Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine, born Shirley MacLean Beaty, is the older sister of actor and director Warren Beatty. Her career spans over seven decades, earning her an Academy Award, five Golden Globes, and a host of other accolades. She's certainly achieved a level of kvelly success in Hollywood, making her a household name long before she started talking to spirits.

While her acting bona fides are undeniable, MacLaine truly cemented her "interesting" status through her outspoken embrace of New Age beliefs, including reincarnation, channeling, and UFOs. She's authored numerous books on the subject, sharing her experiences and philosophies with an eager audience, and proving that Hollywood can be a launching pad for more than just movies.

She has claimed to have lived many past lives, including as a prostitute, a geisha, and even a jester for Louis XIV. She once brought a crystal to the Oscars to ward off bad vibes, and famously spent time in Peru exploring ancient sites and communicating with extraterrestrials. All very compelling, if not exactly Jewish endeavors.

Despite a brief, but historically significant, encounter with a certain Israeli prime minister (Golda Meir, whom she interviewed), Shirley MacLaine remains decidedly gentile. Her spiritual journey has taken her far afield, but never, it seems, to the synagogue. So, while she's certainly a fascinating character, she's not one of us. Still, at least she isn't claiming to be descended from King David via an alien spaceship.