Fagundes in God Is Brazilian (2003)

GOD IS BRAZILIAN, (aka DEUS E BRASILEIRO), Antonio Fagundes (left), 2003, (c) Columbia/courtesy Ever
Credit: Everett Collection

Brazilian dramedy God Is Brazilian lives up to its name by casting Brazilian actor Antônio Fagundes as the all-seeing and all-knowing God.

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Will.i.am, Zachary Quinto, and more on Joan of Arcadia (2003)

Joan of Arcadia
Credit: Gale M. Adler/CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Short-lived network dramedy Joan of Arcadia had multiple actors play God throughout its two seasons, including Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and Zachary Quinto.

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Rodney Dangerfield in Angels With Angles (2005) 

Angels With Angles (2005) (screen grab)Rodney Dangerfield
Credit: Sierra Mar Pictures

Like comedy legend Groucho Marx before him, stand-up icon Rodney Dangerfield's last film role was that of God. Weirdly, the film also has an actor playing fellow former onscreen God George Burns.

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Rob Benedict on Supernatural (2005)

Don't Call Me Shurley
Credit: Katie Yu/The CW

Seven seasons after the character Chuck Shurley (Rob Benedict) is introduced, and in the eleventh season of the long-running show Supernatural, he is revealed to actually be God.

Related: Supernatural star Rob Benedict says we 'have not seen God go off yet'

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Whoopi Goldberg in A Little Bit of Heaven (2011)

A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN, from left: Kate Hudson, Whoopi Goldberg, 2011. ph: Patti Perret/©Millennium
Credit: Everett Collection

Goldberg falls back into the role of God, trading Muppets for Kate Hudson in this rom-com.

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Paul Sorvino in Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival (2012)

The Devil’s Carnival (2012), Paul Sorvino

Goodfellas actor Paul Sorvino plays God among sinners in a twisted musical horror film.

Related: Director Darren Lynn Bousman talks Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival, David Hasselhoff, and 'R-rated clowns'

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Isaac Andrews in Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)

Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) (screen grab)Isaac Andrews
Credit: 20th Century Fox

In Ridley Scott's controversial adaptation of the story of Moses, young British actor Isaac Andrews play Malak, the boy God possesses to get a message across to the prophet.

Related: Exodus costume designer talks research, controversy

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Mark Harelik on Preacher (2016)

TCDPREA IZ014
Credit: Everett Collection

Veteran TV actor Mark Harelik dazed and confused the cast of the edgy AMC series Preacher through four seasons as the elusive God.

Related: Preacher showrunner answers our questions about Sunday's crazy series finale

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Octavia Spencer in The Shack (2017)

THE SHACK (2017)Octavia Spencer stars as 'Papa'
Credit: Jake Giles Netter/Lionsgate

In an adaptation of the popular 2007 Christian novel, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer plays God, who's living in a mystical shack with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Related: Here are the 10 highest-grossing Christian movies

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Steve Buscemi on Miracle Workers (2019)

Miracle WorkersEpisode 107: "1 HOUR"Steve BuscemiPhoto by Curtis Baker/TBS
Credit: Curtis Baker/TBS

Steve Buscemi offers another oddball take on God, bored and ready to end humanity on this TBS anthology series. Buscemi returned for the next seasons, with new settings of the Dark Ages and the Oregon Trail.

Related: Miracle Workers has been renewed: Here's what to expect from season 2

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    1 of 27 Rex Ingram in The Green Pastures (1936)
    2 of 27 Groucho Marx in Skidoo (1968)
    3 of 27 George Burns in Oh, God! (1977), Oh, God! Book II (1980), Oh, God! You Devil (1984)
    4 of 27 Ralph Richardson in Time Bandits (1981)
    5 of 27 Robert Morley in Second Time Lucky (1984)
    6 of 27 Ferdy Mayne in Night Train to Terror (1985)
    7 of 27 George Plimpton in A Fool and His Money (1989)
    8 of 27 Charlton Heston in Almost an Angel (1990)
    9 of 27 Robert Mitchum in Les Sept Péchés Capitaux (1992)
    10 of 27 Scott Bairstow on Touched by an Angel (1994)
    11 of 27 Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves (1996)
    12 of 27 Bob Odenkirk on Mr. Show (1998)
    13 of 27 Maurice Roëves in The Acid House (1998)
    14 of 27 Alanis Morisette in Dogma (1999)
    15 of 27 Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf in Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV (2000)
    16 of 27 Whoopi Goldberg in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
    17 of 27 Morgan Freeman in Bruce Almighty (2003), Evan Almighty (2007)
    18 of 27 Antônio Fagundes in God Is Brazilian (2003)
    19 of 27 Will.i.am, Zachary Quinto, and more on Joan of Arcadia (2003)
    20 of 27 Rodney Dangerfield in Angels With Angles (2005) 
    21 of 27 Rob Benedict on Supernatural (2005)
    22 of 27 Whoopi Goldberg in A Little Bit of Heaven (2011)
    23 of 27 Paul Sorvino in Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival (2012)
    24 of 27 Isaac Andrews in Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
    25 of 27 Mark Harelik on Preacher (2016)
    26 of 27 Octavia Spencer in The Shack (2017)
    27 of 27 Steve Buscemi on Miracle Workers (2019)

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