Our top 10 celebrity Scientologists

Posted by Sophie Wilkinson on 07 September 2012 13:06 Comments

We all know that Tom Cruise is a die-hard top gun Scientologist, but what about the other Hollywood-types who’ve succumbed to the controversial religion which has its basis in L. Ron Hubbard's sci-fi novel?

Who are the people that believe that Xenu, a dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy", brought billions of people to Earth 73 billion years ago, dropped them around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs to create Thetans, who then go on to inhabit human bodies?

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Fearne Cotton was sent to hang out with celebrities so she could get the inside scoop on them for her documentary. She spent time with Paris Hilton, Alesha Dixon, Scarlett Johansson and Mischa Barton. But the only episode to give us a proper, juicy exclusive was the one where she met socialite Peaches Geldof, who confessed she’d started following Scientology. In her mid-Atlantic accent? She spoke in lots of questions? About how she really needed a faith? You can watch it here?

Peaches has since said she wants to convert to Judaism after dating hot Jew Eli Roth and then getting engaged to another Jew, Thomas Cohen.

You’ll remember him as Phoebe’s excitable younger brother on Friends. He also appeared in Cold Mountain and Avatar. A keen Scientologist, he appeared at the launch of their oddly-titled museum Psychiatry: An Industry of Death. He also married numerology fan Agyness Deyn after a whirlwind romance. It’s not known if she’s joined the religion, but they’ve moved into a house only 4 miles from the Church’s Celebrity Centre in LA…

This Mad Men star was introduced to Scientology by her family. She is pretty casual about it, saying it’s something that “has helped me at times, and it’s kind of as simple as that”. However, reports suggested that her devotion to the religion was the reason behind her break-up from husband, SNL star Fred Armisen after less than two years of marriage.

Born a Catholic, Nicole became an “Operating Thetan” level II, reaching just below what the Scientologists call the “Wall of Fire”. However, Tom Cruise split up with her because she allegedly wasn’t into their children becoming more involved in the Church. According to the recent Vanity Fair takedown (which the Scientologists have written off as “hogwash”, their children, Conor and Isabella, then went to courses teaching them that Nicole was an “S.P.” – a suppressive person.

Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson) – though South Park infamously had an episode parodying Scientology – which was so offensive to devout Scientologist Isaac Hayes that he quit the show, leaving Chef without a voice. The Simpsons writers were careful to criticise the religion, instead joking about a made-up cult in 1998 episode "The Joy of Sect". Because as integral as Shaft singer Isaac's voice was to the show, Scientologist Nancy Cartwright plays Bart Simpson. And could you imagine The Simpsons without Bart?

The actress had been involved with Scientology long before she met Brad Pitt on the set of TV movie Too Young To Die and started dating him. They were together for three years, got engaged and appeared in a second film – Kalifornication. However, when the religion – believed to be a cult by some – tried to recruit laid back, weed-smoking Brad, he wasn’t too keen, and split up with her. She’s still a follower of the religion, though.

No, no, this isn’t Lindsay Lohan. This is Kirstie Alley. She rose to fame starring on classic sitcom Cheers. You’ll also remember her from Drop Dead Gorgeous and Dancing With The Stars. She joined Scientology and went through the Church’s Narconon drug treatment programme to overcome her cocaine addiction. She has since donated $5million to the Church and says: "I want everybody in the universe to experience this."

Mum Priscilla regularly does talks for the Scientologists' anti-psychiatry group, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. And daughter (we know, they look more like sisters!) Lisa-Marie was a member of the Church, too, but rumours grew that she’d left, as she made vague remarks to USA Today about how she’d recently made big changes in her life: “I was insulated with no grip on reality. They were taking my soul, my money, my everything”

Born a Catholic, the actor converted to Scientology in 1975, just before he hit the big time with Grease and Saturday Night Fever. He’s so committed to the religion that, following the Haiti earthquake, he flew his jet there on behalf of the Scientologists to deliver aid. Quite nice, really.

The legendary funk singer battled drug and drink addiction, having problems with both cocaine and heroin. She’s never been open about being a member of the Church of Scientology, but she talks a LOT about their teachings in interviews, and the Narconon department of the Church prides itself on getting people off of drugs.