In a letter posted exclusively to whistleblowing blog The Underground Bunker, Remini claimed that the outburst, which she called a “psychotic rant,” was merely a publicity stunt for Cruise. In the piece, she referred to Cruise as “an abusive dictator just as he was taught by his guru David Miscavige,” the leader of the Church of Scientology to which Cruise belongs. “Tom does not care about the families of his crew; this is all for publicity,” Remini wrote. “Tom does not believe in family values. I mean, how anyone is falling for this is just mind-blowing. I would bet that Tom had this rant written for him and had his Scientology assistant record and release it. Hearing a rich actor with enormous power address his crew in this way is a sign of weakness and a deeply troubled person.”

Remini added, “Tom seems to think that Hollywood is incapable of making films without his help. Saying such a thing indicates the godlike figure Tom believes he is, and what he is told by Scientology. The reality is, anyone who is working in Hollywood today is working under strict COVID guidelines. Anyone who is working knows this. Tom Cruise is not dictating how films are being made, even if he seems to think so.” In his tirade on the Christopher McQuarrie-directed Paramount movie “Mission: Impossible 7,” Cruise called the production the “gold standard” and the reason that Hollywood is returning to set at all during a pandemic. Cruise reportedly erupted after seeing two crew members break protocol by standing near each other at a monitor. “I’m on the phone with every fucking studio at night, insurance companies, producers and they’re looking at us and using us to make their movies. We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherfuckers. I don’t ever want to see it again. Ever!” Cruise said. “We are not shutting this fucking movie down! Is it understood? If I see it again, you’re fucking gone.” According to a statement from a Church of Scientology member posted on The Wrap in response to Remini’s letter, “The Church of Scientology has done more than any other religious institution in promoting COVID-19 prevention actions–throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Long before ‘stay at home’ directives, the Church took aggressive actions to prevent the spread of the virus. The Church’s leader acted well ahead of the curve. Remini is an unreliable source who attacks Scientology for publicity and money — as she herself has admitted.”

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