Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman has said he is not interested in changing viewers’ minds about religion with his new television series about faith and spirituality.

Freeman, who has played God in two films, serves as the host and executive producer of The Story of God, a six-part documentary series in which he travels around the world to explore different religions.

Arriving at the world premiere of the show at Jazz at Lincoln Centre in New York City, he said: “It might open conversations, but I don’t know about changing minds. I’m not really interesting in changing someone’s mind. If you’re not religious, so be it.”

I’m not really interested in changing someone’s mind. If you’re not religious, so be it

Lori McCreary, Freeman’s producing partner, added: “I think the thing it might do for people who aren’t religious or don’t have a certain faith is open their minds to seeing religion in a different way than they might have experienced it growing up and for me that is exciting.”

Freeman, 78, immersed himself in religious experiences and rituals for the show, but said it does not offer up any conclusions.

He added: “We pose the questions, we don’t have to answer them. If we had to answer them we would have stopped.

“If we are going out to meet people who are really knowledgeable and involved in these different faiths and religions, then it’s a matter of engaging and listening.”

He did admit that the discovery of Zoroastrianism was particularly significant for him though, saying: “It’s one of the ancient philosophies. It is based on three basic tenets, good thoughts, good words, good deeds. That covers pretty much all of us.”

The Story of God begins on the National Geographic Channel in the UK on April 3.