Leah Remini says Nicole Kidman inspired her to leave the Church of Scientology.
Leah Remini
The 'King of Queens' actress claims the Oscar winner, who divorced the religion's most high profile member Tom Cruise in 2001, gave her the "confidence" to abandon her faith in 2013 after 30 years even though they'd never met before.
She said: "Nicole Kidman was an inspiration to me at the time I left the church.
"Knowing that she went on to have a successful and happy life, both personally and professionally, helped to give me confidence.
"She left and she was okay. Knowing that helped to give me confidence and comfort."
The 45-year-old star - who calls Nicole her "guardian angel" in her new book, 'Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology' - also claims Scientology torn Nicole's relationship with her adopted children, Isabella, 23, and Connor, 21, apart after her split from Tom.
She told PEOPLE magazine: "I felt very sad for this family, that they seemed to have been torn apart. That something outside the family had come between a mother and her children."
Nicole, who also has daughters Sunday, seven, and Faith, four, with husband Keith Urban, previously dismissed rumours Scientology had driven a wedge between her and her older children, saying: "I've chosen not to speak publicly about Scientology. I have two children who are Scientologists-- Connor and Isabella --and I utterly respect their beliefs."
The Church has branded the Leah's claims "ridiculous and stupid".
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