6 Things Laura Prepon Has Said About Scientology

In a 2021 interview with People, Laura Prepon revealed she had not practiced Scientology "in close to five years."

"I've always been very open-minded, even since I was a child. I was raised Catholic and Jewish. I've prayed in churches, meditated in temples. I've studied Chinese meridian theory. … [Scientology is] no longer part of my life," said Prepon.

One year before leaving her post as a Scientologist, the Orange Is the New Black actress spoke to Celebrity Magazine, during which she shared her experience as a member of the church.

"It was amazing, and I felt that finally something was speaking my language," Prepon, who reportedly "felt totally connected" to Scientology's teachings, shared.

She explained the group's concept of auditing "stripped away all of this charge, false ideas, decisions and misemotions" surrounding her.

Now a mom-of-two, Prepon suggested that the new phase in her life contributed to her decision to leave Scientology,

"As a brand new mother, I was reflecting so much on my own upbringing and the way I was mothered," she told People. "I was forced to look at a lot of things in my life that I wasn't looking at before."

Prepon continued, "If motherhood has taught me anything so far, it's that something can work out for a period of time and then you move on and evolve from that. As a new mom, I was riddled with anxiety that I had never experienced before. My friends who were mothers with older kids said, ‘Laura, this is a phase, you'll move on and then it will be something different.' And that has transcended into other parts of my life."

"So when I first got into Scientology, I did Personal Values and Integrity and then Overcoming Ups and Downs in Life," Prepon told Celebrity Magazine.

She explained, "These courses touched on the observations I was aware of when I was younger. It was right there in black and white. It was amazing, and I felt that finally something was speaking my language. It totally connected with me. Pretty soon after that I got onto the Purification Rundown, and I started moving up the Bridge."

The Southlander star, 44, opened up about not being affected by things since joining the group.

"I remember I was doing a show with an amazing actor, and we were waiting to hear the fate of our show. He turned to me one day and asked, 'How are you always so relaxed? Nothing seems to bother you. I want to know what you are doing…'—I take that as such a compliment and testament to the auditing I have done," she said in her interview with Celebrity Magazine.

Speaking about her Scientology "Objectives," Prepon said she handled "intense stuff" and focused on her work in the group.

She recalled, "I remember talking to my Supervisor about how my auditing was going. I told him the wins were so amazing. I kept pushing through and confronting things. The LRH data he showed me totally changed my viewpoint on auditing. It explained that in session, you're supposed to turn on things that at times aren't easy to go through. You're supposed to be restimulated and uncomfortable at times, because you move through it in session, so that when you are out in the world things happen, you're not affected."

For the Lightning Bug executive producer, it was a "eureka moment" for her as things happened in a way she had never anticipated.