Penn Badgley has made a career out of playing men you probably shouldn’t trust. First, there was Dan Humphrey, the floppy-haired Brooklynite with a chip on his shoulder (and, spoiler alert, a Gossip Girl blog). Then came Joe Goldberg—the literary manager turned serial stalker turned actual murderer, whose obsessive voiceovers made you question every soft-spoken man you’ve ever dated.
So when You star Badgley recently revealed that he keeps a copy of the Quran on his nightstand, it understandably sent the internet into a double take. Joe Goldberg? With holy scripture? In this economy?
But that’s exactly what the 37-year-old actor shared in a recent interview, casually stating: “The Quran is always on my bedside table.” And while the announcement raised some eyebrows, it actually tracks with Badgley’s spiritual journey. In 2015, the actor embraced the Bahá’í Faith—a religion that emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind, the oneness of all religions, and the importance of justice, equality, and independent truth-seeking. So yes, reading the Quran isn’t out of character—it’s very on brand for someone who follows a faith that encourages exploring all sacred texts.
For those unfamiliar, the Bahá’í Faith originated in 19th-century Persia and was founded by Bahá’u’lláh, who is regarded by followers as the latest in a long line of divine messengers including Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and Buddha. Bahá’ís believe in progressive revelation—that each major world religion is part of a larger, evolving spiritual truth—and advocate for world peace, gender equality, and the elimination of all forms of prejudice. (You know, the exact opposite of Joe Goldberg’s personal ideology.)
And Badgley doesn’t just dabble—he’s been vocal about how the Bahá’í Faith changed his life, offering him a spiritual anchor amid the chaos of Hollywood and the superficiality of celebrity culture. He’s even spoken about going on spiritual retreats to South America, where he delved deeper into Bahá’í teachings and reconnected with nature.
It’s a far cry from the man we’ve seen dismembering people in bookstores and hiding bodies in suburban basements.
What makes this all the more intriguing is the dissonance between Badgley’s roles and real-life beliefs. On screen, he’s a charming psychopath with a penchant for Dostoevsky and dismemberment. Off screen, he’s a soft-spoken spiritual seeker who quotes Rumi, explores interfaith wisdom, and keeps the Quran within reach—not to plot his next move, but to reflect before bed.
Perhaps in another life, Joe would have traded his glass cage for a prayer mat. Who knows? He might just convert in prison.
