By Piya Sinha-Roy
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Leah Remini
has severed ties with the Church of Scientology, a source with
knowledge of her decision said on Thursday, making her one of the most
high-profile members to quit.
Remini, best known for her role as Carrie Heffernan in the CBS sitcom "King of Queens," issued a statement following press reports that she had decided to leave the church.
"I wish to share my sincere and
heartfelt appreciation for the overwhelming positive response I have
received from the media, my colleagues, and fans from around the world. I
am truly grateful and thankful for all your support," Remini said.
She did not address Scientology directly, but the source told
Reuters that Remini's statement was her confirmation that she had left
the church.
The New York Post
broke the story early Thursday that Remini was leaving the Church of
Scientology after "being subjected to years of 'interrogations' and
'thought modification' for questioning leader David Miscavige's rule," citing an unnamed source.
Remini's representatives would not comment on the New York Post
article. Representatives for the Church of Scientology did not
immediately respond to a request for comment.SCIENTOLOGY AND CELEBRITIES
The actress, 43, has spoken
publicly in the past about being a member of the Church of Scientology,
which was founded in 1954 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard and has attracted several Hollywood stars including Tom Cruise and John Travolta.
The organization describes its
practices as a religion and believes man is an immortal being whose
experience extends beyond one lifetime.
But some observers - including media mogul Rupert Murdoch - liken it
to a cult. Critics think the group coerces followers to think like they
do, and they accuse Scientologists of harassing people who seek to
quit.
The church came under fresh scrutiny last year when actress Katie Holmes
suddenly divorced Cruise, with whom she has one daughter. Although
there was speculation that Holmes had rejected Scientology, neither she
nor Cruise addressed a split over the faith.
In an April 2001 interview with CNN, Remini said she "finds solace
in her steadfast practice of Scientology," and jumped to the defense of
the religion.
"If somebody is going to get
turned off about something because of what they read or heard, then that
person's not smart enough to even enter a church," Remini said to CNN.
Other notable former Scientology members include director Paul Haggis, who spoke out in detail about his experiences with the church in a New Yorker article in February 2011.
(Additional reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Mary Milliken and Lisa Shumaker)
