The upcoming documentary Believer follows Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds as he explores the treatment of LGBTQ members of the Mormon Church. On Wednesday, June 20, days ahead of the doc’s HBO premiere, Reynolds sat down with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show to discuss his inspiration for the project.
In the past, Reynolds—who still identifies as Mormon—has struggled with his own feelings of religious guilt and shame (something he elaborated on during a conversation with Ellen DeGeneres), and he recognizes that these feelings are a mere fraction of those felt by many members of the LGBTQ community within the Church. That, coupled with the increased suicide rate seen in Utah over the past several years, inspired not only Believer but also LoveLoud Fest, a concert to benefit several LGBTQ organizations, including GLAAD and the Trevor Project, among others. Hear more from Reynolds below.
Believer premieres on HBO Monday, June 25 at 8 PM.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression and/or thoughts of suicide, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-273-8255.