Ex-Scientologist Leah Remini joins Real Housewives of Beverly Hills after shock divorce
Ex-Scientologist Leah Remini joins Real Housewives of Beverly Hills after shock divorce
Charl WrightThu, August 27, 2026 at 8:36 AM UTC
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Leah Remini will be moving into reality TV -Credit:Getty Images for International Documentary Association
Leah Remini has come a long way since her time in the Church of Scientology.
The actress and activist is stepping away from sitcoms and entering the reality TV sphere with her latest project, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH). Remini, best known for starring as Carrie Heffernan on the hit CBS show The King of Queens, officially confirmed on her Instagram that she'll be joining the beloved factual show.
The star made the announcement nearly two years to the day after she revealed she would be divorcing her husband of 21 years, Angelo Pagán. She explained that despite their divorce, they will continue to remain "friendly."
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On August 26, Remini confirmed rumors by resharing Variety's post about the casting, simply writing, "It's true!!"
RHOBH fans responded to the news, as one wrote, "Hell yeah! I don’t care if it fits; I was a loyal viewer, but this is the kind of shake-up they’ve been needing. Will be watching instead of maybe catching two dos a year. I love Leah."
Leah Remini and Angelo Pagán broke up in 2024 -Credit:Startraks/Shutterstock
Another then added, "I will watch this god-awful show just because of her!" Meanwhile, a third chimed in to say, "They better not mess with her."
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"This is such a good move, she's going to come in so hot… and I mean both with fighting and the best glam ever," gushed a fourth fan.
Others also mentioned Remini's ties to Scientology, as a final fan penned, "This is gonna be interesting. Mark my words, Erika will go after her and/or be the first to bring up Scientology to get a reaction out of her."
Remini was raised in the organization from childhood; she made a highly publicised departure from Scientology in 2013.
Leah Remini will join the RHOBH Season 16 cast -Credit:Phylicia J. L. Munn/Bravo via Getty Images
Remini spent 35 years in the organization after joining at nine years old with her mother. At age 13, she and her sister were placed into the Sea Organization (Sea Org), Scientology's intense, paramilitary core. They signed "billion-year contracts" and performed grueling physical labor, like cleaning toilets, for room, board, and sub-minimum wages.
And even though the girls were pulled out of Sea Org within a year, they remained civilian Scientologists.
As Remini became famous, she joined the group's Celebrity Center. She also became a vocal champion for the organization alongside stars like Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars funding expensive, high-level courses to climb Scientology's spiritual ladder.
However, she would leave the organization in 2013, immediately filing a missing persons' report for leader David Miscavige's wife, Shelly, who hadn't been publicly seen in six years.
Following her exit, she hosted and produced the critically acclaimed docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, which earned two Primetime Emmy Awards for exposing the inner workings and alleged abuses of the organization.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
