Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

Video: Leah Remini Opens Up About Leaving Scientology, Blasts Tom Cruise

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Actress Leah Remini, who famously left the Church of Scientology and will soon release a tell-all memoir, says that Tom Cruise's prominence in the organization is one of the reasons why she left.

"Being critical of Tom Cruise is being critical of Scientology itself," Remini told ABC's 20/20 in a clip, as seen in the clip above. "You are evil" in the eyes of the Church if you were to speak out and criticize Scientology's most famous member.

The interview, which will air Friday night, will touch on Remini's personal history with Scientology and her decision to leave. "I feel that people need to understand this has been my whole life," she says.

Remini joined the religion when she was only 9 years old, but left in 2013, filing a missing person's report on the wife of Church leader David Miscavige on her way out the door.

Firing back as they always do, the Church responded to the announcement of Remini's book, titled Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood And Scientology, as a "pathetic quest to get publicity and seem relevant."

"As time goes on, you start to lose touch with the real world," Remini said. "The decision to leave is you are giving up everything you have ever known and everything you have worked for your whole life."

Sponsored message

Remini's interview will air on ABC on Oct. 30 at 10 p.m.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today