Leah Remini

**Leah Marie Remini** (born June 15, 1970) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom *The King of Queens*.

## Early life

Leah Remini was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, the daughter of Vicki Marshall, a private school teacher, and George Remini, who owned an asbestos removal company. Her mother was of Austrian-Jewish background and her father was Sicilian. Remini has an older sister, Nicole Remini (born 1969), who was her assistant on *The King of Queens*. She also has four half-sisters: Christina (born 1969), Elizabeth (born 1976), Stephanie (born 1977), and Shannon (born 1984).

Remini moved to Los Angeles at the age of 13 with her mother. When Remini was 14, she left school and worked as a hostess at a restaurant while auditioning for acting jobs.

## Acting career

Remini's entrance into television came in the mid-'80s, when she got her first speaking line as an actress on an episode of *Head of the Class*. In 1989, she played the lead on *Living Dolls*, a short-lived spin-off from *Who's the Boss?*. In 1991, Remini appeared as Carla Tortelli's daughter, Serafina on *Cheers* (she later reprised the role in a 1993 episode). That same year, she had a recurring role as Stacey Carosi, a love interest of Zack Morris, on *Saved by the Bell*, and starred in the short-lived sitcom *The Man in the Family*.

After appearing in two more short-lived series, *First Time Out* and *Fired Up*, Remini landed the role of Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom *The King of Queens*. The series ran for nine seasons, ending in 2007. Since *The King of Queens* ended, Remini has starred in nine-episode webisodes of *In the Motherhood*, along with Chelsea Handler and Jenny McCarthy.

## Personal life

On July 19, 2003, Remini married actor Angelo Pagan who also appeared on *The King of Queens* as Rico and other various characters. On June 16, 2004, she gave birth to a daughter, Sofia Bella a day after her 34th birthday. Remini's pregnancy was chronicled on the VH1 documentary *Inside Out: Leah Remini the Baby Special*. Remini was also showcased on *The Rachael Ray Show* during a period of time she was trying to wean her child off pacifiers and drinking from a bottle.

### Scientology

Remini is a former member of The Church of Scientology. In December 2005, she helped promote the gala opening of Church of Scientology's "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death" Museum.

Remini was a member of the Church of Scientology from the age of nine.  In December 2005, she helped the Citizens Commission on Human Rights to promote the gala opening of the *Psychiatry: An Industry of Death* museum on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Responding to criticism of Scientology during an interview on CNN:
*"If somebody is going to get turned off about something because of what they read or heard, then that person's not smart enough to even enter a church. If you're really against something, then know what you're against."*

In July 2013, Remini left the Church of Scientology, owing to policies that forbid members from questioning the management of church leader David Miscavige, which she believed was corrupt; the reported abuse of members of its Sea Org religious order; its policy of "disconnection"; and its practice of branding those who have left the church of their own accord as "Suppressive Persons".

Remini released her memoir *Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology* on November 3, 2015. In a 2015 interview with *People* magazine, Remini stated that she was embracing Catholicism and found comfort in the religion's practices, contrasting her experiences with Scientology.

Remini developed an eight-episode series for A&E focusing on ex-Scientologists speaking candidly about their experiences entitled *Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath*. The show premiered November 29, 2016.

## References

1. ↑ Leah Remini Biography (1970-). Filmreference.com. Retrieved on 2009-06-15.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brady, James. "Leah Rimini (TV and film actress)", 2003-10-26. Retrieved on 2000-06-15.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sieberg, Daniel. "Leah Remini:Working hard as a queen among kings", CNN.com, 2001-04-20. Retrieved on 2009-06-15.
4. ↑ The Bob Rivers Show: Leah Remini, star of 'King of Queens'
5. ↑ Michael A., Lipton (1999-3-29). (English) People. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20127813,00.html.
6. ↑ Lynette, Rice (2009-3-25). ‘In the Motherhood’: Thanks, but no thanks, for your ideas, mommies!. ew.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-21.
7. ↑ I Do, I Do, I Do! People. (2003-8-23).
8. ↑ Vargas, Sibila. "Showbiz Tonight", *CNN.com*, December 20, 2005. Retrieved on April 17, 2020.
9. ↑ "Leah Remini Subpoenaed to Testify in Harassment Suit Against Church of Scientology", ABC News, October 4, 2013.
10. ↑ Vargas, Sibila. "Showbiz Tonight", CNN, December 20, 2005. Retrieved on June 8, 2006.
11. ↑ Eggenberger, Nicole (September 10, 2013). "Leah Remini Tells Ellen DeGeneres She 'Lost Friends"'After Leaving Scientology". *US Weekly*.
12. ↑ "Exclusive: Actress Leah Remini quits Scientology after years of 'interrogations'", July 11, 2013.
13. ↑ Leah Remini Speaks Exclusively to ABC News About Her Experience with the Church of Scientology. ABC News (September 24, 2015). Retrieved on October 1, 2015.
14. ↑ "Leah Remini on embracing Catholicism after Scientology: 'To me it's what religion is supposed to be'", Time Inc., November 4, 2015.
15. ↑ Exclusive: Watch Leah Remini Take on Scientology. Retrieved on November 3, 2016.

## External links

* Leah Remini at Babepedia
* Leah Remini at Boobpedia—Encyclopedia of big boobs
* Leah Remini links at FreeOnes
* Leah Remini on  Famous Birthdays
* Leah Remini on  Famous Fix
* Leah Remini on  Listal
* Leah Remini article at *Wikipedia*