Years after leaving the Church of Scientology, Oscar-winning writer and director Paul Haggis is still as disturbed as ever about the way those who leave the church are treated.
During a conversation with HuffPost Live’s Ricky Camilleri about his new film “Third Person,” Haggis discussed his break with Scientology, which was first explored at length in a 2011 New Yorker profile. Haggis told HuffPost Live that the powers-that-be in the church want anyone who defects to do so quietly, and those who speak about it publicly face extreme bullying and intimidation from Scientology officials. The director added that his personal interactions with former members has been emotionally troublesome.
“It was chilling to see how scared they were about speaking out or leaving. Just leaving. Just letting people know they’d left, they were scared,” Haggis said. “Well-known people come to me who have been in secretly and have left secretly and just don’t want anyone to ever know.”
Click here to see the full HuffPost Live conversation with Paul Haggis, and hear more about his experiences with Scientology in the videos above and below.
