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Leah Remini Claims Katie Holmes ‘Could Lose Custody of Suri’
for Speaking to Her: ‘We Used to Be Close Friends’

Us Weekly
By Emily Marcus
9/27/18

Leah Remini reflected on her friendship with Katie Holmes and made more allegations against the Church of Scientology in a new interview.

The Scientology and the Aftermath star, 48, opened up about her ongoing battle with her former religion in Us Weekly’s exclusive sneak peek of LaPalme magazine’s fall cover.

“I thought comedy would be my life. I don’t consider myself a champion. The people who speak on the show are champions,” she said of her A&E show. “But I keep wondering — why haven’t Katie Holmes or Nicole Kidman spoken out? I assume they were forced to sign prohibitive documents. Trust me, Katie’s not allowed to have a meal with me and we used to be close friends. She could lose custody of Suri. It’s quite sick, really.”

Kidman, 51, was married to Tom Cruise, a Scientologist, from 1990 to 2001. He married Holmes, 39, in November 2006 and the pair, who share 12-year-old daughter Suri, split in 2012.

Remini also claimed that people she works with on her series “are harassed constantly, especially me. Members of the church go to my mother’s restaurant, confront my little sister and my step kids in San Francisco, trying to intimidate us. These abusive scare tactics are what they call a religion.”

The Church of Scientology’s spokesperson Karin Pouw responded to Remini’s allegations in a statement to Us. “While we would prefer to ignore yet another of Leah Remini’s over-the-top rants aimed at getting attention, she unfortunately continues to incite waves of anti-religious hate crimes. Ms. Remini’s incessant hate speech has required increased security and law enforcement resources spent to protect lives she puts at risk,” the statement read. “Ms. Remini’s ridiculous rants are unending and the myths and tales she and her coproducer spread are grown more bizarre by the day … They hire producers to rehash tired, preposterous myths invented and spread by the same handful of former Scientologists motivated by greed and anger.”

Meanwhile, LaPalme’s creative director, Derek Warburton, tells Us why the Kevin Can Wait alum was the ideal cover star for the magazine’s fall issue. “Leah Remini is a modern day version of Robin Hood, but instead of stealing from the rich to give to the poor, she is fighting against oppression and fighting for freedom,” he said. “I cherish a survivor and that is what [she] is.”

The third season of Scientology and the Aftermath, which is currently in the works, will investigate Jehovah’s Witnesses. “They are not allowed to report a rape to the police. I started to look into and found some disturbing, and yes, abusive things,” Remini explained. “That will be the subject of one of our specials. America needs to start looking at this! We’re only doomed if we get apathetic.”

Us has reached out to Kidman and Holmes for comment.