The Complete Transformation Of Leah Remini

Whether you know her as Jennifer Lopez's BFF, the star of "The King of Queens," or the most outspoken former Scientology member, one thing is sure: It's hard to dislike Leah Remini. Not only is she stunning and fashionable, but over the years, she's also shown us that her personality goes far beyond just being a celebrity.

While Remini is now in her mid-50s, the star still has plenty to give us. After all, if there's one thing that she and her bestie J.Lo are showing women across the globe, it's that they have no expiration date, whether in the world of show business, fashion, or anywhere else. So, while we're eagerly waiting to see what's next in Remini's life and career, let's take a look at her complete transformation over the years. From being one of Scientology's biggest spokespeople to embracing life as a single woman in her 50s, Remini is living proof that change can not only happen at any age, but it can also be welcome and, in her words, "freeing" (but more on that later).

While Leah Remini has been acting since the late '80s, it wasn't until her portrayal of Carrie Heffernan in the sitcom "The King of Queens" in 1998 that she rose to international fame. At the time, Remini was a member of the Church of Scientology thanks to her joining it with her parents in 1979 at the age of 9, and she used any opportunity to share her love for it publicly.

"Since I've been involved in Scientology you know you learn to take responsibility for yourself and not only yourself but others and so the focus gets a little bit off of you and that's always a good thing," Remini said in 1997 (via Leah Remini Aftermath). "You know and that it's not all about Leah and my problems and my garbage. And it feels good to know that you can actually make a change because people can, people can make a difference."

In 2000, Remini turned 30, and at the time, her style was everything Y2K fashion was about — it was quirky, fun, and often mid-riff-baring. For her red-carpet appearances, Remini always ensured her hair and makeup were perfect, which, in the world of the early aughts, meant a flipped-out blowout and icy, silver eyeshadow.

By 2001, Leah Remini was a television and red-carpet staple, and her style was as fashion-forward as ever. One look, in particular, that left our jaws on the floor was the deep-V-neck gown the actor wore to the Golden Globe Awards in January 2002. From the jewelry to the chunky highlights, which have become popular again thanks to celebs rocking the trend, this look was pure Y2K perfection, and Remini looked breathtaking. Even when the star wasn't going for full glam — say, when rocking jeans and a tun to industry events — she still managed to look stylish.

In a 2002 interview, Remini revealed that even though she enjoyed working, she struggled with finding happiness. "When I got the job, I still wasn't happy," she said (via Scientology Research). "It was like nothing made me happy. I would say, 'Oh, I just need this job and everything will be okay,' and I'd still find something to be miserable about. If it wasn't that, then it would be 'Oh, I just need a house,' then I'd still be miserable."

In 2003, Remini married actor-musician Angelo Pagán in a Las Vegas ceremony, which her "The King of Queens" co-stars attended. "It was outdoors at night and still 110 [degrees]," actor Kevin James told People, while the show's producer, Rob Schiller, added, "The words were very funny, very heart-felt... It brought tears to everybody's eyes." A year later, their daughter, Sofia Bella Pagán, was born.

The year 2007 brought a major career change for Leah Remini, as "The King of Queens" came to an end after nine seasons. However, that didn't mean the star's life slowed down, especially because she was raising a toddler. "She likes to dance to classical music. She wants a Popsicle for breakfast? She gets a Popsicle for breakfast," Remini told Us Weekly in 2008. "The kid has learned to reason. It's very hard to argue with the cuteness of a 3-year-old saying, 'But it's strawberries. It's good for your body.' It's tough."

Since the mid-2000s, a shift in Remini's style has been noticeable, with the actor gravitating toward simpler and more classic pieces. In fact, we couldn't help but notice that rocking black to industry events became a staple for the star. Of course, with a busy life as a mother, we can't blame her — black is always a good choice, and it's always flattering. Nevertheless, she always managed to make these classic pieces her own through fun statement accessories.

In 2010, Leah Remini became a co-host of the daytime show "The Talk," joining the likes of Julie Chen Moonves and Sharon Osbourne, which helped put the star back in the spotlight. Remini, now in her early 40s, still enjoyed fashion, and her outfits always looked put-together, though a bit predictable. While we adore her, it's undeniable that the clothes she rocked during this time gave a "mom trying to be cool" vibe.

Then, 2013 marked another major change — which is, perhaps, an understatement — in the star's life, as she parted ways with the Church of Scientology. "I believe that people should be able to question things. I believe that people should value family, and value friendships, and hold those things sacrosanct," Remini told People in 2013. "That for me, that's what I'm about. It wouldn't matter what it was, simply because no one is going to tell me how I need to think, no one is going to tell me who I can, and cannot, talk to." 

In 2013, Remini also joined "Dancing with the Stars" as a contestant, making it through eight rounds of the show before being eliminated. While on the show, she wore sequins galore and looked incredible, though this didn't reflect in her off-the-show fashion.

Once Leah Remini left the Church of Scientology, she became somewhat of a spokesperson against the religion. "I don't want to be known as this bitter, ex-Scientologist," Remini said to BuzzFeed in 2014. "I'm not trying to bash anybody and I'm not trying to be controversial. I just want people to know the truth." The star also opened up about her childhood, revealing that Scientology wasn't easy on children. "We were working from morning until night with barely any schooling," she added. "There was no saying no. There was no being tired. There was no, 'I'm a little girl who just lost her father and everything I've ever known.' There was only, 'Get it done.'" 

Talking to People, Remini revealed that embracing Catholicism helped her. "Nobody is asking me for money. Nobody is demanding that I come," she said in 2015. "I light a candle. I sit and I listen."

Remini didn't have much time to explore new fashion styles during this time. Her look remained consistent and classy, with the actor embracing pencil-skirt silhouettes and delicate blouses. And in 2015, the star revealed to Us Weekly just what she carries around in her bag, and it quickly became clear that Remini is a through-and-through makeup girl. "I carry so much makeup because I don't know what I'm going to need on my face. I have YSL Radiant Touch concealer, Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge lip gloss and an Anastasia brow pencil," she said. While she didn't experiment a lot with her style, exploring new makeup trends and products seemed to be right up her alley.

The A&E docuseries "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath" ran from 2016 to 2019, and in it, Remini gave exclusive insights into her experiences as a member of the religion. When asked by Cosmopolitan about the hardest thing since leaving Scientology in 2017, Remini replied, "It isn't hard, it's freeing. I just don't subscribe to it anymore. I don't have to think a certain way. I don't have to be friends with Scientologists or non-Scientologists. I don't have to force Scientology on everyone. I don't have to live with an agenda."

On X (formerly known as Twitter), Remini revealed that, while she hasn't done any plastic surgery yet, she is a fan of Botox. "I have had no plastic surgery, but thank you for thinking that," the actor wrote in a January 2017 post. "I will Botox the hell of it until I do need a real facelift though!" 

While the star continued gravitating toward sleek, black gowns, she surprised us every now and then by wearing something unexpected — like the white, floral maxi dress she wore to the 2019 Gracie Awards. About to enter her 50s, Remini looked better than ever, and while her fashion and beauty routines were perfect, we're sure that most of that came from within.

When the world came to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Leah Remini focused on her family. In February 2022, the actor gushed about her then-17-year-old daughter, Sofia Bella Pagán, to People. "I'm always saying to her and her friends, 'I hope you are going to take all this genius and get your asses into Congress,'" Remini revealed. "That's how you're going to change things." Remini also added that having her daughter go off to college is something she struggled to come to terms with. "People are always like, 'Oh my God, you should be so proud,'" she added. "Yes, Angelo and I are very proud, but it's like I'm having a job of 17 years that I've loved and cherished ripped away from me overnight. I'm devastated."

@leahremini

It's so annoying! #pool #besties #jlo #headwrap #sunglasses

♬ original sound – Leah Remini

In 2022, Remini also gushed about her BFF Jennifer Lopez's style, revealing that the pop star looks put-together at all times, including by the pool. (Jennifer Lopez's Met Gala looks are always stunning, and her "Jenny from the Block" era was iconic, so we can't imagine that even her lazy-day looks are anything but chic.) "Look at this one," Remini can be heard saying in a TikTok video. "Head wrap, jewelry ... Can you be ugly once? Just be normal once," she joked. Meanwhile, Remini had been embracing a casual yet stylish look by mostly combining comfortable clothing with a full face of makeup and beautifully done hair.

In August 2024, Leah Remini and Angelo Pagán announced that they were getting divorced. "Well, here we are. After 28 years together and 21 years of marriage, we have decided to file for divorce," the two wrote in a joint Instagram post. "To put it simply, we both changed, as people do, and we got used to playing roles that didn't fit us anymore." Even though the couple split, they have remained close friends.

Earlier that year, the actor also revealed that even though she left Scientology more than a decade ago, she was still struggling to live life to its fullest. "I will have a good day and think to myself, 'OK, tomorrow I'm going to continue to do things that I want to do,' and then depression takes over," Remini wrote in an X post that February. "I get consumed by fear and find every reason not to go." 

Ultimately, with her daughter becoming an adult, as well as her becoming separated from Pagán, Remini was now ready to embrace a new chapter of her life — one that, judging from her social media, has been primarily filled with friends and lots of laughter (as it should be).

Now, read up on how Remini's bestie, Jennifer Lopez, is dressing for revenge with her post-divorce style.