Leah Remini on Divorce, Healing and the Fight Against Scientology: ‘It’s Been Worth It’

Transcript

00:00In July, Leah Remini will mark 12 years since her departure from the Church of Scientology.

00:05A journey fraught with challenges since leaving, she has dedicated herself to exposing practices

00:11of the organization, sharing her experiences in her memoir and an award-winning docu-series.

00:17Yet the consequences have allegedly been severe. Remini claims she faces ongoing harassment and

00:22surveillance from the church, stating, I'm hunted, my daughter is followed. In August 2023,

00:27she filed a lawsuit against the church alleging that she and her daughter, Sophia, were being

00:32targeted. The church responded, dismissing her claims as unsupported allegations aimed at monetizing

00:38a hate campaign. Despite the turmoil, Remini has no regrets. She credits therapy for helping her

00:44heal from the damage she alleges she was inflicted during her 30 years as a Scientologist. As she

00:49approaches her 55th birthday, she reflects on her journey, acknowledging both the good and bad days.

00:55It's been worth it, she says. I feel like I'm just starting to live. Since her split from her

01:00husband, Angelo Pagan, after 28 years of marriage and the recent loss of her close friend and co-host,

01:06Mike Rinder, to cancer, Remini faces significant life changes. She's set to graduate from NYU this

01:12fall, embracing her new identity as an empty nester. Remini shares her ongoing healing journey,

01:17stating, I've learned just how strong I really was. She acknowledges the difficult transition of

01:22adjusting to life outside Scientology, where she alleges every aspect of her life was controlled.

01:27Now she relishes the newfound freedoms, like pursuing education and living authentically.

01:33As she prepares for what lies ahead, Remini is determined to advocate for others and push past

01:38her fears. If it was affecting Sophia in a debilitating way, I would pass the torch, she says.

01:44But she doesn't want me to give up. With a resilient spirit, Leah Remini is ready to embrace her future,

01:50finding strength in her past and hope in the possibilities ahead.

01:54I feel more optimistic, she concludes. It's an awakening. When reached out for comment,

01:59the Church of Scientology denied all of Leah's claims. Us Weekly did not pay Leah Remini for this story.

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