Hollywood actress Kirstie Alley, beloved for the Star Trek series and Look Who's Talking among other works, marked the third anniversary of her death.
On Dec. 5, 2023, Kirstie Alley died at age 71 after battling colon cancer.
Alley's death was announced via her official social media accounts. At the time, her family said, "Alley passed away surrounded by family and loved ones. She was as iconic as she appeared on screen and an even more amazing mother and grandmother. She inspired us to live life to the fullest, just as our mother did. We are grateful for your love and prayers."
Kirstie Alley, who debuted in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, appeared in works such as Look Who's Talking, Cheers, Kids Say the Darndest Things, and Rich & Poor. Thanks to these roles, she won the Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or special in 1994.
But cocaine addiction and a fringe faith plagued her later years. Raised in a devout Methodist family, she became a Scientology member shortly before her debut to overcome cocaine addiction.
Scientology is a U.S. fringe religion that explores mental healing through technology and the human being as a spiritual entity. It has spread enough to count various Hollywood stars among its adherents, and Tom Cruise in particular is known as an ardent follower.
Kirstie Alley was also known as an ardent Scientology follower during her life, and because of that she divorced her husband, actor Parker Stevenson, in 1997. Tom Cruise's divorce from his ex-wife Katie Holmes is also reported to have had Scientology as a major cause.
In response, Scientology held a memorial service for Kirstie Alley. At the time, Scientology drew controversy by preaching its doctrine that the deceased had entered a superhuman state transcending matter, energy, space and time.
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