You star reveals he reads Holy Quran, shares his prayer routine

Hollywood actor Penn Badgley, best known for his chilling role as Joe Goldberg in the psychological thriller You, recently revealed that spiritual practices play a key role in helping him maintain emotional and mental balance amidst his hectic life.

In a conversation with USA Today, the Gossip Girl star opened up about his daily wellness rituals, which include prayer, meditation, and reading sacred texts, including the Holy Quran.

“Honestly, on my nightstand I have the Quran, which sometimes I'll meditate on a passage from,” Badgley shared, adding that reading religious and classic literature helps him start his day with perspective and calm.

Among his favorites, he also mentioned Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Read: Palestinian woman found dead under rubble while holding Holy Quran

As part of his morning routine, Badgley also recites the “Long Obligatory Prayer” from the Bahaʼi faith, a religion founded in 19th-century Iran that emphasises the oneness of all religions and humanity.

“I've had it memorised for years, because I love it. I timed it: If I say it extremely fast, I can say it in seven minutes. And then meditate like two minutes after, so I've gotten it down to a nine-minute routine if I blitz through it.”

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For Badgley, these few moments of introspection each morning are not just routine, they are essential.

“I can take 15 to 20 minutes if I want to be a little more luxurious. If I can do that on any given day, any morning, it just makes such a difference, because it orients me to remember a bit more clearly the purpose and nature of life, or at least a fulfilling life, an enriching one,” he shared.