Actor and former Scientologist Leah Remini has weighed in on Tom Cruise‘s now-infamous COVID-19 rant, which spread like wildfire across the internet over the last few days.
In the rant, Cruise berated crew members on the London Mission: Impossible set for violating COVID-19 social distancing rules. Cruise, 58, seemed to be particularly angry with crew who crowded around a computer on set. He also claimed that the film is the “gold standard” for movie production during the pandemic, and that the future of the industry rests on the success of his production.
Remini, who has never stayed silent on most matters involving high-ranking Scientologist Cruise, penned a lengthy statement about the A-list actor for The Underground Bunker reporter Tony Ortega‘s website. (Ortega is one of the most preeminent Scientology reporters on the internet.)
In her statement, Remini outlines Cruise’s rant in the Scientology context, saying that any COVID-19 preventative measure taken by a Scientologist — such as mask-wearing — is “just a show.”
“Anything you see coming from Scientology and Scientologists, such as mask wearing and supposedly humanitarian efforts, is just a show,” she wrote. “It’s for public relations reasons only.”
Remini insists that Cruise “does not believe in illness” unless someone is connected to “suppressive persons,” known as SPs in Scientology. SPs are people who have exposed Scientology negatively to the public or press. Anyone connected to that particular SP is also considered an SP, and so on.
She claims that David Miscavige, the leader of the Church of Scientology, has called COVID-19 “a planetary bullbait.”
“Bullbaiting in Scientology is a drill where Scientologists are taught to hold perfectly still while being ‘baited’ into a reaction,” she wrote. “All Scientologists, including children, are required to do this course and this drill as part of their training. … (Miscavige saying) COVID is a bullbait means it’s only a drill invented to make us all react, and Scientologists shouldn’t be reacting to a global pandemic but rather just going on with life as normal in their dedication to Scientology and their daily activities.”
Remini states that the rant showcases Cruise’s true personality, and his high-ranking position in Scientology skews his real-world view, making him believe that he’s entitled to abuse and berate people. She’s also not convinced that the rant is even authentic, throwing out a theory that Cruise had the diatribe written for him. (There is no evidence to support this theory as of this writing.)
“Tom’s reaction that was released yesterday shows his true personality. He is an abusive person. I witnessed it, I’ve been a recipient of it on a small level, and I’ve been told of similar abuse by his former girlfriend, his employees, and his friends. This is the real Tom,” she wrote in the statement on Wednesday.
“Tom does not care about the families of his crew; this is all for publicity. Tom does not believe in family values. I mean, how anyone is falling for this is just mindblowing,” she continued. “I would bet that Tom had this rant written for him and had his Scientology assistant record and release it. Tom seems to think that Hollywood is incapable of making films without his help. Saying such a thing indicates the godlike figure Tom believes he is, and what he is told by Scientology.”
Remini goes on to say that movie and TV productions have really stepped up safety and security measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for Cruise to react in such a hostile way was completely unnecessary, again showcasing how he “saw this as an opportunity to appear as the epitome of strength.”
“This behavior is not normal or appropriate,” she wrote. “No one can respond to his outburst without being fired. And again, this is not a pandemic that Tom and Scientology believe in.”
As of this writing, neither Cruise nor Scientology has replied to her statement.
Remini has been laser-focused on Scientology since she left the organization in 2013. She was a devout, practising Scientologist for 34 years. Her TV docuseries, Scientology and the Aftermath, first aired on A&E in 2016, and since then, it garnered much critical acclaim, even landing Remini, her co-host Mike Rinder, and the network a Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series.
The show ended after its third season in 2019.
On Aftermath, ex-Scientologists Remini, 50, and Rinder, 65, sought to tell the unheard stories of people who managed to leave the religious organization. Along the way, the viewer got some insight into Rinder’s and Remini’s expansive experiences as well.
The Church of Scientology vehemently denies all accusations and statements made by Remini, Rinder, the former Scientologists, and Aftermath. The organization has a website dedicated to disproving all the claims of Aftermath and to discrediting Remini and Rinder.
Global News has reached out to the Church of Scientology for reaction to Remini’s latest remarks.
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You can read Remini’s entire statement at The Underground Bunker.
— With a file from Josh K. Elliott
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