Fox News Media is launching a new Christian podcast, The Life of Jesus Podcast, on 30th November 2025, repurposing voices of actors who have said they were unaware of the project.
The network announced in a press release on 19th November that the 52-episode series will “bring stories from the New Testament to life through immersive storytelling”, featuring over 100 notable actors. Fox and Friends co-host, Ainsley Earhardt will introduce each episode.
Kristen Bell, who voices Mary Magdalene, told Rolling Stone through her representative that she had never given permission for her recordings from a 15-year-old audiobook project to be reused. Bell said she was “blindsided” after being asked to appear on Fox and Friends to promote the series.
Brian Cox, voicing God, and Malcolm McDowell, voicing Caiaphas, also confirmed through representatives that they were unaware their audio would be recycled for the new podcast.
Sean Astin, Neal McDonough, and Julia Ormond are among the other actors listed in the series.
In an alleged note obtained by Rolling Stone from a producer associated with the podcast, at least one star was asked to “not mention that this audio New Testament Bible was produced years ago, we’d like it to feel like something that was produced more recently”.
A Fox News spokesperson told Premier Christian News: “Gulfstream Studios produced the ‘Life of Jesus Podcast’ from The Truth and Life Dramatized Audio Bible, which was licensed by FOX News Audio, with full cooperation and participation by all the actors involved.”