The television actor was once one of the religion’s biggest advocates, having starred alongside Tom Cruise and John Travolta in promotion of the faith often described as a “cult.”
But now, it has been revealed that My Name is Earl’s Jason Lee and his wife have turned their backs on Scientology after moving to the small town of Denton, Texas.
In an interview with Texas’ culture blog The Dentonite, the 46-year-old confirmed his exit from the church to put an end to rumours that he and his wife were planning to open a Scientology centre in the local town.
“If Ceren and I had an idea for a business, it certainly wouldn’t happen at the cost of someone else’s,” he began.
“And being that we don’t practice Scientology, and that we aren’t particularly interested in opening religious centres in general, we have no plans to open a Scientology centre.”
The family have opted for a low-key life away from the bright Hollywood lights.
The actor continued: “Quite a few rumours about me/us floating around but none of it’s true. We’re not here to buy up or change or take over Denton, put some kind of personal stamp on it.”
“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.”
Find out how Jason’s link to the church affected his relationships in the video player below! Post continues…
Jason, his model wife Ceren and their three young children moved away from the Hollywood lights to the small town just over a year ago.
While they appear stronger than ever, the pair reportedly split for a brief time in December 2015, with Jason’s attachment to Scientology cited as a reported catalyst.
Prior to this, the small screen star was married to actress Carmen Llywelyn from 1995 until 2001.
Their split was tumultuous, to say the least, with Carmen blaming the controversial religion as the main reason for their messy divorce.
Jason’s marriage to Ceren almost ended last year, allegedly due to his strong association with the church.
In an essay for Gawker, the Chasing Amy star held nothing back speaking about the eight years she spent practising Scientology, a religion introduced to her by her then-husband Jason Lee.
“Jason had been a Scientologist for about five years when we met,” she wrote.
“I was very much in love with the guy and wanted our marriage to work. I did what I thought was right.”
“But I made the mistake of immersing myself completely in his world. I did what so many other people who join Scientology do: I lost all sense of individual identity in the name of the cult.”
Jason pictured with Tom Cruise and Erika Christensen at the Church of Scientology’s 33rd Anniversary Gala.
Speaking about her marriage’s demise, she said: “Eventually, I started to feel like he was forcing Scientology on me, past the point where I didn’t want to go any further.”
“He would never stop talking about it.”
“It became a source of contention and I realised that unless I accepted Scientology the way he did and the way he wanted me to, we would most likely cease to know each another.”
After her essay was released, a Church spokesperson told Radar that Carmen was a “pathetic and disturbed person.”
“It goes without saying that, based on her own comments, this source is unreliable, highly biased and appears to be a bit ‘off,'” the rep said.
“Ms. Llywelyn’s perceptions that she was part of some fictitious, walled-off ‘celebrity circle of the hierarchy’ and her bizarre conspiracy theory that her ‘calling out’ a celebrity led to prank phone calls exist only in her own mind.”
Scientology was reportedly responsible for the demise of Katie Holmes’ marriage to Tom Cruise.
