What Is Chelsea Handler’s Religion? Her Jewish And Mormon Upbringing Explained

Following Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart, folks have started taking a closer look at Chelsea Handler’s religion. The special streamed live on Netflix on May 10 as part of Netflix Is a Joke Fest 2026, with Shane Gillis hosting and roasters including Chelsea, Lizzo, Pete Davidson, Draymond Green, Tony Hinchcliffe, Regina Hall, Jeff Ross, and more.

Chelsea walked into The Roast of Kevin Hart ready to take shots and receive them. Her most talked-about moment came during her clash with Shane. He joked about her religion and her past dinner at Jeffrey Epstein’s home. Then Chelsea fired back and sparked an uproar from the audience. Now, people are looking into her background and religion.

Chelsea has identified with Judaism. However, her upbringing came with a twist. Chelsea has said she grew up between Judaism and Mormonism. During a 2020 conversation with Judy Blume at the Makers Conference, Chelsea said she struggled with religious confusion as a child after learning her mother was Mormon.

“At that time, I just found out my mom was Mormon, on top of thinking she was Jewish, so it was a very confusing time. But your books were such a reprieve for me and such a joy,” she said, per The Jewish Chronicle. “I grew up as a Jew and Mormon … So we had to choose, and I chose Jewish, obviously, because Mormonism is so ridiculous.”

Chelsea’s father, Seymour Handler, was Ashkenazi Jewish, and her family raised her in the Reform Jewish tradition. She also had a bat mitzvah as a teen. While her household carried both Jewish and Mormon influences, Chelsea has stayed pretty clear about where she stands.

That distinction is important because the roast joke blurred a few lines. According to Britannica, Judaism refers to the religion, culture, law, and traditions of the Jewish people, while Zionism refers to a Jewish nationalist movement tied to the creation and support of a Jewish national state.

Chelsea grew up as the youngest of six siblings and moved to Los Angeles at 19 to chase acting before she shifted into stand-up comedy. Her early comedy career led to the TV series Girls Behaving Badly. However, her breakout moment came with E!. After appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Chelsea hosted The Chelsea Handler Show in 2006. The following year, she launched Chelsea Lately, the late-night series that ran from 2007 to 2014.

Chatter about Chelsea’s religion picked up after Shane introduced the former late-night host with a jab that called her a “Zionist.” When Chelsea got to the podium, she fired back, “Judaism and Zionism are two different things,” before aiming the rest of the punchline at Shane’s past anti-Asian slur controversy.

The roast also revived older internet conversations about Chelsea’s past, including her brief relationship with 50 Cent and her previously discussed dinner at Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion. According to the Hindustan Times, Chelsea said in past interviews that she attended one dinner there, did not know who Jeffrey was at the time, and attended alongside other well-known guests, including Katie Couric.