Billy Crystal Says He No Longer Talks to God Following Tragic Losses: 'I Don't Trust Him'

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When pain, grief and loss enter our lives, most people will wrestle with why bad things happen to good people. It’s even more challenging to understand why a loving God would allow such things to happen. For Billy Crystal, beloved actor and comedian, this has been the case.

After a series of intensely personal tragedies, including the loss of his California home due to a wildfire in January 2025 and the death of his close friend, actor and director Rob Reiner, he told CBS Sunday Morning News that he no longer talks to God because he feels he can’t trust Him.

Crystal is no stranger to Broadway. One of his previous Broadway productions, “700 Sundays,"  takes its title from the number of Sundays he had with his father before his death. That award-winning one-man play also featured Crystal conversing with God. During the interview, Crystal was asked about these conversations and whether they still happen, and his answer was striking. 

“No, I don’t talk to God because I don’t trust Him,” he said. "Yeah. Too many bad things have happened…The Earth is in bad shape. This is a weird, scary time. So no, not anymore.”

While faith has been moved to the back burner for Crystal, his faith in humor has not. When asked how he still finds light in hard places of darkness, he was quick to reply: “That’s what I do. [Humor] is a healer.”

Following his recent painful and personal losses, Crystal came up with his most recent Broadway show, "860," which, according to the Los Angeles Times, was inspired by those devastating January 2025 California wildfires. 

With little left to cling to after the loss of his home, one of his dearest friends, and now his God, an interview found in People magazine revealed that Crystal still believes luck, humor and fate are on his side.

Photo Credit: ©Dia Dipasupil/WireImage/Getty

Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.