14 DAY TRIAL // One week ago, rumors started making the rounds that, after years of being a Scientologist, actress Leah Remini was defecting. She confirmed them with a brief statement that didn’t really address the real reason behind her decision, so her sister Nicole Remini-Wiskow is now speaking out.
In an interview with myTalk 107.1 Radio/Lori and Julia Show, Nicole sheds light on Leah’s decision to part ways with the Church of Scientology and, in doing so, she confirms reports that it was prompted by abuse she took for questioning leader David Miscavige.
However, it wasn’t just his methods that she questioned, but also his relationship with actor Tom Cruise.
Cruise, as must be common knowledge by now, is one of the leading figures in Scientology and has been very close to Miscavige. Miscavige was at Cruise’s 2006 wedding to Katie Holmes and then accompanied the newlyweds on their honeymoon.
It was at the wedding that Leah first noticed that something was off, Nicole says.
“You know the funny thing is you start questioning things that are connected to Tom, things getting a little crazy. Leah had brought up to a very, very close friend of hers out of the house, like in private… ‘You know, I just think that it is really weird how involved Tom is with the upper levels of the Church.’ Like what, she just started questioning a little bit like, what was going on,” she declares.
“And just kind of the amount of, how do I, I just need to say this right, how involved he was with the upper level people. And somebody actually wrote a report on her — her best friend wrote a report on her that she questioned it,” Nicole explains.
All hell broke loose afterwards. Both Tom and Miscavige started pressuring her for “daring” to question their relationship, or Cruise’s relationship with anyone within the church.
“Yeah, they have a very strange relationship… when Leah came back from the wedding, you know, whatever happens, happens,” Nicole says.
Nicole too was a Scientologist until a few years ago, when all this started – as also was the entire family. She explains that they were asked to side either with Leah or the church, and they opted for the former, quietly leaving Scientology ranks.
It would take several more years for Leah to find the courage to defect as well.