Leah Remini 'I'm Just Starting to Live'

More than a decade after breaking free from Scientology, the newly divorced actress is reflecting on how far she's come and what the next chapter holds

- by ANDREA SIMPSON

In July, it will be 12 years since Leah Remini left the Church of Scientology. The process of extracting herself from the controversial organization hasn't been an easy one. Remini has made it her mission to expose the practices of the ultra-secretive religion, which she did both in her 2015 memoir, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, and her Emmy-winning A&E docuseries, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. The actress says she's been punished harshly for her efforts and claims the Church continues to harass her and her loved ones to this day. “It’s difficult to say it’s gotten easier when I have a multimillion-dollar organization terrorizing me and my family,” admits Remini, who filed a lawsuit in August 2023 against the Church of Scientology, alleging that she and her 20-year-old daughter, Sofia, 20 (dad is ex Angelo Pagan), were being harassed and surveilled. (A hearing is scheduled for September.) “I’m hunted. My daughter is followed,” Remini tells Us. “There is constant surveillance.”

When reached for comment, a representative for the Church of Scientology responded, “For years Ms. Remini has repeated ad nauseam unsupported and untrue allegations to monetize her hate campaign against the Church of Scientology.” (Us did not pay Remini for this interview.) “There has been no harassment or surveillance,” the statement continued. “It is a blatant attempt to harass the Church and abuse the judicial system.” never existed a shred of evidence to support, let alone prove, any of her outlandish claims.... Contrary to Ms. Remini’s representations, the Church has never committed or conspired to commit these crimes, and no evidence exists to suggest otherwise. The Church is not ‘surveilling’ or doing anything to Ms. Remini. On the contrary, she is harassing her former church.”