TORONTO - Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis is opening up about his extensive involvement with the Church of Scientology, denouncing the controversial religion as a "cult."
The Canadian filmmaker details his nearly 35 years with the church in a lengthy article written by Lawrence Wright in the Feb. 14 issue of the New Yorker.
Haggis tells Wright he had ascended "all the way to the top" by the time he left the church in 2009 over its opposition to gay marriage and his questions over how it allegedly treated detractors.
The article includes excerpts from a scathing resignation letter in which Haggis tells the church's chief spokesman he was "horrified" by reports alleging that senior executives had beaten members.
The letter also alleges his daughter Katy was ostracized after coming out as a lesbian and that his wife was forced to cut off all contact with her parents when they resigned from the church.
The attack comes as Haggis, who also credits much of his early career success to involvement with the church, is set to discuss his Hollywood hits in Toronto.
Wright notes that Scientology officials have denied the allegations, and provided him with four dozen binders of documents to support their claims.
Wright is working on a book about the controversial church and Haggis' involvement.
Other well-known Scientologists include Tom Cruise and John Travolta, both outspoken champions of the group founded in 1952 by L. Ron Hubbard.
Haggis, who wrote the screenplay for the Oscar-winning film "Million Dollar Baby" and wrote and directed "Crash," which won an Academy Award for best picture, is slated to discuss his Hollywood career Wednesday in Toronto, but is not expected to delve into his time with Scientology.
Haggis tells Wright he discovered the church as a troubled young man at the age of 22, while living in London, Ont.
A couple of years later, he married and moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a furniture mover while advancing deeper into the church and writing spec scripts.
He hung out with other aspiring writers and directors involved in the church, and gradually gained a foothold in the film and TV industry.
"I was in a cult for 34 years. Everyone else could see it. I don't know why I couldn't," Haggis says in the New Yorker article.
Haggis predicts that his attack will not be without consequence.
"These people have long memories," he says in the article.
"My bet is that, within two years, you're going to read something about me in a scandal that looks like it has nothing to do with the church."
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/oscar-winner-paul-haggis-lashes-church-scientology-cult-20110208-091855-877.html
Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:25 pm