‘Don’t let the movie star charm fool you’: Leah Remini calls out Scientologist Tom Cruise’s ‘crimes against humanity’
Tom Cruise’s latest cinematic endeavour in Top Gun: Maverick has been predicted, by the likes of Forbes, to surpass $1 billion in the box office—despite Jurassic World: Dominion successfully ‘unseating’ it from the top spot. However, something much more sinister and dangerously real than modern-day dinosaurs is set to eclipse Cruise’s latest victory in his career: his unabashed ties to the Church of Scientology.
Ex-Scientologist and adverse critic of the organisation is, of course, King of Queens star Leah Remini. The actress, who left the religious movement in 2013, has been a vocal opponent of the Church since her departure—leaving largely in part due to the group’s treatment of those who wished to quit under the leadership of David Miscavige. Remini took it into her own hands to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Miscavige’s wife, who has allegedly not been seen since 2006, by filing a missing person’s report.
Openly supportive of other former-Scientologists like Claire Headley, who describes herself as a “cult survivor,” the pair have consistently put forward their criticisms of the actor—the latest manifesting as a result of his recent success in the Top Gun sequel. Remini has since made headlines for backing Headley’s new accusations against Cruise on Twitter:
“Thank you to my friend @claireheadley for your courage. You have continued to speak out despite the non-stop attacks from Scientology. And as Claire says in her post below, Tom Cruise knows exactly what goes on in Scientology.” the actress wrote.
“Don’t let the movie star charm fool you.”
Headley’s message on Twitter points to Cruise’s “crimes against humanity,” citing that the actor promotes a threatening cult that destroys families. The organisation in question, according to allegations by Headley, forced her to have two abortions—eventually fleeing in 2005 with them hot on her tail. “Thank God they failed,” she wrote. She also brings into question Cruise’s own family’s relationship with Scientology, evidencing the case of the actor’s ex-partner Katie Holmes and her desperate attempts to escape as well as calling into question his apparent non-relationship with his only biological daughter Suri, that he shared with the actress.
Remini has previously accused Holmes and Nicole Kidman (another ex-wife of Cruise) of having no choice and being unable to speak out about their experiences with the actor for fear of serious repercussions like having Suri taken away from her mother. In 2009, both Headley and her husband reportedly filed a court case against the Church of Scientology, accusing the organisation of violations against human rights including the crime of human trafficking. Their case was subsequently dismissed after courts ruled that the group was protected by ‘ministerial exemption’, a tenet in US law that protects religious institutions.
Introduced by his first wife, Mimi Rogers, Cruise has been an active and open member of the organisation since 1990—and has since grown into one of the most highly ranked members, allegedly becoming the “chosen one” needed to spread the word. Other former members have purported that the actor has used his position in Hollywood to try to convert the likes of Will Smith, David Beckham and Steven Spielberg to Scientology. At the same time, however, more recent reports seem to suggest that Cruise has been “drifting” away from the Church.
“So no, I will not watch the movie, nor will I ever support or approve of this scam of a man. Trust me, Tom Cruise knows exactly who he is supporting and the abuses that organisation perpetrates, I worked with him while I was there,” Headley added.
