Leah Remini on split from Church of Scientology: 'I believe that people should be able to question things'

Leah Remini on split from Church of Scientology: 'I believe that people should be able to question things' 

Fresh off her split from the Church of Scientology, actress Leah Remini isn’t shying away from the media spotlight. “I believe that people should be able to question things. I believe that people should value family and value friendships and hold those things sacrosanct," the 43-year-old actress told People magazine at a red carpet event Saturday. RELATED: LEAH REMINI SHUNNED BY SCIENTOLOGY AFTER QUESTIONING TOM CRUISE’S ‘WEIRD’ RELATIONSHIP, SISTER SAYS "No one is going to tell me how I need to think, no one is going to tell me who I can, and cannot, talk to," Remini told People magazine. FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAGES "No one is going to tell me how I need to think, no one is going to tell me who I can, and cannot, talk to," Remini told People magazine. “That for me - that's what I'm about. It wouldn't matter what it was, simply because no one is going to tell me how I need to think, no one is going to tell me who I can, and cannot, talk to." Though the actress was mum on the exact reasons for leaving the religion that she belonged to for more than two decades, the Hollywood Reporter cited a source that says the split was over criticism of church leader David Miscavige. PHOTOS: FAMOUS SCIENTOLOGISTS Remini reportedly split from the church over her discomfort over what she considered a "weird" relationship between Tom Cruise and Church of Scientology head David Miscavige. KAT / SPLASH NEWS/KAT / SPLASH NEWS Remini reportedly split from the church over her discomfort over what she considered a "weird" relationship between Tom Cruise and Church of Scientology head David Miscavige. “The Church respects the privacy of parishioners and has no comment about any individual Church member," a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology said in a release. Remini’s sister, Nicole, told Minnesota’s My Talk 1071 radio that the church hierarchy began to shun her when she questioned Tom Cruise’s “weird” relationship with Miscavige. RELATED: JENNIFER LOPEZ SUPPORTS LEAH REMINI AFTER SCIENTOLOGY SPLIT Tom Cruise and Leah Remini hug during the "Collateral" premiere. L. COHEN/WIREIMAGE Tom Cruise and Leah Remini hug during the "Collateral" premiere. The “King of Queens” actress also took issue with the mysterious disappearance of Miscavige’s wife, Shelley, who she said hadn’t been seen since 2007. "She's been curious for years," Nicole Remini told the station. "'Where the h--- is [Shelly]?'... This is all Leah asked, and this is what it's turned into?" RELATED: KIRSTIE ALLEY UPSET OVER LEAH REMINI, SCIENTOLOGY SPLIT: REPORT Actress Kirstie Alley reportedly is upset at the defection of her former friend. MICHAEL STEWART/WIREIMAGE Actress Kirstie Alley reportedly is upset at the defection of her former friend. Remini has reportedly been shunned by several former friends who are high-profile Scientologists, including Kirstie Alley, according to journalist Tony Ortega. But Alley herself vehemently denied the accusation on Twitter: “lying news outlets. I do NOT care what religions ANYONE is or isn't." RELATED: CRUISE MISSILE: 'TOMKAT PROJECT' STRIKES AT FRINGE FEST The exterior of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International in Los Angeles. GETTY IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES The exterior of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International in Los Angeles. Remini told People at Saturday’s DesignCare event in Malibu that she’s turned to her family for support. “We stand united, my family and I, and I think that says a lot about who we are, and what we're about,” she said. With Chiderah Monde



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