The Dark Side of Scientology: Leah Remini's Brave Stand Against the Corrupt Cult

Leah Remini has been a vocal opponent of the Church of Scientology ever since she parted ways with the controversial institution in 2013. Her association with the church began at a tender age of 8 when her mother converted to the religion. In a candid interview with 20/20 in 2015, Remini shared her experiences of being raised as a Scientologist.

According to the King of Queens actress, being a Scientologist meant being given significant responsibility at a young age, as children are viewed as spiritual beings. This often resulted in an inflated ego. However, Remini ultimately left the church due to her concern over her 9-year-old daughter, Sofia, and not wanting her to go through the same experiences as she did.

As a child, I harbored resentment towards my mother for never being present at home. She believed that her actions were beneficial for the planet, as promoted by the church. Despite my claims of putting family first, my actions failed to reflect that belief, which troubled me as a mother. My journey with Scientology has been a topic of public discussion, and the organization retaliated against me in 2015.

Leah Remini's relentless pursuit for attention has caused her to remain fixated on her past involvement with Scientology, using it as a means to garner publicity. This behavior is hardly surprising, as the Church of Scientology's spokesperson previously noted their inability to move on with their life for two years. Despite facing backlash, the actress continued to speak out, authoring a memoir in 2015 titled "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology" and producing the A&E docuseries "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath."

After the Emmy-winning series concluded its third season in 2019, the Church of Scientology publicly denounced the content and released a statement to Us, referring to Leah Remini's show as a "hate machine" filled with "lies, distortions and exhortations to hate and bigotry." Despite not being entirely certain of the healing impact of the docuseries, Remini expressed a sense of responsibility to speak out about her experiences and those of other members of the religion. In 2021, when Laura Prepon quietly left Scientology, Remini was critical of her former co-star's exit strategy.

As individuals who were representing Scientology and actively seeking to recruit new members, we must acknowledge our responsibility to rectify the harm caused by our actions. This was expressed by the host of the "Scientology: Fair Game" podcast during a September 2021 interview with Daily Blast Live.

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Leah Remini's Battle With Scientology Through the Years: It’s ‘A Truly Evil Organization’

Leah Remini has been an outspoken critic of the Church of Scientology since she left the controversial religion in 2013.

As an 8-year-old, the actress was introduced to the church after her mother became a convert. In a 2015 interview with 20/20, Remini spoke about her upbringing as a Scientologist. According to her, the aim was to save the world, and as children were seen as spiritual beings, they were not treated as such. Instead, they were given a lot of responsibility, leading to an inflated ego.

According to Remini, her decision to leave Scientology was primarily influenced by her then-9-year-old daughter, Sofia. Remini revealed in a 2014 interview with BuzzFeed that she did not want to subject her daughter to the same experiences she had growing up, where her mother was never around due to her involvement in the church. Remini also acknowledged that the church promotes the idea of helping the planet, which her mother believed in, but she believes that the message of "family first" should take precedence.

The Church of Scientology has criticized Leah Remini for her continued public discussion of her past involvement with the organization. In a statement released in 2015, a spokesperson accused Remini of seeking attention and exploiting her former religion for publicity.

The Handsome actress refused to be silenced despite facing criticism. In 2015, she wrote a memoir titled Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology and also produced the A&E docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, which won an Emmy award. However, the Church of Scientology released a statement to Us denouncing the show, calling it a "hate machine" filled with "lies, distortions and exhortations to hate and bigotry," when it was cancelled after three seasons in 2019.

Despite expressing uncertainty in 2019 about whether creating the docuseries aided in her own healing, Remini believes it is her duty to share her experiences and shed light on other members of Scientology. She criticized Laura Prepon's quiet departure from the religion in 2021, stating that those who were once advocates for Scientology have a responsibility to rectify the harm caused by their actions. During a September 2021 interview with Daily Blast Live, Remini, the host of "Scientology: Fair Game" podcast, emphasized the importance of acknowledging the damaging effects of Scientology and taking action to make amends.

Scroll through for a timeline of Remini’s battle with the Church of Scientology over the years:

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Remini Left Scientology in 2013

In July 13, Remini left the Church of Scientology. The actress told Buzzfeed in 2014 that the well-being of her daughter Sofia, then 9, contributed to her decision.

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The Actress Filed a Missing Person Report

Remini reported Scientology leader David Miscavige's wife, Shelly, missing one month after leaving the controversial religion. Shelly has not been seen publicly since 2007. The Church of Scientology's media relations released a statement to Us, claiming that the case was unfounded and closed according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

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'Dancing With the Stars' Appearance

Remini appeared on season 17 of Dancing With the Stars, which premiered in September 2013. The Man in the Family alum addressed her departure from Scientology on the show.

"I am currently undergoing a significant personal transformation, one that affects both myself and my family," she shared. "Unfortunately, I feel as though the church is eagerly anticipating my failure just so they can use it as an example to their members - 'See what happens when you stray from the church?' It's disheartening to think they are waiting for me to stumble."

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Support for Documentary Criticizing Scientology

Remini publicly expressed her endorsement of the 2015 HBO documentary Going Clear, which shed light on the alleged mistreatment and exploitation carried out by the Church of Scientology. In a tweet on the night it premiered, she commended the individuals who spoke out against these injustices, writing, "Thank you to the brave [people] who did something about it. And to those who didn't have a voice, you do now.”

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Remini's Own Documentary Aired

Leah Remini's docuseries, Scientology and the Aftermath, was aired by A&E in 2016 and was later renewed for two more seasons, with the final episode filmed in front of a live studio audience consisting of former Church of Scientology members. In 2019, Remini shared with The Hollywood Reporter that the show had achieved its purpose of exposing the true nature of the organization, stating that it was not about religious beliefs but rather the actions of the Church that were concerning.

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Remini Shared Video Criticizing Tom Cruise

In the wake of the release of Top Gun: Maverick in May 2022, Remini took to TikTok to express her criticism of Tom Cruise, who has been a devoted member of Scientology for over three decades.

r myself. This is what I have been saying all along. Tom does not just represent himself, but the abusive organization he belongs to. We cannot overlook the harm Scientology has caused and continues to cause to so many individuals and families.”

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Remini's Lack of Education Due to Scientology

The actress spoke out about her stunted education due to Scientology while reflecting on finishing her second year at NYU in June 2023.

After spending 35 years in a cult, I only had an eighth grade education two years ago," shared the Kevin Can Wait star on Instagram. However, at the age of 52, I am proud to have completed my second year at NYU." Earlier this year, Remini opened up about why she was unable to continue her formal education as a teenager.

At the time, she expressed on Twitter that her education was disrupted due to the fact that L. Ron Hubbard, the creator of Scientology, held a strong aversion towards traditional education and as Scientology strictly follows his doctrines without any allowance for individual interpretation.