Since leaving the Church of Scientology in 2013, Leah Remini has been outspoken about her experiences in the church, first in her book Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology and now on her A&E; series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. Now in its second season, Scientology and the Aftermath recently won an Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series or Special, breaking Anthony Bourdain's four-year streak for Parts Unknown. Below, Leah (who was "still on cloud nine" from the show's Emmy win) discusses what she hopes her show will achieve and some of the things you don't see on screen.
You’ve talked about how you want Scientology and the Aftermath to make people feel more comfortable about speaking out. What’s your ultimate hope with the show?
One is to expose. Because I think what people had thought about Scientology prior to Going Clear and our show was, “Oh, that’s just a crazy cult with crazy beliefs,” and our intention was to show that that’s not true. It could be considered to be a crazy cult, but [there's] actual damage that it does to people’s lives. People are sacrificing their relationships and their money for something that ultimately is very harmful. And I want to keep it going as far as letting people feel safe enough to come out and not feel that they have a Goliath of a bully to try to silence them.
How often do you hear from people interested in sharing their stories?
Every day. For every story we tell there’s a hundred people that contact us. And that’s just people contacting us. You can imagine how many thousands more have been affected by it throughout time.
Some of the people who come on the show had experience with your cohost Mike Rinder when they were in the church. Are they ever reluctant to speak to him because of his past?
Yes, and they’re very vocal about it and they tell Mike that. Once they see Mike they realize, "Oh, Mike is trying to make it better by doing this series." He’s one of the rare ones who says, "Yeah, I did those things and I’m sorry." That’s all it takes for most people on our show.
What is the explanation you usually give for people curious as to how people get in so deep?
I usually say, "Learn how cults work." Scientology’s a very slow process in the beginning. It teaches basic principles of life — do unto others as you’d have done to you and be responsible. Try to be a moral and ethical person. Basic precepts, right? Then there are little courses that cost a little bit of money and you start to learn the concepts of Scientology, kind of like, "Scientology’s a new religion and so it’s being attacked, here’s all the good works that we’re doing." And you’re like, "Why do people attack Scientology?" It slowly starts to get in your mind and your subconscious [that] it’s Scientology against the world, and any enemy of Scientology is an enemy to mankind.
So you start to become a little bit of an elitist, a little bit better than everyone. You start to believe that you have all the answers. And then the other courses begin — the teachings of Scientology of "anybody who puts Scientology down is your enemy, is our enemy, they don’t mean you well, they mean you harm." Then you start to insulate yourself from people who aren’t Scientologists, and that’s how it begins. [You think] that you’re doing the most important work for mankind, that you’re saving mankind. So not only do you feel like you’re becoming better, but you’re part of something that’s making mankind survive. It’s incremental. You’re going in every day — Scientology is an every-day proposition. Soon enough, all your family and all your friends are Scientologists and it’s very hard to extract yourself from it.
Between your show, Going Clear, and things like the Paul Haggis interview coming out in the past several years, do you think the church has less influence with Hollywood now than they’ve had in the past?
I don’t know that they were ever so much influential in Hollywood more than Hollywood was not really educated as to what Scientology was. You have big names in Scientology running around pretending to be the nicest people, and they take the care to talk to you and look at you in the eye, but that’s all part of the process. That’s all part of [being in the church] — to be a good example, to ingratiate yourself to Hollywood so that they’ll say, "Hey, I don’t know why you’re attacking Scientology." It’s all purposeful. I did it, I know!
So it’s more then that they have trouble recruiting now than a question of influence.
Absolutely, yes. Now I think Hollywood, especially acknowledging us with the Critics’ Choice Award and this Emmy, has now seen this is really hurting people’s lives. This is not something that’s innocuous that we should turn away from. We should actually watch this and acknowledge that this is happening to people. I’ve never felt more loved and supported than these moments that I’ve had in Hollywood. I’m so proud of Hollywood for that reason.
What’s been the hardest thing to adjust to since you left the church, in terms of things you couldn't do before but now can?
It isn’t hard, it’s freeing. I just don’t subscribe to it anymore. I don’t have to think a certain way. I don’t have to be friends with Scientologists or non-Scientologists. I don’t have to force Scientology on everyone. I don’t have to live with an agenda. So sitting talking to a friend who’s not a Scientologist, I’m not thinking the whole time, "I’ve gotta get her in."
What kind of advice do you give to people who are looking for a way out of the church?
The only way to do it is rip the Band-Aid off and know that your eternity is not at stake and know that you’re doing the right thing and know that you’re involved in a damaging, hurtful cult. Just look outside, don’t listen to Scientology. They are not saving the world. Don’t give up your lives, don’t give up your families, don’t give up your friends for something that turns its back on you and is ultimately a lie. What’s Scientology’s selling is a lie.
Non-Scientology question: What’s it like going back to work with Kevin James again?
How many times do you get to go back to a part of your life that you loved for nine years? It’s like I never left his side. It is magic. Every day I wake up I’m ecstatic to be there. I’ve been welcomed with open arms. I couldn’t ask for a better situation. Kevin has ruined me for life. He’s my favorite leading man. I was trying to find him again and no one could really hold a candle to Kevin. I feel honestly blessed, as geeky as that sounds, to be back working with him again.
And this time you don’t have to worry about trying to recruit him.
No, and I don’t have to worry about setting a good example every day for the purpose of setting an example for Scientology. We should all set a good example in life, but this was with an agenda. Now it’s about accepting what is. I have no agenda other than to enjoy my life and enjoy my time with people, for however long it goes...Because I was never really able to enjoy my life. I always had to go to Scientology or give my money to Scientology or give my time to Scientology, and now I’m just able to enjoy what is in my life. I don’t have anywhere to get to. This is it.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
