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During the season premiere of Ellen DeGeneres‘ daytime talk show, Leah Remini told DeGeneres that she’s “OK” since leaving Scientology earlier this summer, but says her defection from the religion was not without cost.
“We lost friends who can no longer talk to us who are still in the organization,” Remini said on Monday’s show, confirming that people who are still members of the church are not allowed to talk to people who’ve left the organization and vice versa.
PHOTOS: Katie, Nicole and Now Leah: 7 Stars Who Quit Scientology
“But we have other friends, who are not in the church, who have stood by us and that’s all we can ask for,” Remini added. DeGeneres pointed out that she’s still Remini’s friend and that she supports her.
After the two tried out some unusual, “as-seen-on-TV” gadgets that Remini brought, DeGeneres joked, “I’m thinking you got kicked out of Scientology. I don’t think you left.”
When asked why she left, Remini’s answer was similar to but less revealing than explanations she’s given in the past, saying, “My mother got involved when we were very young, so it’s all we really knew. But over time, my eyes got opened and I could just no longer be affiliated with the organization, and my family felt the same, so we left.”
STORY: Leah Remini Leaves Scientology After Questioning David Miscavige’s Leadership
Remini also talked about the painful process of preparing for her upcoming stint on Dancing With the Stars, which she said she began a week prior to taping the interview.
She said she’s hurting “everywhere,” including “places I didn’t know could hurt. … It’s so much harder than I thought, and most people do say that, but it’s true.”
She’s also concerned that she’s already broken partner Tony Dovolani‘s wrist, because she’s hanging onto him for dear life, she said.
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