Leah Marie Remini (born June 15, 1970) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and as Stacey Carosi on the NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell. She is currently one of the co-hosts on daytime CBS network talk show/series, The Talk.
Early life
Leah Remini was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, the daughter of Vicki Marshall, a private school teacher, and George Remini, who owned an asbestos removal company. Her mother was of Austrian Jewish background and her father was Sicilian. Remini has an older sister, Nicole Remini (born 1969), who was her assistant on The King of Queens. She also has four half-sisters, including Christina (born 1969).
Remini moved to Los Angeles at the age of 13 with her mother. When Remini was 14, she left school and worked as a hostess at a restaurant while auditioning for acting jobs.
Television career
One of Remini's early television roles was on "Who's The Boss" as Charlie Briscoe, which led to a spin off series entitled "Living Dolls" where Remini starred with Halle Berry. Remini also starred on Saved by the Bell, where she played Stacey Carosi. She then appeared in two short-lived series, First Time Out and Fired Up. Eventually, Remini landed the role of Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens. During her time on the show, she had a supporting role in the comedy film, Old School (2003). Remini also starred in her own reality show which aired on VH1. The King of Queens ran for nine seasons, from September 21, 1998 to May 14, 2007. Since The King of Queens ended, Remini has starred in nine-episode webisodes of In the Motherhood, along with Chelsea Handler and Jenny McCarthy. On December 15, 2009 Leah Remini appeared as Carrie Heffernan on Lopez Tonight with George Lopez as Doug Heffernan as "The Finale" to The George Lopez Show.
The Talk
Remini is currently co-hosting on The Talk, a talk show that premiered October 18, 2010. Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Holly Robinson Peete, and Sharon Osbourne are the other co-hosts on this show. The show is similar to The View and seeks to address motherhood and other contemporary issues. A sassy co-host, Remini drew criticism within just the first week of presenting The Talk, accused of being too loud and obtrusive. On an episode, it was stated that she had even received a significant amount of negative tweets about it via Twitter. Remini addressed the issue on the episode, stating she refuses to change who she is and that thousands of fans like her for who she is. Her co-hosts supported her response on the show.
Since co-hosting The Talk, Remini has been offered sitcom roles to which she's turned down, citing that any new role she took on would make her feel as though she were cheating on Doug Heffernan (her character's husband in The King of Queens) as her reason. In addition, she feels she needs more time for her daughter, Sofia, and that The Talk schedule and preparation process is more exhausting than she originally thought.
Personal life
On July 19, 2003, Remini married actor Angelo Pagán who also appeared on The King of Queens as Rico and other various characters. They have a daughter, Sofia Bella, born in 2004.
Remini is a member of The Church of Scientology. In December 2005, she helped promote the gala opening of Church of Scientology's"Psychiatry: An Industry of Death" Museum. Responding to criticism of Scientology during an interview on CNN, Remini stated:
| “ | If somebody is going to get turned off about something because of what they read or heard, then that person's not smart enough to even enter a church. If you're really against something, then know what you're against. | ” |
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Critics and Other Freaks | Actress at Audition | |
| 1998 | Follow Your Heart | Angie | |
| 2003 | Old School | Lara Campbell | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1988 | Head of the Class | 1 episode | |
| 1989 | Who's the Boss? | Charlie Briscoe | 2 episodes |
| Living Dolls | Charlie Briscoe | 12 episodes | |
| 1990 | Normal Life | Carol | 1 episode |
| 1991 | Paradise | Rose | 1 episode |
| The Hogan Family | Joanne | 1 episode | |
| The Man in the Family | Tina Bavasso | 6 episodes | |
| Saved By the Bell | Stacey Carosi | 6 episodes | |
| 1991–1993 | Cheers | Serafina Tortelli | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Blossom | Ellen | 1 episode |
| Getting Up and Going Home | Stephanie O'Neil | Television movie | |
| 1993 | Evening Shade | Daisy | 3 episodes |
| Harlan & Merleen | Frankie | Television movie | |
| 1994 | The Commish | Gail Ross | 1 episode |
| Renegade | Tina | 1 episode | |
| 1994–1995 | Phantom 2040 | Sagan Cruz (Voice) | 8 episodes |
| 1995 | Star Witness | Television movie | |
| Diagnosis: Murder | Agnes Benedetto | 1 episode | |
| Friends | Lydia | 1 episode | |
| First Time Out | Dominique Costellano | 12 episodes | |
| 1996 | Biker Mice from Mars | Carbine (Voice) | 2 episodes |
| NYPD Blue | Angela Bohi | 1 episode | |
| 1997–1998 | Fired Up | Terry Reynolds | 28 episodes |
| 1998–2007 | The King of Queens | Carrie Heffernan | 207 episodes |
| 2002 | Legend of the Lost Tribe | Koala (Voice) | Television movie |
| 2005 | Fat Actress | Herself | 4 episodes |
| 2007–2008 | In the Motherhood | Kim | 8 episodes |
| 2009 | Married Not Dead | Jessica | Television movie |
| 2009 | Lopez Tonight | Carrie Heffernan | Cameo appearance |
| 2010- | The Talk | Herself | Talk Show |
| Video Games | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers | Grace Nakimura | Voice |
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