With a religion shrouded in controversy and a power to attract Hollywood stars, Scientology has been a source of mystery and curiosity for the public. When Tom Cruise jumped on Oprah's couch during an interview, questions arise on how Scientology affected these Hollywood stars. In a teaser video for Leah Remini's 20/20 special on ABC, the actress dishes about her decision in leaving Scientology as well as the church's most famous member, Tom Cruise.
In the clip from the 20/20 interview, Remini reveals per Hollywood Life, “The decision to leave is…you’re giving up everything you’ve worked for your whole life. I feel that people need to understand…this has been my whole life. And I want them to understand how it happens. And so, as time goes on, you start to lose touch with the real world.”
Page Six recalls that Remini cut ties with the church of Scientology in 2013 after being subjected to years of "interrogations" and "thought modification" after questioning the church's leader, David Miscavige. According to the news outlet's source, Remini began to question Miscavige's management and the "validity of excommunication people as the church practices disconnecting certain loved ones of the church member, who they think are "suppressive persons."
The source added, “She is stepping back from a regime she thinks is corrupt. She thinks no religion should tear apart a family or abuse someone under the umbrella of ‘religion.’”
Indeed, in the interview, Remini reveals what it's like being in the church and how it felt that everything was not grounded in reality. She said, as quoted by Entertainment Weekly, “As time goes on, you start to lose touch with the real world. The mindset becomes ‘us against them’…. The decision to leave is you are giving up everything you have ever known and everything you have worked for your whole life.”
The actress, who also stars in her own reality show "Leah Remini: It's All Relative," did not also shy away in giving her comments about Scientology's most famous member, Cruise, and how he affected the religion.
“Being critical of Tom Cruise is being critical of Scientology itself,” she said of Cruise and her former religion. “You are evil.”
To learn more about Remini's journey from leaving Scientology and some exclusive details about the controversial religion, watch the full 20/20 interview on Oct. 30 on ABC or grab a copy of Remini's latest memoir, "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology." The book will hit the shelves four days after the interview.
