Several celebrities have chosen the less-traveled path in Hollywood and have been open about their decisions to abstain from sex before marriage. Whether it was for personal preference or religious reasons, stars including Carrie Underwood, Justin Bieber, and Jessica Simpson had different reasons for choosing celibacy before marriage. Here’s a look at celebs who saved themselves for the sacred bond of marriage.
Jessica Simpson
Singer Jessica Simpson, who’s also the daughter of former pastor Joe Simpons, was given a purity ring to wear by her father when she was 12. Simpson, now 42, previously shared that her decision to abstain from sex until her wedding to 98 Degrees singer and ex-husband Nick Lachey was challenging but trendy. According to Simpson, her virginity was something she stood firm in, admitting that it wasn’t always easy, but she believed virginity could be cool and sexy. Simpson and Lachey were married from 2002 until they split in 2006. Both have since remarried and share children with their current spouses.
Carrie Underwood
In 2007, country star Carrie Underwood revealed to Slate Magazine that she planned to wait to have sex until her wedding night. The former “American Idol” winner previously discussed her first kiss with professional hockey player Mike Fisher. According to Taste of Country, Underwood said their first actual date was on New Year’s Eve, and their first kiss was when the ball dropped.
Underwood added that they were in front of people, and Fisher isn’t big on public displays of affection. However, she went for the kiss because she knew he wouldn’t leave her hanging and made him kiss her in public. The couple married in 2010 and have two children together, Isiah and Jacob.
Ciara
Actress and singer Ciara shared the importance of waiting until marriage to have sex. She told Cosmopolitan South Africa in 2017 that she believes when you focus on a friendship, you have the chance to build a strong foundation for a relationship. She added that once you know you’re great friends and equally yoked, where you share the same life outlook and values, it sets the tone.
Ciara concluded by saying that it’s essential always to have that friendship and know that you can always go back to it. The singer and NFL star Russell Wilson remained abstinent until after their July 2016 wedding. They share two children, Sienna and Win. She also has a son named Future with ex-fiance, rapper Future. The couple recently welcomed their third child, a daughter named Amora.
Andy Grammer
Multi-platinum songwriter-singer Andy Grammer confessed that he stayed celibate until he married fellow artist Aijia in 2012. He candidly shared on “The Talk,” admitting that he did watch some porn. Grammer added that, as a culture, we don’t understand the effects of that, and he feels for men because it’s never been easy to do something so destructive to yourself. He said it makes his heart sad that we don’t understand how destructive it is. Grammer and Aijia share two daughters, Louisiana and Israel.
Justin Bieber
Before marrying his wife, Hailey Bieber, Justin Bieber discussed his reason for remaining celibate until their wedding night. He said he turned to God after recognizing he had a genuine problem with sex. Bieber told Vogue in 2019 that he believes sex can cause a lot of pain. The singer confessed that he previously had a sex addiction, and his abstinence was a way for him to feel closer to God. Bieber said sometimes people have sex because they don’t feel good enough and lack self-worth. It’s the case for both men and women. However, he said he wanted to rededicate himself to God because he felt it was better for the condition of his soul. He also believes that God blessed him with Hailey as a result. The couple married in September 2018 at a New York City courthouse.
Sarah Drew
During a Fox News Digital interview, actress Sarah Drew shared how she related to her “Grey’s Anatomy” character. When Drew was asked to join the cast as the Christian Dr. April Kepner, she said she wanted to ensure her religious character would be portrayed fairly, not as a “judgy Christian” typically seen on television. Drew said the first thing that was shared about April was that she was a virgin. She added that she waited until marriage to have sex, so she understood April’s motivations, and the writers thought it would be an interesting and cool story to tell that isn’t seen too often.
Yvonne Orji
Yvonne Orji, the 39-year-old “Insecure” star, recently shared that she’s still waiting until her wedding night to have sex. Despite acting out several sex scenes on the hit HBO show, she joked on Chelsea Handler’s podcast that people should pray for her future husband since she has so much pent-up energy in her. Orji previously shared that her religion and faith played a significant part in her remaining celibate.
She told People Magazine in 2017 that before she became famous, she sat down with herself, and God thought about how she wanted to represent God once she became famous. She realized why she was here, and it was to make God proud. Most people think that Hollywood is full of sex-driven individuals. However, these celebs show that it’s okay to wait until marriage to have sex, and you don’t have to conform to society’s beliefs.
