Getty ImagesThe Church of Scientology may have just lost another famous member.
My Name Is Earl star Jason Lee recently sat down with local outlet The Dentonite to share details about his family life in Denton, Texas. Along the way, he confirmed that he no longer practices Scientology.
"Being that we don't practice Scientology, and that we aren't particularly interested in opening religious centers in general, we have no plans to open a Scientology center. Quite a few rumors about me/us floating around but none of it's true," he shared with the blog. "We're not here to buy up or change or take over Denton, put some kind of personal stamp on it."
He added, "We're just here like anyone else who wants to be a part of Denton's very cool creative community, and to be involved and perhaps help where we can." E! News has reached out to Jason's team for additional comment.
The latest interview got us thinking of all the high-profile stars who have spoken out about the religion. And while the church continues to have thousands of satisfied followers—famous or not—these familiar faces can't help but share their own experiences.
Jason Beghe: Back in 2008, the Chicago P.D. star shared details about his 14 years in the church during an interview with Fox News. "Scientology delivers what it promises under the guise of tearing away falsity, neuroses, psychoses," he shared. "It creates a brainwashed, robotic version of you. It's a ‘Matrix' of you, so you're communicating with people all the time using Scientology. So we're seeing you ‘via' Scientology. And it creates an addiction, so you come back for more." In a letter to Rolling Stone, the church said Jason was "expelled" from the organization.
Leah Remini: In the actress' memoir titled Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, readers got to hear her experience in the church. And while the church calls many of her claims "absurd," The Talk's former co-host maintains the effects of leaving the religion. "We lost friends who can no longer talk to us who are still in the organization," Leah told Ellen DeGeneres in September 2013 about her and husband Angelo Pagán's exit. "But we have other friends, who are not in the church, who have stood by us and that's all we can ask for."
Paul Haggis: The Oscar-winning screenwriter and director penned an open letter to Tommy Davis—the head of the church in 2009—explaining why he was leaving the church. "I have finally come to the conclusion that I can no longer be a part of this group. Frankly, I had to look no further than your refusal to denounce the church's anti-gay stance, and the indefensible actions, and inactions, of those who condone this behavior within the organization," Paul alleged in his open letter. "I am only ashamed that I waited this many months to act. I hereby resign my membership in the Church of Scientology." The organization later responded and called some of his claims "delusional."
Christopher Reeve: In his memoir Nothing Is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life, the late actor grew skeptic of the organization when he was auditing and lied about a past incarnation that was really a story from Greek mythology. "I didn't expect my auditor to be familiar with Greek mythology; I was simply relying on her ability, assisted by the E-Meter, to discern the truth," he wrote. "The fact that I got away with a blatant fabrication completely devalued my belief in the process." The actor went on to say he "fully supports whatever belief systems make us better human beings."