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Leah Remini reminds fans about Tom Cruise's connection to Scientology amid 'Top Gun' success: 'Don't let the movie star charm fool you'

Lauren Edmonds   

Leah Remini reminds fans about Tom Cruise's connection to Scientology amid 'Top Gun' success: 'Don't let the movie star charm fool you'
  • "Top Gun: Maverick," starring Tom Cruise, is an international box-office success.
  • Leah Remini criticized Tom Cruise in a Saturday tweet over his connection to Scientology.

Leah Remini criticized Tom Cruise as his newest film, "Top Gun: Maverick," continued to dominate the box office.

"Top Gun: Maverick," which hit theaters less than three weeks ago, scored $100 million during its opening weekend and garnered high praise from fans. But Remini blasted the film and Cruise in a Twitter post over his connection to the Church of Scientology.

While Remini, 51, was a member of the Church of Scientology, she left in July 2013 and has repeatedly spoken out against it. Cruise, 59, is still an active member.

On Twitter, Remini shared a screenshot of the former Scientologist and her friend Claire Headley's Facebook post that accused Cruise of promoting "a dangerous cult that destroyed my family."

"So no, I will not watch the movie, nor will I ever support or approve of this scam of a man," Headley wrote. "Trust me, Tom Cruise knows exactly who he is supporting and the abuses the organization perpetuates."

Remini responded to the tweet, saying: "Thank you to my friend @claireheadley for your courage. You have continued to speak out despite the non-stop attacks from Scientology. And as Claire says in her post below, Tom Cruise knows exactly what goes on in Scientology."

She added: "Don't let the movie star charm fool you."

Representatives for Remini and Cruise did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

In 2017, Remini called Cruise "diabolical" during a Reddit event, adding: "There is a public persona of the guy who looks at you directly in the eye and shakes your hand and hugs you and is an attentive person to you and there's the person behind the mask who is a completely different person."

After her departure from the church, Remini told People in July 2013 that "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."

"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," she added.

Remini has previously accused the Church of Scientology of mistreating members and spoke out against its leader, David Miscavige.

In November 2016, Remini launched the A&E series "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath," which sought to share insights into Scientology. The church declined to participate, accusing Remini and other contributors of making false statements about the church for monetary gain.

While a number of celebrities, including Elisabeth Moss and John Travolta, have been associated with Scientology, Cruise has taken the brunt of criticism regarding Scientology in the public eye. Other celebrities have defended him over the years.

"I think that probably all religions sound bizarre to the people who are not the practitioners of them," Kirstie Alley, an actor and member of the church, told "ET" in 2012. "To me it's so normal, and probably 90% of the crazy stuff I hear isn't true. I've been a Scientologist for over 30 years. I think a lot of things are sensationalized."

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