Leah Remini Applauds Thandie Newton's 'Brave' Criticism Of Tom Cruise

Leah Remini praised Thandie Newton for the actor’s frank talk about her “Mission: Impossible 2” co-star Tom Cruise , saying “that takes huge balls to do what she did.”

Remini, a former member of Scientology and critic of Cruise, its most prominent follower, told The Daily Beast last week: “If more people speak out in that way, and be brave enough to do so, I think we might get somewhere. Tom has gotten away with being this ‘nice guy,’ because that’s what Scientology policy says to create good PR in the world and make those ‘good actions’ known. But if you actually look at his actions, they’re not consistent.”

Newton revealed to Vulture earlier this month that she was scared of Cruise on the set of the 2000 action film and called him a “very dominant individual.”

“He tries super hard to be a nice person. But the pressure,” she said. “He takes on a lot. And I think he has this sense that only he can do everything as best as it can be done.” 

Newton also described an excruciating on-camera rehearsal with Cruise during the filming of “Mission: Impossible 2,” in which he tried to play her part so he could show her what he wanted. But it only put her into a “place of terror and insecurity,” she said. “It was a real shame. And bless him. And I really do mean bless him, because he was trying his damnedest.”

Remini, the former “King of Queens” star who has a new “Scientology: Fair Game” podcast, told The Daily Beast that Newton’s evaluation of Cruise contrasts notably with Scientology’s lionizing of the star.

“When I was in Scientology I got in trouble for saying, ‘Why is this guy the poster child for Scientology? He can’t keep a fuckin’ marriage together, he’s jumping on couches, he’s acting like he knows anything about postpartum,’” she said. “I learned pretty quickly that that’s not something you should be doing, because Tom Cruise is considered a messiah in Scientology. This is a man who has not even seen his own daughter in years. That this guy can be running around and having people think he’s this super-nice guy, I don’t get it. But that’s the Hollywood-bullshit game people play.”

Cruise’s reps did not immediately respond to a request for comment.