This week on Leah Remini: Scientology and The Aftermath, Leah and Mike speak to Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis about his experience with the Church.
Canadian Haggis is an acclaimed director and screenwriter having directed Best Picture Oscar winners like Crash and written the screenplay to other Best Picture winner Million Dollar Baby.
He was an active member of the Church for over 30 years until 2009, when he decided to speak out. The trigger for his move was the San Diego branch of the Church being opposed to same-sex marriage and indeed actively supporting the ballot to ban it.
On his long term membership he later said: “I was in a cult for thirty-four years. Everyone else could see it. I don’t know why I couldn’t.”
He tells Leah that after he went public he was put under immense pressure by the Church, arriving home to find twenty of his celebrity friends and fellow Cchurch members on his lawn.
They also sit down with a former recruiter who specialized in recruiting celebrities to Scientology.
The series just won the Emmy for Best Informational Series.
Leah Remini: Scientology and The Aftermath airs at 9:00 PM ON A&E.