Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons Confronts Mormon Faith’s LGBTQ Policies in Documentary “Believer”
Las Vegas native and Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds is on a mission to confront the complex relationship between his Mormon faith and its policies toward the LGBTQ community. His journey is chronicled in the powerful documentary “Believer,” which premiered to a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival.
On Thursday night, the documentary was screened for hundreds of Las Vegas residents at the KA Theater inside MGM Grand. Reynolds, accompanied by his wife, Aja Volkman, walked the red carpet and spoke passionately about his purpose. “When you are given a one in a billion chance, it’s what you should do,” Reynolds remarked. “I want to do what my teachers taught me growing up here in Las Vegas, which is to speak your voice, to speak your truth.”
A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Reynolds emphasized that his actions are not an attack on Mormonism. “This is not an attack on Mormonism. I am Mormon,” he said, but he believes there is still room for change within the church. “Simply put, if you tell your child, ‘I don’t accept your lifestyle,’ they’re eight times more likely to commit suicide.”
“Believer” follows Reynolds’ decision to create the organization LOVELOUD, which aims to bridge the gap between the church and the LGBTQ community. Last summer, he organized a music and spoken word festival in Utah, featuring artists like Tyler Glenn, the lead singer of Neon Trees, who was also raised Mormon but left the church after coming out. Glenn shares his journey in the documentary.
Allison Deussen, whose story is also featured in the film, spoke about her son Stockton, who took his own life at 17 after coming out at age 13. “We felt like we had this thing figured out. That we were accepting, advocating; his biggest cheerleaders,” Deussen said. “At 16-years-old, they don’t necessarily want their family. They need their community, their peers, mentors—that was lacking in Stockton’s life.”
Despite the pain, Deussen remains a member of the church, feeling a responsibility to help others like her son. “I am still participating because I feel there are more Stocktons that need to be reached,” she said.
Reynolds hopes to amplify voices like Deussen’s and foster meaningful conversations with the help of star power. Carrot Top, who attended the screening, echoed this sentiment, saying, “Diversity is the most important thing in our whole society.”
“Believer” is set to air on HBO in June, bringing this crucial conversation to a broader audience.
