White Celebs Who Grew Up in Cults (Escape Stories)

Growing up inside high control religious or self help groups has shaped the early lives of several well known white celebrities and many later described how they left and rebuilt their identities. From itinerant childhoods to restricted schooling and strict community rules these stories often involve parents who joined first and children who were born or brought in. Exiting usually required a family decision or a personal break in late teens or early adulthood followed by years of deprogramming daily habits. Here are notable examples and the key facts about how they got out and moved forward.

Glenn Close

Glenn Close was raised from age seven in the Moral Re Armament movement after her family relocated overseas for her father’s medical work. The group enforced strict communal living and discouraged outside media and friendships which shaped her boarding school years. She left in her early twenties when she returned to the United States to study drama and has spoken about the long process of unlearning group beliefs. Her later advocacy highlights how early indoctrination can affect trust and autonomy even after a successful exit.

Rose McGowan

Rose McGowan was born into the group then known as Children of God while her parents were members based in Europe. Her childhood included communal houses limited access to mainstream culture and frequent moves across countries. McGowan’s father withdrew the family as internal practices became more extreme and they quietly left the network. She later entered mainstream schooling in the United States and has detailed how secrecy and constant travel complicated her adjustment after leaving.

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix spent his earliest years in Children of God alongside his siblings as his parents worked within the group’s communities in South America and the Caribbean. By 1977 his parents left and the family adopted the surname Phoenix to symbolize a new start in the United States. With limited formal schooling at first he pursued street performing and child acting to support the family. His trajectory shows how a coordinated family exit can allow children to transition into regular education and work.

River Phoenix

River Phoenix also began life inside Children of God during the same period as his brother and shared the same itinerant early childhood. After the family’s departure he quickly entered entertainment performing music on street corners and auditioning for commercials. The change to a new surname marked a deliberate break from the past and a commitment to conventional opportunities. His early activism for animal rights grew out of a household reevaluating beliefs after leaving the group.

Leah Remini

Leah Remini entered Scientology as a child when her mother joined and moved the family into church run housing and schools. Her teen years included labor in church affiliated programs and limited contact with non members. She formally left as an adult after questioning leadership practices and administrative demands on families. Remini then documented policies she experienced and created platforms for other former members to share exit narratives.

Lisa Marie Presley

Lisa Marie Presley was introduced to Scientology by her mother during childhood and attended church study from a young age. She remained connected for decades while pursuing music and managing her father’s estate. In later years she severed ties and sought distance from the organization’s internal structures. Her departure reflected a broader family reevaluation and led to private efforts to separate personal life from church oversight.

Beck

Beck grew up around Scientology through family connections and participated in courses while building his music career. He later clarified that he no longer had any affiliation and had ended his involvement. The shift accompanied changes in his personal life and professional collaborations outside church circles. His comments about moving on emphasized autonomy over belief and privacy about spiritual matters after leaving.

Michelle Pfeiffer

Michelle Pfeiffer became involved as a very young adult with a small group centered on extreme dietary control and breatharian ideas that discouraged conventional nutrition. Financial and social pressure intensified until friends and a new acting mentor questioned the rules and prompted her exit. She has described realizing the group’s methods resembled coercive control and quietly disengaging. The experience informed later caution about fringe wellness claims and charismatic leaders.

Share other escape stories you think belong on this list in the comments.