L. Ron Hubbard based the Church of Scientology in February 1954 and since then, the controversial faith has been met with loads of criticism for its “cult-like” beliefs.
Nonetheless, many individuals, together with a number of celebs, have turned to the religion for religious steerage.
Beneath are the celebrities who’ve remained loyal to the Church of Scientology — and those that stop the faith.
Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is broadly thought-about to be the celeb poster youngster for Scientology. His first spouse, Mimi Rogers, launched him to the faith in 1986 and he’s been a religious follower ever since.
The “Mission Inconceivable” star is allegedly “thought-about a deity inside Scientology” and Leah Remini, who left the church in 2013, as soon as mentioned he’s second in command to chief David Miscavige and thought of “the savior of the free world.”
Nonetheless, Cruise has reportedly felt “persecuted” for his beliefs as a result of a lot of his life selections have come below extreme scrutiny — and Scientology has been mentioned to be behind them.
The church allegedly facilitated the “Prime Gun” star’s cut up from Rogers and helped him get collectively together with his second spouse, Nicole Kidman. Scientology has additionally been blamed for retaining Cruise from his daughter Suri, whom he shares together with his third spouse, Katie Holmes, and whom he has not seen in 16 years.
Holmes, who was raised Catholic, divorced Cruise in 2012 and didn’t need Suri to be a Scientologist to “shield” her from the controversial faith.
Leah Remini
Remini had been a part of the Church of Scientology since childhood. Her mom, Vicki Marshall, launched her to the faith.
Web page Six completely reported in July 2013 that Remini stop the church after years of being allegedly subjected to “interrogations” and “thought modification” as a result of she reportedly as soon as requested about chief David Miscaviage’s spouse, Shelly Miscavige, who had not been seen in public since 2007.
The “King of Queens” alum then launched a campaign towards Scientology after leaving to reveal their alleged misdeeds.
In 2016, her docuseries, “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath,” which informed the tales of former church members, premiered on A&E. It ran for 3 seasons.
Remini then sued the Church of Scientology in August 2023, claiming they’d stalked, harassed her and induced emotional misery.
The church denied any wrongdoing in an announcement and referred to as Remini’s allegations “lunacy.”
John Travolta
John Travolta was raised Catholic however transformed to Scientology in 1975 at age 21 after his former “The Satan’s Rain” co-star launched him to the faith.
“He was extraordinarily sad and never doing effectively,” Joan Prather mentioned on the time, per the Hollywood Reporter.
After signing up for the Hubbard Certified Scientologist Course on the Celeb Centre, Travolta reportedly boasted that his profession had taken off.
The “Grease” star has been a staunch defendant of Scientology through the years. The Church was broadly criticized following the deaths of his shut relations, which many believed may have been averted.
In 2009, Travolta’s son, Jett, suffered a seizure at age 16 that led him to fall and fatally strike his head on a bath at a resort. The Church of Scientology reportedly discouraged using remedy for seizures.
Travolta’s spouse, Kelly Preston, then died in August 2020 at age 57 after a secret breast most cancers battle.
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It’s unclear if she acquired therapy, as Scientologists educate that via “Dianetics,” church founder Hubbard’s official concept in regards to the faith, auditors inside Scientology can deal with and even treatment a few of their psychological and bodily illnesses.
Travolta, nevertheless, has praised the church for being there for him throughout troublesome instances, saying in 2015 after Jett’s demise, “I’ve been introduced via storms that had been insurmountable, and (Scientology has) been so lovely for me, that I can’t even think about attacking it.”
Kirstie Alley
Travolta’s longtime pal and “Look Who’s Speaking” co-star, Kirstie Alley, was additionally a Scientology member.
After being launched to the faith by a neighbor, the actress joined the church in 1979 in an effort to free herself from her cocaine habit.
Alley informed “Leisure Tonight” in 2012 that she was then admitted into Scientology’s rehab community, which reportedly promoted lengthy hours in a sauna and an elevated vitamin consumption.
“Miraculously, and I do imply miraculously, I had one Scientology session and by no means did cocaine once more,” she informed the leisure information program.
Alley died in December 2022 after a brief battle with most cancers at age 71. She reportedly acquired therapy at Moffitt Most cancers Heart in Tampa, Fla.
Tony Ortega of the long-running Scientology weblog “The Underground Bunker,” informed Web page Six on the time that Scientology is “towards psychiatric care and psychiatric medication” however followers are “not stopped from in search of medical therapy if they’ve most cancers,” including members usually are not informed to not go to the hospital.
Scientology members reportedly believed Alley achieved superhuman standing, reaching OT VIII, which in accordance with Ortega is the best you may go on the “Bridge to Whole Freedom,” Scientology’s main motion plan towards religious freedom.
Danny Masterson
Danny Masterson was raised within the Church of Scientology as his stepfather, Joe Reaiche, and mom Carole Masterson, had been members of the Sea Org, the church’s clergy.
The “That ’70s Present” alum reportedly tried to woo a few of his well-known buddies, together with Ashton Kutcher, into practising the religion as effectively.
Earlier than his Could 2023 convictions for rape and 30-year jail sentencing thereafter, the Church of Scientology’s alleged secrets and techniques had been aired out in the course of the trial.
One of many accusers testified {that a} church official informed her to place in writing that she would “take accountability” for a 2001 sexual assault Danny allegedly dedicated.
One other claimed a church lawyer confirmed as much as her household’s home and threatened to expel her from the congregation if she informed police the “Males at Work” alum raped her.
After Danny was discovered responsible, it was rumored that he had gotten expelled from the church as a result of he had been deemed a “suppressive individual,” which is a person whose conduct seeks to impede the religious progress of these round him, however the allegation was by no means confirmed.
Bijou Phillips
Danny’s estranged spouse, Bijou Phillips, additionally practiced Scientology alongside the actor.
Nonetheless, the Day by day Mail reported in January 2024 that the previous mannequin quietly left the church “just a few weeks” after her ex was reportedly declared a suppressive individual.
An insider mentioned on the time, “It’s by no means a simple resolution to depart Scientology since you face being ripped other than your loved ones and buddies who’re nonetheless members.
Laura Prepon
Danny’s “That ’70s Present” co-star Laura Prepon was raised Catholic and Jewish, however later transformed to Scientology in 1999.
Prepon revealed in August 2021 that she stop the church 5 years prior, noting that she and her husband, Ben Foster, who by no means practiced Scientology and whom she wed in 2018, most popular meditation.
The “Orange Is the New Black” alum additionally mentioned on the time that motherhood “pressured [her] to take a look at loads of issues in [her] life that [she] wasn’t earlier than.”
Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Moss’ mother and father joined Scientology earlier than she was born, so the “Mad Males” alum was raised within the church since childhood. She is presently nonetheless a member.
Moss has mentioned that she thinks Scientology is “misunderstood,” telling the New Yorker in April 2022 that it’s “probably not a closed-off faith.”
The “Handmaid’s Story” star added on the time, “It’s a spot that could be very open to, like, welcoming in someone who desires to be taught extra about it.”
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley was launched to Scientology as a younger youngster by her mom, Priscilla Presley, following her father Elvis Presley’s demise.
Amid her struggles with drug abuse as a younger teen, the songstress underwent three Scientology Purification rundowns, however they reportedly didn’t work.
Former top-ranking Scientologist Karen de la Carriere beforehand informed The Submit, “She would at all times relapse.” Nonetheless, a Scientology rep denied Carriere had any firsthand data of the state of affairs.
Lisa Marie additionally raised her youngsters, together with Riley Keough, within the church, however she determined to depart the establishment in 2014 after reportedly stepping into an argument with Miscavige.
The “Lights Out” singer later opened as much as Ortega about her time within the church, reportedly alleging that after she obtained Elvis’ inheritance at 25, church members “began grooming [her] to be this one that would exit and get everybody else in.”
She additionally mentioned of Cruise, “I f–king hate Tom. I met him 20 years in the past. I mentioned I by no means need to be in a room with him once more.” Lisa Marie died in January 2023 of problems from a small bowel obstruction.
Doug E. Contemporary
Doug E. Contemporary confirmed to Essence Journal, per AllHipHop.com, that he practiced Scientology after being launched to it by his ex-girlfriend and Sizzling 97 radio persona, Miss Jones.
“I’m the primary hip-hop artist to do it,” he informed the publication on the time. “Miss Jones stopped going however I continued. I discovered it fascinating. It modified how I believed.”
The well-known beatboxer concluded, “I’ve realized how to take a look at issues and never decide them however respect them and use it in a approach that folks perceive that I respect them, present them love and respect their actuality.”
