When a celebrity dies, his or her religion is rarely a big part of the story. But Kirstie Alley’s identity off-screen was largely tied to being an outspoken envoy and defender of Scientology, the controversial and heavily criticized faith founded by sci-fi writer L. Ron Hubbard.
Alley, who died Monday of colon cancer at age 71, was a staunch Scientologist for more than 40 years. Below are some of her thoughts on the faith, in her own words, pulled from her 2012 autobiography and from interviews over the years.
“Scientology has been cloaked in mystery fabricated by the press, mostly,” the “Look Who’s Talking” star wrote in her memoir, “The Art of Men (I Prefer Mine Al Dente).” “It’s actually analytical and easy to understand. It does not include aliens, although I’d love to meet a few and believe we are not alone in the vastness of the universe.”
