Leah Remini Won’t Back Down From War Against Tom Cruise And Scientology


Once known for her role in King of Queens, Leah Remini has left sitcoms behind to take on the Church of Scientology, and her war against the organization to which she once belonged is just getting started. After leaving Scientology, Leah participated in a number of interviews and wrote her own tell-all book, but even that can’t compare to Remini’s latest project, her upcoming documentary, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. Now, as the miniseries nears its air date, both Leah Remini and A&E are facing potential lawsuits from the Church of Scientology and heat from the organization’s top leaders.

Leah Remini Says Tom Cruise Pressured CBS To Get Her Under Control

In her recent battles against the Church of Scientology, The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Ms. Remini has faced public debasement from the organization, whose tactics have included publicly shaming Leah as a “has-been actress” and “spoiled, entitled diva.” In response, Remini has demanded a retraction from Scientology leaders and $1.5 million by way of compensation.

As Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath gets set to air on A&E, Remini reveals this type of intimidation and legal warfare is nothing new. The King of Queens actress reveals that the Church of Scientology has been attempting to manipulate her, even before she made the move to leave the organization. Leah says the Scientology leaders wanted her to influence CBS boss Les Moonves to pull a report about the Church of Scientology from 60 Minutes.

“So I called Les Moonves, even though I was really uncomfortable with it,” said Ms. Remini. “And he said, ‘Listen — you’re not the only one who has called me about this, and I have no right to interject my opinion of what I like or don’t like with the news organization of CBS and I will absolutely not engage this conversation. I’ll tell you or anyone else who calls me.’ He said, ‘I don’t give a sh– if it’s you, if it’s Tom Cruise, if it’s Jenna Elfman, you’re all going to get the same story from me.'”

When Leah reported her failure back to her Scientology leaders, they were less than thrilled that she hadn’t succeeded in getting the story cut from the 60 Minutes lineup. Even after Remini pointed out that, as an actress, she had no influence in getting content pulled, her Scientology contacts continued to pressure her over the issue.

Leah Remini Would Welcome A Lawsuit From The Church Of Scientology

US Weekly reports that Leah Remini’s recent appearance on Dr. Oz revealed the actress turned investigative journalist would welcome a lawsuit from the Church of Scientology. She says they have well paid attorneys waiting and watching for the first opportunity to sue her, adding that she’ll welcome such an opportunity to take her crusade into America’s courtrooms.

“Why do I wish they would? Because they’d have to be deposed. I’d have to be deposed, so we’d get some real information out,” says Leah. “They won’t sue me, because they know that’s true. They know that these stories are true or they would have sued the crap out of every single one of us.”

It is understandable that, after having spent a lifetime under the thumb of Scientology, Leah Remini would want to expose the injustices she witnessed and experienced first hand, but the former King of Queens star says it’s much more than that. As viewers will see on Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, Ms. Remini wants to help other families free themselves from Scientology’s grip.

Leah also thinks of her own daughter, 12-year-old daughter, Sofia.

“It’s heartbreaking, it’s disgusting. As a mother, it just fires me up in a way that I can’t imagine,” Leah Remini said. “So when people tell me to move on, I go, right, yeah, tell that to her. Tell that to the mothers and fathers who lost their kids or have to deal with the fact that their children were taken advantage of. Tell them that.”

Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath airs Tuesdays on A&E.

[Featured Image by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]

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