Woody Harrelson reminisces about friendship with college buddy Mike Pence, doubts if they will get along now
Oscar-nominated movie star and fervent marijuana activist Woody Harrelson was once buddies with a fellow Hanover College student who made it big in the world of politics — Vice President Mike Pence.
On Tuesday, Harrelson appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! where he was asked if knew Pence when they both attended the same liberal arts college in Hanover, Indiana. Harrelson studied theology in the institution which was closely affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, reported Fox News.
Kimmel asked Harrelson about his recollection of the current vice president, later in the interview. “Do you have any memories of a young Mike Pence? Like were you guys hanging out together?” he said. “You know what, I remember -- I actually quite liked him,” Harrelson told the late-night host.
Harrelson was not afraid to share that he was actually quite fond of Pence. “I knew him, yeah. We were both very religious,” Harrelson said. “It was a Presbyterian college at the time, and I was there on a Presbyterian scholarship, and he was involved with the church activities.” Harrelson added, “I was actually considering being a minister and then I just kind of went a different way.”
“Yeah, you did,” Kimmel replied.
Reflecting on his erstwhile camaraderie with the vice president, Harrelson said, “I actually quite liked him. I thought he was a pretty good guy. He’s, you know, very religious. Very committed.
“Seeing as how I’m not quite in that ballpark now, I don’t know how we’d get along, ’cause I think he’s still quite religious and just a whole different brand of religious,” Harrelson added. “That kind of fervor that you really don’t want.”
On the topic of marijuana, as revealed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Tuesday, Harrelson claimed that he had started smoking marijuana once again after quitting for numerous years. He is known to be a vocal firebrand for the cause of recreational marijuana use for the longest time.
Last year, Harrelson revealed that after 30 years of marijuana advocacy, he had sworn off the recreational drug. “I am a party animal,” the Oscar nominee said. “But on the other hand, I haven’t… I’m now extremely moderate, and… I actually stopped smoking pot almost a year ago.”
The 56-year-old 'White Men Can't Jump' actor was quick to point out that he fell out of his intense religious beliefs in order to start focusing more on "living his life."
He said: 'It was good for me at the time that I started to shift off. I had studied theology and I started to see how manmade the Bible was... I started to say, "I can put this whole thing on hold for a while... Let's just put this whole idea on hold so that I can have a 20s and 30s of extreme hedonism."
According to the Los Angeles Times, Vice President Mike Pence has previously described himself as “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order,” and a “longtime crusader in the war on drugs.” He has firmly stood against reducing penalties for possession of cannabis.
While Pence graduated from Hanover College in 1981, Harrelson followed him out graduating two years later in '83. Both the stalwarts are featured on the school's notable alumni website.
The Hanover College is a small liberal arts college with only 1,133 students enrolled in its curriculum.
The veteran is best known for his acting. Over the years, his body of work has come to include stellar performances in Cheers, Zombieland and The Hunger Games franchise. He more recently earned awards for his spectacular roles in True Detective and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Vice President Pence is yet to respond to a request for comment.