The Hollywood Prayer Network, a faith-based organization dedicated to supporting Christians working in the entertainment industry, celebrated its 25th anniversary with a Gatsby-themed gala in downtown Los Angeles. Founded in 2001 by Karen Covell, the network has grown to include more than 170 chapters across 42 countries, offering prayer, community, and professional resources to actors, writers, directors, and producers.
Covell, who moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California, started the organization with her composer husband, Jim Covell, after recognizing the unique challenges faced by believers in Hollywood. «It's competitive, a lot of people look for work, we're all freelancers, and we wanted to support the people of faith here who really felt like they had one foot in the church and one foot in the Hollywood entertainment industry and neither one liked each other,» Covell told Fox News Digital. The couple began with a small prayer group, but soon realized that many Christians arriving in Los Angeles already felt beaten down by warnings from their churches and families that the city was a spiritual danger zone.
Rather than joining the long history of Christian boycotts and condemnations of Hollywood, Covell chose a different approach: prayer. «I knew Hollywood didn't like the church because we were really terrible to them — we boycotted, we threw out our TVs, we burned their books — we wouldn't go to their movies, you know, but I believed if you pray for somebody, you can't hate them,» she said. This philosophy became the cornerstone of the Hollywood Prayer Network, which has since prayed for a wide range of individuals, from struggling artists to major celebrities like Britney Spears during her public struggles, Paris Hilton, and Robert Downey Jr. during his battle with addiction. The organization also recently prayed for celebrity blogger Perez Hilton following his distressing livestream and hospitalization.
The network offers a variety of programs, including intercessory prayer, professional discipleship, networking events, and Bible studies. Its monthly Kids Prayer Calendar, «Ones2Watch,» supports child and teen actors facing industry pressures. Community groups specifically cater to directors, dancers, writers, comedians, and those working in technology and AI. Local chapters across the United States provide mentorship, networking, and worship opportunities. The organization also has its own app listing resources, chapters, and events worldwide.
Covell believes that the biggest challenges for artists are isolation, discouragement, and fear. «Those three things can all be combated in community,» she said. The Hollywood Prayer Network aims to provide that community, creating a space where entertainment professionals can find support and encouragement. «We have a beautiful community here. You couldn't get me out of this place for anything because the people that are here are wonderful,» Covell said.
Last year, Covell stepped down from producing to devote herself fully to the network, which she says has been growing rapidly in recent years. She credits her 42-year marriage to Jim as a key part of her success. The couple recently finished a book titled «Confessions of a Hollywood Marriage,» which she describes as a personal story rather than a how-to guide. «It's not a how-to book, it's not anything to help people, it is just us telling the story of our marriage and how it's been such a beautiful and amazing journey for the last 42 years,» she said. «We know people see so many bad marriages that they lose hope that it's possible. And we just let people know, this is the greatest gift.»
As the Hollywood Prayer Network enters its next quarter-century, Covell remains committed to bridging the gap between the church and the entertainment industry. «We have gatherings of people all over the city and all over the country and the world who say, yes, it's important to be storytellers,» she said. Through prayer and community, the organization continues to support those who shape culture through film, television, and other media, believing that the next generation of creatives does not have to navigate Hollywood alone.