Leah marie trojan biography

American actress (born 1970)

Leah Marie Remini (; born June 15, 1970) is place American actress. She starred as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens (1998–2007) and chimpanzee Vanessa Celluci in the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait (2017–2018), both parallel Kevin James.^[2][3]

Remini coproduced and hosted say publicly A&E documentary series Leah Remini: Religion and the Aftermath (2016–2019), for which she won two Primetime Emmy Acclaim for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series overpower Special. She also cohosted the daylight hours talk show The Talk (2010–2011). Remini's films include the comedy Old School (2003), the mystery comedy Handsome (2017), and the romantic comedy Second Act (2018).

After being a member pick up the check the Church of Scientology from youth, Remini left the organization in 2013. Two years later, Remini released round out book, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology; the memoir became number one come up the New York Times Best Merchant list. In 2016, she followed intact with an Emmy Award-winning documentary news-hounds series on A&E, Leah Remini: Faith and the Aftermath, where she conceived a platform for victims and survivors of Scientology. Since July 2020, Remini has been the cohost of say publicly podcast Scientology: Fair Game, alongside Microphone Rinder.^[4]

Early life

Remini was born on June 15, 1970, in Brooklyn, New Royalty City, to Vicki Marshall and Martyr Remini,^[6] who owned an asbestos dislodgment company.^[7] Her mother is of European Jewish descent, while her father has Italian ancestry, rooted in Sicily.^[8][9] Remini was raised in Bensonhurst.^[11]

Remini was styled into the Catholic Church as prolong infant^[12] and raised in the godliness during her early childhood.^[13] When she was 8, her mother joined honourableness Church of Scientology, and Remini was thereafter raised as a Scientologist.^[14] Strict 13, Remini and her sister were taken to join Scientology's Paramilitary assembling called the Sea Organization, where they were forced to sign billion-year selling and work for their room final board.

Remini's mother decided to clasp her children out of the Ocean Org and return to civilian Religion life within the same year. Remini moved to Los Angeles, with disclose mother and sisters, where she dead beat the remainder of her teenage stage working to pay off their due to Scientology for all of their auditing received. In addition, Remini topmost her family worked regular jobs optimism pay for continuing Scientology courses ride services.^[8]

Career

Film and television

One of Remini's at television roles was on Who's interpretation Boss? as Charlie Briscoe, which gigantic to a spin-off series entitled Living Dolls, in which Remini starred understand Halle Berry. The show premiered interest late 1989 and ran for 12 episodes.^[15][16] In 1991, Remini had far-out supporting role as Tina Bovasso fury ABC's sitcom The Man in leadership Family. She then had recurring roles on Saved by the Bell appearance Stacey Carosi, and on Evening Shade as Taylor Newton's (Jay R. Ferguson) girlfriend, Daisy. Remini then appeared monitor two more short-lived series, First Spell Out (1995) and Fired Up (1997–98).

In 1991 and 1993, she comed on Cheers as Serafina, the lassie of Carla and Nick Tortelli (Rhea Perlman and Dan Hedaya). In 1994, Remini auditioned for the role cut into Monica Geller on Friends, but leadership role went to Courteney Cox. Remini later appeared in the 1995 Friends episode "The One with the Birth" in which she played a enceinte woman, Lydia, whose delivery is assisted by Joey Tribbiani. In 1998, Remini landed the role of Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The Sought-after of Queens. The series was come off, and ran for nine seasons munch through September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007. During her time on rank show, she starred in Quaker State's television commercials in 2000 and 2001.^[17][18]

Remini had a supporting role in say publicly comedy film Old School (2003). She also starred in her own 1 show, Inside Out: Leah Remini, which was a documentary that aired impact VH1 about Remini's wedding. Following say publicly success of the wedding special, VH1 documented the next phase of their lives with the birth of show daughter Sofia Bella. Remini has asterisked in nine-episode webisodes of In nobleness Motherhood, along with Chelsea Handler put up with Jenny McCarthy, and made two boarder appearances on Handler's talk show Chelsea Lately. On December 15, 2009, Remini appeared as Heffernan on Lopez Tonight with George Lopez in an sheet reuniting the cast of the George Lopez sitcom.^[19] Remini and Holly Thespian Peete appeared on The Young gift the Restless on July 28, 2011.^[20]

In October 2011, Remini signed a power development deal at ABC and ABC Studios that required the network be first the studio to develop a amusement project for Remini to star interest and produce.^[21][22] Remini competed on interval 17 of Dancing with the Stars, in which she was partnered exhausted professional dancer Tony Dovolani.^[23] The amalgamate made it to the tenth hebdomad of competition and reached fifth go about. Remini later returned in season 19 as a guest co-host on period six. She returned as guest co-host on season 21 during weeks provoke and seven. In 2013, Remini hitched the cast of the TV Bailiwick comedy The Exes, filling a undying role starting in season 3.^[24] Remini created, produced and starred in well-ordered reality television series titled Leah Remini: It's All Relative. The show focuses on Remini's family life and hole premiered on TLC on July 10, 2014.^[25]

In early 2017, Remini returned serve acting and was announced as flavour of the leads in NBC's sitcom What About Barb?, a gender-swapped type of the 1991 Frank Oz jesting What About Bob?. She portrayed Suzanne, a renowned psychotherapist and best-selling author.^[26] Ultimately, NBC passed on the game and it wasn't picked up say yes series.^[27] In March 2017, it was announced Remini would reunite with Kevin James on the season finale appeal to Kevin Can Wait.^[28][29] In June 2017, it was announced Remini was upped to a series regular beginning understand season 2.^[30][31] In May 2018, decency series was cancelled by the means after two seasons.^[32] In 2017, Remini co-starred in the comedy films Mad Families, The Clapper, and Handsome. Improvement 2018, she starred as Joan, conflicting Jennifer Lopez, in the romantic drollery film Second Act.^[33][34] In June 2022, Remini was named a judge widen the seventeenth season of Fox's working out competition series So You Think Boss around Can Dance, replacing Matthew Morrison.^[35][36][37] Remini began 2021 as the host constantly the Game Show Network original collection People Puzzler.^[38]

The Talk

Remini was a co-host in the first season of birth CBS daytime talk show, The Talk, which premiered October 18, 2010. Rendering other co-hosts were Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Holly Robinson Peete, and Sharon Osbourne. The show, similar to The View, seeks to address motherhood advocate contemporary issues.^[39] In March 2012, trig heavily publicized Twitter dispute ignited amidst Remini and Osbourne when Remini laidoff back at Osbourne, Osbourne making criticisms of Remini and Peete on The Howard Stern Show in relation practice their contracts not being renewed present The Talk. In response to questions from her Twitter followers, Remini tweeted:

Ask Sharon. She had us dismissed ... Sharon thought me and Songster were too 'Ghetto'. (her words) surprise were not funny, awkward and didn't know ourselves.^[40][41] Haters Gon' Hate. Truthful. But, Haters have the balls pass on to say they 'Hate' ... not handhold themselves your friend. She had normal fired all the while calling thick-skinned and Holly her friend. Heartbreaking. Wholly. She had us fired she avid Howard Stern. Explains why she not in a million years called us back.^[40]

In response, Osbourne tweeted, "I had absolutely nothing to criticize with her departure from the find out and have no idea why she continues to take to Twitter prompt spread this false gossip."^[40][42] Remini tweeted a challenge to Osbourne to locate in a court of law what statements Remini had made that were untrue.^[40]

Friction in relation to these rifleman resurfaced in the media in perfectly 2021 when Osbourne was embroiled see the point of a scandal over her remarks through on The Talk to Sheryl Clothes-brush and ultimately terminated from the promulgation over them. Both Peete and Remini took to social media to provoke Osbourne over her conduct in relationship to the scandal, pointing out focus they had been treated similarly exceed her, charging Osbourne with additional moderately good behaviors as well. Osbourne responded to threats of defamation lawsuits against Peete and Remini, but ultimately did nothing.^[43][44]

Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath

Remini mature a series for A&E focusing disarrange ex-Scientologists speaking about their experiences, powerful Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. The show premiered November 29, 2016.^[45] In a statement released by blue blood the gentry network, Remini said:

For too lengthy, this multi-billion-dollar organization bullied victims streak journalists to prevent the truth wean away from being told. It is my yen that we shed light on list that makes the world aware motionless what is really going on extort encourages others to speak up fair the abuses can be ended forever.^[46]

The documentary series received many awards overlook its three seasons: two Emmys, Truth Television Awards 2017 for hosting, 2018 NATPE Unscripted Breakthrough Awards for Total Innovation, 2019 Truth to Power Reward, CHILD USA 2019 Barbara Blaine Pioneer Award, and two Gracie Awards nip by the Alliance for Women bayou Media Foundation (for On-Air Talent – Lifestyle and Entertainment and for Non-Fiction Entertainment).

Memoir

Remini released her memoir, special allowed Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, itemisation November 3, 2015.^[47] The book acknowledged favorable reviews, and became a bestseller shortly after its release, reaching picture number one spot on The Original York Times Best Seller list.^[48]

Personal life

Scientology

Remini was a member of the Communion of Scientology from the age spend 9.^[9][14][49] In July 2013, Remini stay poised Scientology,^[50] owing to policies that ban members from questioning the management exercise Church leader David Miscavige, which she believed was corrupt; the reported misuse of members of its Sea Org religious order; its policy of "disconnection"; and its practice of branding those who have left the Church addendum their own accord as "suppressive persons" and the fair gaming tactics desert Scientology has used for decades.

According to former high-ranking Sea Org associate Mike Rinder, Remini's problems with Faith began when she asked about ethics whereabouts of Miscavige's wife Shelly clichйd the 2006 wedding of Tom Ramble and Katie Holmes, and was phonetic by then-spokesman Tommy Davis that she did not "have the fucking rank" to do so. Remini then filed a "knowledge report" in which she asserted that Miscavige, Cruise, and mocker senior Scientology members engaged in control that was inconsistent with Church She was subsequently "subjected to era of 'interrogations' and 'thought modification'" put off led to her being blackballed centre Scientology. Fellow parishioners with whom Remini had been friends for decades wrote internal reports about her, resulting break off a Church investigation into her family.^[51][52][53]

During a September 9, 2013, appearance inconsequentiality The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Remini conditional on her departure from Scientology and righteousness loss of friends who are flush in the Church who, according be introduced to Remini, are not permitted to keep contact with her.^[50] Following her effort from Scientology, she publicly expressed turn down appreciation for those who supported collect departure.^[54][55] Remini's sister Nicole, who esoteric earlier left Scientology,^[56] revealed that dignity rest of their family left integrity Church along with Remini to refrain from being split up by the disjunction policy.^[57][58] Writer and director Paul Haggis, who had previously been the nearly famous person to publicly disavow Faith, wrote an open letter, published be oblivious to The Hollywood Reporter, thanking Remini be glad about standing by him after he heraldry sinister Scientology and praised her "enormous barely of integrity and compassion".^[59]

In August 2013, it was disclosed that Remini confidential filed a missing person report discover the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) concerning Shelly Miscavige, the wife remark Scientology leader David Miscavige, who has not been seen in public owing to 2007.^[60] After the report was filed, the LAPD looked into the event, met and spoke with Shelly Miscavige before closing the investigation, and expressed Remini's report was "unfounded". Scientology oral in a statement that the uncut affair was simply harassment and splendid publicity stunt for Remini.^[61][62][63]

In October 2013, it was reported that Remini abstruse been subpoenaed to testify in unembellished lawsuit in Comal County, Texas, antagonistic Scientology and David Miscavige, regarding acquaintance of alleged harassment and surveillance counter Monique Rathbun, who was married take a breather ex-Scientology executive Mark Rathbun. Monique Rathbun's attorney, Ray Jeffery, said he sought Remini to give a deposition stop in midsentence the hopes she could testify drift Miscavige has vast influence over dignity operations of the Church and esoteric to have known about the designated harassment.^[49] In 2023, Remini sued probity Church of Scientology and David Miscavige, accusing them of harassment, stalking, subjective torture, and operating an over ten-year campaign to ruin and destroy Remini's life and livelihood.^[64]

Catholicism

In a 2015 meeting with People, Remini talked about amass embrace of Catholicism, the comfort she was finding in the religion's structure, and how this contrasted with an extra experience of Scientology.^[65][66]

Family

Remini met actor Angelo Pagán^[67] at a Cuban restaurant discern 1996.^[68] Pagán has three sons use previous relationships. He and Remini were married in Las Vegas by straight Scientologist minister on July 19, 2003.^[69] Their daughter Sofia was born go under June 16, 2004.^[70] In September 2015, when Sofia was eleven years cave in, her parents celebrated her baptism go through the Catholic Church.^[65][66] On August 29, 2024, Remini announced via Instagram ditch she and Pagán have decided give somebody no option but to divorce.^[71] They finalized their divorce exclaim October of 2024.^[72]

Education

Remini had left institution with just an 8th-grade education, which she attributes to her involvement critical of Scientology.^[73] In May 2021, Remini was accepted into an associate degree information in liberal arts at New Dynasty University, saying:^[74][75][76]

For someone like me, unblended person who desperately wanted a finer education and options in my animation, coming from a cult and trig family who didn't value an nurture, this is a very big hour for me. This didn't come skim. This is one of the behind chunks of my life that Frenzied am taking back for myself escaping Scientology.^[76]

In 2023, after completing her subordinate year at NYU, Remini expressed "undertaking this educational journey has bent one of the most difficult autobiography of my life."^[73] She completed sum up associate degree in March 2024 add-on began working toward a bachelor's degree.^[77][78][79]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Bibliography

Awards and nominations

References

Citations