This Actress, Who Gave Elvis His First On-Screen Kiss, Left Hollywood for Life in Monastery When ‘God Called’

• This actress gave Elvis Presley his first on-screen kiss then walked away from her Hollywood career to become a nun.
• Although her then-fiancé was heartbroken, he vowed to support her throughout.
• He visited the former actress at the monastery at least once yearly to help.

This actress has been living her days as a nun in a monastery, tending to the community and all those in need of help. She meets her sisters seven times during the day and once in the evening for prayer.

Throughout the years, she has been open about her experiences in interviews, detailing her journey and explaining what she went through to answer God's calling. The actress made some difficult decisions, including leaving her previous life behind.

Looking back, the actress believes it was God's plan that she got to work with Elvis Presley, who had been significant in her life story as a nun. The two worked on a film, which became vital in her journey toward becoming a nun, and believing:

"[God] was the bigger Elvis."

Entering the monastery was something she never regretted. She knew she had walked into something more significant than what she had before. She understood that her path as an actress had led her to something bigger than herself.

Like her, many Hollywood stars have strong faith. Among them is Jon Bon Jovi, who leads a life of service to others. He and his wife often cook and build homes for the less fortunate. However, none of these stars have a story as unique as hers.

Dolores Hart's Time in Hollywood

The woman in this story is Dolores Hart. Born on October 20, 1938, in Illinois, USA, this former movie star was one of the most beautiful actresses of the '50s and '60s. She appeared in several films and television shows but was most known for her roles in "Come Fly with Me," "Where the Boys Are," "Lisa," and "Francis of Assisi."

Hart worked alongside Hollywood's biggest names, including Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, and Anthony Quinn, to name a few. She also famously worked with Presley, giving him his first on-screen kiss.

According to rumors, she left the spotlight after he impregnated her, but the gossip was nothing close to the truth.

In a previous interview, Hart admitted she didn't know who Presley was then. He was very polite when she asked what he did and even added "Miss" before her name when he called her. As Presley's talent propelled him to fame, he remained kind and humble.

During their kissing scene for the '50s film "Loving You," Hart and Presley blushed so much that their makeup had to be thickened. The director was forced to cut the scene twice for the team to retouch their faces.

Hart was undoubtedly a talented woman with a promising Hollywood career. She was focused on her progress in the industry and gained acclaim for her different performances.

However, things did not turn out as planned. While dubbed the next Grace Kelly, Hart surprised the world when she walked away from her career and entered the monastery as a nun.

Dolores Hart Left Hollywood and Entered the Monastery at 24

In 1962, Hart dropped everything and followed God's calling to become a nun. Admittedly, her spiritual calling did not happen overnight. Her faith began to deepen with the help of Presley.

As she recalled, Presley once handed her a Bible while taking a break on set and asked, "Miss Dolores, would you open this book? What do you see? What does it mean to you?"

Hart least expected a fellow actor to genuinely ask her opinion on the Bible while no one was looking. She recalled that the actor didn't do this for publicity but from the genuineness of his heart, so she gave her honest thoughts.

Not long after, when Hart suddenly disappeared from Hollywood, speculation about her relationship with Presley circulated. According to rumors, she left the spotlight after he impregnated her, but the gossip was nothing close to the truth.

While filming a show, Hart retreated to the Abbey of Regina Laudis after her friend suggested it. Supposedly, her time off doubled as a welcoming retreat so she could reflect on the next steps in her career, but instead, she felt peace like nothing before.

"I found inner certitude. I felt like this is where I belonged. It became more than just a retreat. It's the kind of feeling you get when you meet the person you're going to marry," she recalled.

The more Hart visited the place, the more she heard her calling. "I knew God was present to me in a very special way that I couldn't deny," she confessed. "I was so lucky. God called me."

Hart called what transpired a dramatic change that she never planned. Like many actresses, she believed she would stay in Hollywood and progress as an entertainer, but her vocation became her life's purpose.

Besides leaving her Hollywood career, Hart walked out on her engagement to Don Robinson, a man she described as a wonderful gentleman who, as an architect, was ready to build their home.

She was even set to choose her wedding dress with the help of Edith Head, but somewhere deep down, she felt it wasn't right for her. Hart later realized she was not where she was meant to be. During lunch with her fiancé, she gently told him she could not go ahead with their plans.

Looking at him, she said, "I really love you, but not in the way that you want." After telling him the path she wanted to take, Robinson looked at her and promised to help her answer her calling.

True to his word, Robinson significantly supported Hart's journey. While he went to Hawaii during her first year in the Abbey of Regina Laudis, he returned to visit every year after.

He came at least once a year to work and help in the institute's mission until he died in 2011. Robinson never married. However, he told Hart, "Every love doesn't have to wind up at the altar."

Hart's story later inspired the 2012 Oscar-nominated film, "God Is the Bigger Elvis," which she supported by attending the Oscars. She also released a memoir, "The Ear of the Heart: An Actress' Journey from Hollywood to Holy Vows."

Hart is still celebrated in the Hollywood industry and loved by her fans. Even as a nun today, she continues to receive letters from fans and admirers from all over the world. A few years ago, she received a poster of Presley from a fan who wondered how she was doing in the monastery.

As much as her fans miss her, Hart chose her calling over Hollywood and now helps other people connect with God.