Former Scientologists reveal truth about Tom Cruise’s rant

The actor’s rant at staff had “zero” to do with COVID-19 and all to do with showing off his “tyrant” power, according to former Scientologists.

Tom Cruise’s epic rant at film staff had “zero” to do with COVID-19 and all to do with showing off his “tyrant” power, according to his former Scientology pals.

The furious star tore into workers who broke COVID rules on the set of Mission: Impossible, screaming: “If I see you doing it again, you’re f***ing gone”, The Sun reports.

Scientology’s former Commanding Officer at its Los Angeles Celebrity Center, Karen Pressley, was a high ranking member of the hardcore Sea Org for 12 years, signing a billion-year contract.

She also wrote a book about how the Church hooks in A-list celebrities, called Escaping Scientology, An Insider’s True Story.

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Tom Cruise speaks during the inauguration of the Church of Scientology in Madrid in 2004.

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As an expert on the church’s stars, Karen says prominent Scientologist Cruise’s rant has “zero” to do with COVID and describes it as “Scientology mindf**k”.

“TC’s [Tom Cruise’s] rant to his film crew is a classic example of the Scientology mindf**k I witnessed for 16 years working under David Miscavige and other seniors in Scientology’s food chain,” Karen told The Sun.

“There’s enough truth and logic in the content of TC’s rant that makes people stand to attention, listen and comply. Yes, TC makes a good point: they all have to be perfectly careful and not screw up in the middle of this great opportunity to work on this movie when so many in the industry are out of work because of COVID.

“And, in TC’s case, he believes himself to be a saviour to people wherever he goes, whether he’s making a movie – he has to save the day, or he drives by an accident, and is the only one who can save them because he’s a Scientologist.

“But how to convey his message is a matter of choice. He uses way too much force than is necessary, he uses beratement and threats of job loss for not complying. He verbally pummels the people instead of using compassion and intention.

“This was dramatised every day in the Sea Org, with seniors showing their total inability to contain their anger and frustration, unable to communicate effectively using reason with the right words and intention.

“Instead, throwing their emotional garbage into their delivery of the message – reduce the people, fill them with fear, make them feel they must comply or they would be punished.

“Acting like a tyrant is a choice, especially with his saviour complex, while getting people to believe he’s doing them a favour. But that’s Scientology.”

The Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige addresses a crowd in Sydney.

Scientology Church spokespeople have previously denied claims of beratement and emotional abuse of subordinates.

Brendan Tighe, Cruise’s former security guard in Scientology, says the way the actor was ranting was pure “Church-speak” and inspired by the star’s friend and Scientology leader, David Miscavige, who has a reputation for abusive tirades.

Brendan, a former Scientologist for 30 years, says: “I’ve only ever heard this exact way of ‘talking’ while in Scientology.

“One hundred per cent channelling David Miscavige. I would even go out on a limb and say he is not personally concerned about COVID or even financial loss but wanting to be in control – and not in a healthy way.

“This is eerily similar to the rantings of [founder L. Ron] Hubbard that the mission of Scientology is more important than the individuals in it.”

Former follower Katrina Reyes worked for celebrities such as Cruise, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley, who would come to the global HQ in Clearwater, Florida for their courses.

Katrina allegedly signed a billion-year contract with the Sea Org at the age of 11, before leaving eight years later.

The exterior of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International in Los Angeles, California. Picture: Getty Images/Getty Images

Since then, she’s not been able to speak to her mum Yelena, a Sea Org member, who is now the manager of the Church’s retreat hotel The Sandcastle in Clearwater, where Tom’s son Connor has reportedly been living for the last four years.

She says that not only does he sound like Miscavige, but he could have been rebuking Scientology members on-set, which could be indicated by them responding to his rant with “Sir”.

In the past, Cruise has been known to demand Scientology handlers have behind-the-camera film roles and his sister Lee Anne DeVette, also a devout follower, was his film agent.

“He totally sounds like David Miscavige when he rips staff members for small mistakes. The phase ‘gold standard’ sounds very much like Scientology language to me. The way he addressed the film crew like he was some general drilling his army was very uncalled for, but very normal in Sea Org and Scientology world,” Katrina said.

“Also, when I hear a couple of people respond to, ‘Is that understood?’ I’m pretty sure I heard a couple of people say, ‘Yes, sir’. These are probably Scientology employees that work for Tom, because in Scientology, Tom has to be called ‘Sir’ by everyone.

“I honestly can’t answer if he actually cares about COVID, I know in Scientology you care about rules, orders and structure more than anything else. So is he just on a power high or does he care about COVID?”

Tom Cruise wearing a face mask on the set of "Mission Impossible: Lybra". Picture: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP

Cruise, 58, flew into a rage after spotting two of the film crew standing less than a metre away from each other at a computer screen.

Fifty members of staff working on set at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, Herts, were left shocked by the furious tirade.

Cruise was left frustrated that his efforts to keep filming going during the pandemic could be at risk, adding: “They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherf***ers.

“That’s it. No apologies. You can tell it to the people that are losing their f***ing homes because our industry is shut down.”

The Sun reached out to the Church of Scientology and a representative for Tom Cruise for comment.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission