Paul Haggis On The 'Chilling' Fear He Sees In Scientology Defectors

During a conversation with HuffPost Live's Ricky Camilleri about his new film "Third Person," Haggis discussed his break with Scientology, which was first explored at length in a 2011 New Yorker profile. Haggis told HuffPost Live that the powers-that-be in the church want anyone who defects to do so quietly, and those who speak about it publicly face extreme bullying and intimidation from Scientology officials. The director added that his personal interactions with former members has been emotionally troublesome.

"It was chilling to see how scared they were about speaking out or leaving. Just leaving. Just letting people know they'd left, they were scared," Haggis said. "Well-known people come to me who have been in secretly and have left secretly and just don't want anyone to ever know."

Paul Haggis On The 'Chilling' Fear He Sees In Scientology Defectors

See also:
The Apostate: Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology

Church Of Scientology Issues Scathing Response To Leah Remini's Missing Person Report - Yahoo! Finance

The church responds to Leah Remini, slams Paul Haggis and Tony Ortega. And what exactly did the LAPD's investigation consist of??

The church called the actress' missing person report "Nothing more than a publicity stunt for Ms. Remini."

The Church of Scientology does not take it lightly when public figures speak out about the controversial religion.

After director/writer Paul Haggis wrote an open letter commending "brave" Leah Remini for breaking with the church last month, Scientology's media relations team sent out a statement calling him " a status-obsessed screenwriter" who is "d esperately craving attention."

Now the church is taking aim at Remini after she filed a missing person report for Scientology leader David Miscavige's wife, Shelly, who reportedly hasn't been seen in six years.

Church Of Scientology Issues Scathing Response To Leah Remini's Missing Person Report - Yahoo! Finance

Leah Remini's Scientology Break: Paul Haggis Pens Open Letter Praising Actress

In 2009, Paul Haggis, the screenwriter-director who won an Oscar for 2005’s Crash and wrote Million Dollar Baby, publicly broke with the Church of Scientology. He had been a member for 35 years. While high-ranking officers in Scientology have defected from the controversial organization, Haggis at the time was by far the most famous to disavow it. He publicly criticized Scientology for requiring members to “disconnect” from those who have left the church -- a practice it denies exists -- and for publishing personal information about defectors on websites with domains beginning “who is,” as in “Who Is Paul Haggis?” In early July, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the news that actress Leah Remini, a second-generation Scientologist, had left the church after she allegedly was punished for questioning the conduct of its leader, David Miscavige, and for being critical of other Scientologists. On July 27, the former King of Queens star, who has not publicly discussed her departure, told People, “We stand united, my family and I, and I think that says a lot about who we are and what we’re about. I believe that people should be able to question things. I believe that people should value family and friendships and hold those things sacrosanct. … 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.” Already “WhoIsLeahRemini.com” appears to have been claimed. Asked for comment, a Scientologist spokesperson said, “Regarding ‘Who Is …,’ the church has never hidden the fact it supplied information for the websites. … [But] let’s be clear: We have had nothing to do with any website about her and have no idea who registered the site. … The church respects the privacy of its parishioners and has no further comment.” As for Haggis, who felt compelled to publicly support Remini, the spokesperson says he is a “status-obsessed screenwriter” whose “ ‘open letter’ is nothing more than a transparent promotional gimmick.”

Leah Remini's Scientology Break: Paul Haggis Pens Open Letter Praising Actress