L. Ron Hubbard founded the Church of Scientology in February 1954 and since then, the controversial religion has been met with a lot of criticism for its “cult-like” beliefs.
However, many people, including several celebs, have turned to the faith for spiritual guidance.
Below are the stars who have remained loyal to the Church of Scientology — and those who quit the religion.
Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is widely considered to be the celebrity poster child for Scientology. His first wife, Mimi Rogers, introduced him to the religion in 1986 and he’s been a devout follower ever since.
The “Mission Impossible” star is allegedly “considered a deity within Scientology” and Leah Remini, who left the church in 2013, once said he is second in command to leader David Miscavige and considered “the savior of the free world.”
However, Cruise has reportedly felt “persecuted” for his beliefs because many of his life decisions have come under severe scrutiny — and Scientology has been said to be behind them.
The church allegedly facilitated the “Top Gun” star’s split from Rogers and helped him get together with his second wife, Nicole Kidman. Scientology has also been blamed for keeping Cruise from his daughter Suri, whom he shares with his third wife, Katie Holmes, and whom he has not seen in 16 years.
Holmes, who was raised Catholic, divorced Cruise in 2012 and did not want Suri to be a Scientologist to “protect” her from the controversial religion.
Leah Remini
Remini had been part of the Church of Scientology since childhood. Her mother, Vicki Marshall, introduced her to the religion.
Page Six exclusively reported in July 2013 that Remini quit the church after years of being allegedly subjected to “interrogations” and “thought modification” because she reportedly once asked about leader David Miscaviage’s wife, Shelly Miscavige, who had not been seen in public since 2007.
The “King of Queens” alum then launched a crusade against Scientology after leaving to expose their alleged misdeeds.
In 2016, her docuseries, “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath,” which told the stories of former church members, premiered on A&E. It ran for three seasons.
Remini then sued the Church of Scientology in August 2023, claiming they had stalked, harassed her and caused emotional distress.
The church denied any wrongdoing in a statement and called Remini’s allegations “lunacy.”
John Travolta
John Travolta was raised Catholic but converted to Scientology in 1975 at age 21 after his former “The Devil’s Rain” co-star introduced him to the religion.
“He was extremely unhappy and not doing well,” Joan Prather said at the time, per the Hollywood Reporter.
After signing up for the Hubbard Qualified Scientologist Course at the Celebrity Centre, Travolta reportedly boasted that his career had taken off.
The “Grease” star has been a staunch defendant of Scientology over the years. The Church was widely criticized following the deaths of his close relatives, which many believed could have been avoided.
In 2009, Travolta’s son, Jett, suffered a seizure at age 16 that led him to fall and fatally strike his head on a bathtub at a hotel. The Church of Scientology reportedly discouraged the use of medication for seizures.
Travolta’s wife, Kelly Preston, then died in August 2020 at age 57 after a secret breast cancer battle.
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It’s unclear if she received treatment, as Scientologists teach that through “Dianetics,” church founder Hubbard’s official theory about the religion, auditors within Scientology can treat and even cure some of their mental and physical diseases.
Travolta, however, has praised the church for being there for him during difficult times, saying in 2015 after Jett’s death, “I’ve been brought through storms that were insurmountable, and (Scientology has) been so beautiful for me, that I can’t even imagine attacking it.”
Kirstie Alley
Travolta’s longtime pal and “Look Who’s Talking” co-star, Kirstie Alley, was also a Scientology member.
After being introduced to the religion by a neighbor, the actress joined the church in 1979 in an effort to free herself from her cocaine addiction.
Alley told “Entertainment Tonight” in 2012 that she was then admitted into Scientology’s rehab network, which reportedly promoted long hours in a sauna and an increased vitamin intake.
“Miraculously, and I do mean miraculously, I had one Scientology session and never did cocaine again,” she told the entertainment news program.
Alley died in December 2022 after a short battle with cancer at age 71. She reportedly received treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla.
Tony Ortega of the long-running Scientology blog “The Underground Bunker,” told Page Six at the time that Scientology is “against psychiatric care and psychiatric drugs” but followers are “not stopped from seeking medical treatment if they have cancer,” adding members are not told to not go to the hospital.
Scientology members reportedly believed Alley achieved superhuman status, reaching OT VIII, which according to Ortega is the highest you can go on the “Bridge to Total Freedom,” Scientology’s primary action plan toward spiritual freedom.
Danny Masterson
Danny Masterson was raised in the Church of Scientology as his stepfather, Joe Reaiche, and mother Carole Masterson, were members of the Sea Org, the church’s clergy.
The “That ’70s Show” alum reportedly tried to woo some of his famous buddies, including Ashton Kutcher, into practicing the faith as well.
Before his May 2023 convictions for rape and 30-year prison sentencing thereafter, the Church of Scientology’s alleged secrets were aired out during the trial.
One of the accusers testified that a church official told her to put in writing that she would “take responsibility” for a 2001 sexual assault Danny allegedly committed.
Another claimed a church lawyer showed up to her family’s house and threatened to expel her from the congregation if she told police the “Men at Work” alum raped her.
After Danny was found guilty, it was rumored that he had gotten expelled from the church because he had been deemed a “suppressive person,” which is an individual whose behavior seeks to impede the spiritual progress of those around him, but the allegation was never confirmed.
Bijou Phillips
Danny’s estranged wife, Bijou Phillips, also practiced Scientology alongside the actor.
However, the Daily Mail reported in January 2024 that the former model quietly left the church “a few weeks” after her ex was reportedly declared a suppressive person.
An insider said at the time, “It’s never an easy decision to leave Scientology because you face being ripped apart from your family and friends who are still members.
Laura Prepon
Danny’s “That ’70s Show” co-star Laura Prepon was raised Catholic and Jewish, but later converted to Scientology in 1999.
Prepon revealed in August 2021 that she quit the church five years prior, noting that she and her husband, Ben Foster, who never practiced Scientology and whom she wed in 2018, preferred meditation.
The “Orange Is the New Black” alum also said at the time that motherhood “forced [her] to look at a lot of things in [her] life that [she] wasn’t looking at before.”
Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Moss’ parents joined Scientology before she was born, so the “Mad Men” alum was raised in the church since childhood. She is currently still a member.
Moss has said that she thinks Scientology is “misunderstood,” telling the New Yorker in April 2022 that it’s “not really a closed-off religion.”
The “Handmaid’s Tale” star added at the time, “It’s a place that is very open to, like, welcoming in somebody who wants to learn more about it.”
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley was introduced to Scientology as a young child by her mother, Priscilla Presley, following her father Elvis Presley’s death.
Amid her struggles with drug abuse as a young teen, the songstress underwent three Scientology Purification rundowns, but they reportedly didn’t work.
Former top-ranking Scientologist Karen de la Carriere previously told The Post, “She would always relapse.” However, a Scientology rep denied Carriere had any firsthand knowledge of the situation.
Lisa Marie also raised her children, including Riley Keough, in the church, but she decided to leave the institution in 2014 after reportedly getting into an argument with Miscavige.
The “Lights Out” singer later opened up to Ortega about her time in the church, reportedly alleging that after she got Elvis’ inheritance at 25, church members “started grooming [her] to be this person who would go out and get everyone else in.”
She also said of Cruise, “I f–king hate Tom. I met him 20 years ago. I said I never want to be in a room with him again.” Lisa Marie died in January 2023 of complications from a small bowel obstruction.
Doug E. Fresh
Doug E. Fresh confirmed to Essence Magazine, per AllHipHop.com, that he practiced Scientology after being introduced to it by his ex-girlfriend and Hot 97 radio personality, Miss Jones.
“I am the first hip-hop artist to do it,” he told the publication at the time. “Miss Jones stopped going but I continued. I found it fascinating. It changed how I thought.”
The famous beatboxer concluded, “I’ve learned how to look at things and not judge them but respect them and use it in a way that people understand that I respect them, show them love and respect their reality.”
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