Leah Remini is slamming Tom Cruise and Scientology in her upcoming memoir, according to a new interview with ABC’s "20/20" that is scheduled to air on Friday.
Remini, the 45-year-old actress best known for her role as Carrie Heffernan on “The King of Queens," publicly split from the Church of Scientology in 2013 amidst a swirl of
controversy, according to the New York Daily News. Her upcoming memoir, “Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology,” is expected to put to rest her reasoning in her decision to leave. Remini also reportedly slams Cruise, one of Scientology's most prominent advocates.
“As time goes on, you start to lose touch with the real world. The mindset becomes 'us against them,'" Remini told "20/20" of her decision to leave Scientology in a
sneak peek of the interview, according to TV Guide. “The decision to leave is you are giving up everything you have ever known and everything you have worked for your whole life.”
Remini joined Scientology with her family when she was a young girl, and her painful decision to part ways from the religious community stands in stark contrast to Cruise’s public support for the church and its beliefs.
“Being critical of Tom Cruise is being critical of Scientology itself. You are evil,” Remini said.
A source told the New York Post's Page Six that Remini initially began to question the church’s beliefs when she discovered that parishioners were not allowed to question the leadership’s management or policies.
“It all began when Leah questioned the validity of excommunication of people,” the source said. “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.’”
Remini also previously revealed that she regretted the time she spent poring over Scientology scripture instead of spending time with her daughter, just like her own mother did to her.
The full "20/20" interview will air on Friday, and Remini’s memoir will be published on Nov. 3.
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