Actress and producer Siobhan Fallon Hogan reflects on faith, family, and film

You might not know the name Siobhan Fallon Hogan, but you almost certainly recognize her face. A prominent character actor for the last three decades, she has appeared in films including Forrest Gump, Only You, Men in Black, Holes, Daddy Day Care, Charlotte’s Web, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and television shows including Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, Golden Girls, Law and Order: SVU, 30 Rock, Elementary, Only Murders in the Building, and many more.

She is also the writer, producer, and star of two films: Rushed and Shelter in Solitude.

Fallon Hogan is a lifelong practicing Catholic and has been vocal about the importance of her faith. In recent years, she has been giving this foundational facet of her life more attention publicly, through talks, appearing on podcasts, writing plays, and making films, all with the Catholic faith at the heart.

The intersection of faith and art is at the heart of a new podcast from EWTN hosted by Fallon Hogan, called Catholics and Cappuccinos. The first episode premiered on February 5, 2026, with guest Jonathan Roumie. Roumie has become well known for his portrayal of Jesus in the series The Chosen, among other roles in other productions, and has been outspoken about his deep Catholic faith.

Fallon Hogan recently spoke with the Catholic World Report about her new podcast, being Catholic in the entertainment industry, and the role of humor in deepening your faith.

Catholic World Report: For a little context before talking about the podcast, could you say a bit about your faith? Did you grow up Catholic, and then did you ever fall away from the faith?

Siobhan Fallon Hogan: Well, I have a kind of boring story because I never really doubted my faith. My parents were very devout, and that’s the kind of house I was raised in. And we would go to Mass, of course, every Sunday and all the Holy Days. I was very blessed because they were a great example. My father and mother—once my father retired—they went to daily Mass.

And my husband and I were fixed up, and we would go to church together. We only lived a block apart in New York City. We went to Holy Trinity, which is where Chris Farley and I also went when we were on Saturday Night Live together. And so my husband and I—our relationship was really based on going to Mass together, right from the start.

My son is getting married in May, and one thing I tell my kids is that prayer is the most important part of the glue of the marriage. Because you can fight like the Molly Maguires, but if you pray together, you get grounded again and back to what’s important.

CWR: You went to the Catholic University of America, graduating in 1985, and after that got into the acting world: television, including “Saturday Night Live” and movies. Once you got into that world, was it a challenge to kind of keep living your faith? Did people ever give you a hard time about practicing your faith, or were people in the industry pretty accepting?

Fallon Hogan: Looking back on it, I was so firm in my faith, and I was so not afraid to say it. It’s almost like a dog that senses you’re afraid. You know what I mean—they’ll bite you. Since I wasn’t afraid to say it and live it, I never really got pushback. I’d be like, “Okay, I’m heading over to church.” I wasn’t offensive about it; I just did it.

It also helped because I was brought up with humor, and the way you deal with getting out of sticky situations is always with humor. Like at SNL, I’d say something like, “I’m heading over to St. Pat’s, because I don’t want to rot in hell.” People have been very respectful of my faith throughout my career.

CWR: Have you ever had to turn down a role or request that the writer or director make changes to accommodate your faith?

Fallon Hogan: Thankfully, that hasn’t been much of a problem for me. Usually, people are pretty accepting and accommodating. Now, it’s not like I’m an ingénue that would be put in really compromising positions. I’m lucky that I’m a character actress. But if a part comes up with something that doesn’t work for me, and they say they’re not going to change it, I’m willing to turn it down. I’ve done it.

I’m also lucky that I may not be desperate for roles, but sure, I wouldn’t mind a paycheck! But I have to look at myself in the mirror at the end of the day, and I have to look at my kids. When it’s all over, what really matters? You have to do what’s right.

CWR: You’ve written, produced, and starred in the movies Rushed and Shelter in Solitude. Are they specifically Catholic-themed, or are they colored by your faith as a Catholic artist?

Fallon Hogan: They’re completely Catholic themed! Rushed is Catholic family, Catholic mother, completely based on me and my son. My son was in college, and I was petrified about this fraternity hazing that was going on. In the movie, I drive the kids to school. I’m like, “Let’s say the rosary.” And I’m like, “Get to Mass!”

So it’s completely Catholic to its core. And then when this terrible thing happens, it’s the faith that brings her—and humor that is able to make her survive again.

Shelter in Solitude is about a Catholic, washed-up country singer who ends up working in a prison as a prison guard in the Deep South. So she brings her faith in, she talks about Catholicism, and she brings in Bible passages. She’s trying to convert him. It’s a Catholic woman trying to convert a death row prisoner before he passes.

It seems like it kind of naturally flows because being Catholic is such a foundational part of who I am.

That’s kind of where your art flows from. I cannot not write with my Catholic background because that’s all I know. When I started to write films, I thought about how I wanted to make more of an impact. So, how do I spread the Word? So that’s what I said. I consciously said, I’m going to, and they’re not what some would label as faith-based films, but they’re Catholic to the core.

CWR: Your new podcast, Catholics and Cappuccinos: how did this come about? Was it your idea, or did EWTN approach you?

Fallon Hogan: Well, I had written this movie called Shelter in Solitude, and another called Rushed, both with Catholic themes. … We did the premiere out in Nashville, and Patricia Heaton came. And I had met her years and years ago, but she heard about the movie and asked if she could come to the premiere. And she brought 10 people, which is extremely unusual. She was completely supportive and great about it. And I said, “Hey, this is crazy, but I’ve written a play.”

I’ve written a play about my Irish Catholic family called Mother’s Last Day. I said, “You know what, Patty? You would be perfect for the role of my sister, Mary.” She read it and loved it.

So we were doing a reading of the play in New York City. And somehow, Deacon Charlie from EWTN got wind of it and asked to come to the reading. So he came and told EWTN all about it. Then I went out to Napa for the Napa Institute, and I cast Patty as one of my sisters. Margaret Colin played another one of my sisters, and they’re both very Catholic actresses.

After all that, EWTN came to me and asked about doing a podcast. So I said, “Oh, I would love it.” So while I was in Napa this past summer, they decided to start then and there. So we recorded one with Patty Heaton and one with David Henrie.

And since I don’t live in Alabama, we worked out that my son (who’s a producer in New York) helps me produce them here. Jonathan Roumie from The Chosen was the guest for the first episode; we also had Federico Castelluccio from The Sopranos; Cathy Moriarty from Raging Bull; Margaret Colin, from Independence Day; we’ve had Sister Mary Gabriel from The Sisters of Life; we’ve had Father Donald Haggerty, who has written many fabulous books. Conversion is my favorite.

It’s all about talking about your faith and how it has affected your career and your journey in life and your decisions.

CWR: What do you hope the listeners will get out of this podcast?

Fallon Hogan: The point I think is, number one, is that humor and faith are the key to a happy life. Family, and deepening your faith—these are the most important things. You know, it seems like everyone is so caught up in the wrong things these days. And there are so many fantastic people who are celebrities and are religious that can lead us in the right direction, and we’ve got them on this podcast.

People like Patty Heaton, Margaret Colin, and Federico Castelluccio—they’re in this entertainment business, but they’re deeply spiritual. And I think that for some unknown reason, people look to celebrities as guides. So if we can get people to watch the show and listen, and get a following, we might be able to really do some good.