Pop Culture’s Hottest Priests, Ranked

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by Lindsey Francy Jul 30, 2023 News
Pop Culture’s Hottest Priests, Ranked

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As long as there are priests in pop culture, people will find a way to thirst over them. Andrew Scott's Fleabag character wasn't the first "hot priest" in pop culture. There is a round-up of 10 of pop culture's hottest on-screen priests, from least hot to most hot.

Paul Bettany playing the titular character in 'Priest'.
(Sony Pictures Releasing)

The first bang is Paul Bettany's vampire-killing hero from the film Priest. The film is based on a Korean comic that tells the story of Priest, a grizzled warrior priest who uses his talent for violence to keep creatures of the night at bay and rescue his niece from a pack of bloodsuckers. If you are looking for hot priest content, this is a great place to start, as the leading man is a classically broody, tortured action hero with a heart.

Father Brah (Rene Gube) in 'Crazy Ex Girlfriend).
(The CW)

Father Brah, the good-natured religious friend of Josh on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, is the most laid back entry in the hot priest canon. Father Brah was introduced as a recurring character in the first season of "Josh and I Are Good People!" and he is more than willing to give Josh and Rebecca some judgement-free advice. Father Brah is prone to popping into the show's many musical numbers every now and then, and his solo in "Love's Not A Game" is one of the highlights. Father Brah is the man for you if you want hot priest content that won't send you down a dark path.

Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield in 'Silence'
(Paramount Pictures)

You could get three hot priests in the same movie with the exception of Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield. The film is too dark and tough to get away with hot priests. Between the beautiful costume design and the period-appropriate facial hair/hair styling, there is plenty of handsome, smoldering priest content to enjoy.

Ewan McGregor as as Father Patrick McKenna, the camerlengo in 'Angels and Demons'. Sony Pictures Releasing
(Sony Pictures Releasing)

The appeal of a hot priest is due to the fact that the collar representsholiness and the man actually wears it. Sometimes a hot priest can be just as attractive. Father Patrick is the villain in Angels & demons. Even if you aren't a fan of the Dan Brown films, Angels & Demons is worth watching because of Father Patrick's devious performance.

Alfonso Herrera and Father Tomas Ortega in 'The Exorcist' TV series.
(20th Century Television)

The show leans into the forbidden romance appeal of a priest. Father Tomas Ortega, a regular on the series, struck up a romance with another character on the series, Jessica, while he was trying to save the lives of Chicagoans. If the appeal of his character wasn't enough, Tomas also makes for a healthy crush because he's not a twisted villain or a bad guy. He may engage in more sexual desires than he should, but he has a good soul at his core.

Tom Hiddleston as Will Ransome in 'The Essex Serpent'.
(Apple TV+)

Tom Hiddleston made the top ten in The Essex Serpent. As we get closer to the top of the hot priest mountain, the rest of the picks may seem obvious or familiar, but that's just because they're so good. Another priest who is placed in a romantic setting to stir up drama, Will Ransome is a romantic lead in this period drama who just happens to be a priest. The Essex Serpent is the perfect answer for viewers who want real romance and substance in their priest package.

Brennan Lee Mulligan plays Adrian Claremont in 'LA by Night' in 'World of Darkness'.
(World of Darkness)

The Essex Serpent is a glossy, high-budget streaming series that is the next hot priest on our list. Adrian is still wearing the collar even though he isn't technically a priest anymore. Adrian, a humble servant in a world of terrifying vampire, made a brief but memorable impact on the series when he talked to the vampire who had decided to save him. Adrian is a captivating presence whenever he is on screen because of his soft-spoken intensity.

 Jenna Colman's Johanna Constantine in 'The Sandman', Owen Wilson's Father Kent in 'Haunted Mansion', and Jeff Bridges' Father Daniel in 'Bad Times at the El Royale'.
(Netflix/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/20th Century Studios)

I couldn't in good conscience rank characters so they wouldn't be priests. If I didn't mention any of them, I'd be crazy. The collar and button-down worn by Owen Wilson and Jeff Bridges in their films are not actually priests. If we want to get to the top three, we have to rank them and take away a spot for a real priest.

Jude Law as Pope Pius XIII in HBO's 'The Young Pope'.
(Max)

Is this entry justifying? Outside of one other contender, Jude Law's portrayal of Pope Pius XIII in The Young Pope is almost the definition of a hot priest. Everything about The Young Pope is designed to create a very emotional response from viewers. The entire premise of the series is dependent on our preconceived notions of piety and humility. Adding an entry that is geared towards making viewers say "WOW, he's hot" is almost cheating. He would be just as bad.

Hamish Linklater as Father Paul in Netflix's 'Midnight Mass'.
(Netflix)

Hot priests can't be sad boys. The story of the ill-fated but good-hearted monsignor Paul on Midnight Mass is one of the most tragic of all hot priests. Father Paul had the best intentions when he turned to higher beings to cleanse his parish, but he ended up turning himself into a monster, and there was a lot of brooding, tragic romance, and miracle-working to savor before he died. Perhaps not a hot priest in the strictest sense of the term, but a beautiful one.

Andrew Scott as the Priest in Fleabag.
(Amazon Prime Video)

Were there any doubts? Andrew Scott's Hot Priest in Fleabag is the hot priest to end all hot priests and he was always going to take the top spot. Scott's Hot Priest was the unlikely object of affection for the anti-heroine, but he enraptured audiences with his openness and sexy self-awareness. Scott's Hot Priest is so hot because he knows how hot he is.

Amazon Prime Video and Disney Studios Motion Pictures are included.

The piece was written during the strikes of the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild. The work being covered here wouldn't be possible without the labor of the writers and actors on strike.

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