Leah Remini Opens Up About Life In Scientology

Leah
Remini visited Access Hollywood Live on Wednesday for a candid discussion about her life in the Church of Scientology.

The
actress spoke to Billy Bush and Kit Hoover about her memoir, “Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and
Scientology,” in a wide-ranging interview about Scientology’s views on homosexuality, how much it cost her to be a
member, Tom Cruise, growing up as a Scientologist and why she suddenly left the
church.

Here’s
what Leah had to say about the headline-making religion and her life in it:

PHOTOS: Celebrity Scientologists – Past & Present

On if she’s afraid of retaliation for leaving the church: “I’m not afraid because like I said, I’ve
already said what I’ve done. I mean and I think it says more about the
organization than it does about me, because we’re all human. We all make
mistakes. And you know, I was there over three decades and as you know, it does
cost money and a lot of money.”

On how much it costs to be in the church: “There are set prices for each
service that you’re required to do. And as you know, there’s that thing…that
chart… you go from the bottom of the chart and you’re supposed to be working
your whole life to go to the top of that chart. And that costs a lot of
money.” 

MORE: Leah Remini Talks Jennifer Lopez’s Support After Leaving Scientology

On how much she gave to the church: “Millions… I don’t have an exact
figure and there are so many legal aspects, as you all know. So, I couldn’t
give you an exact figure, but as I said, Scientologists are very dedicated
people. They are required to be doing some kind of treatment, a minimum of two
and a half hours a day every day and it costs a minimum of a quarter million
dollars to do Scientology.”

On an alleged incident from her memoir where she claims seeing a
7-month-old Suri Cruise being spoken to like an adult at Tom Cruise’s wedding
: “I didn’t understand it. I didn’t
understand what I was looking at. I know it happened prior…They see us as
spiritual beings, children. I’m not parent of the year. So I’m not passing
judgment on anybody’s parenting skills.”

On growing up in the church: “They don’t consider children, um…
children really. You’re told very early on that you are a spiritual being and
that you have enormous power and you’re just in a little body and you’ve come
back. So you know, as a kid you are like, “yeah, I’m big time’… it does
something to you as a child, then you are given responsibilities… you are
living for the first time on your own with other basically children in a motel
room.”

On how her
11-year-old daughter Sofia inspired her to leave the church
: “Once you have a child you have to
start to think about what am I involving my innocent daughter in? And I would
have taught my daughter had I indoctrinated her, that she should protect her church
first and I didn’t want to lose my daughter.”

The Church of
Scientology issued a statement to Access about Leah’s claims.

“The Church declines to comment about Mr. Cruise or his
wedding…  Every claim Ms. Remini has made is not only untrue, but
ridiculous and stupid,” a church statement read.

Jesse Spero

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