At the age of nine, her mother joined the Church of Scientology, and Leah was subsequently raised as a Scientologist. When she was 13, the family relocated to Los Angeles, California, where Leah began pursuing a career in acting.

Acting Career Beginnings

Leah Remini made her television debut on the popular sitcom Who's the Boss?, portraying Charlie Briscoe. That role led to her casting in the spin-off series Living Dolls, where she starred alongside Halle Berry. The show aired in 1989 but was canceled after 12 episodes.

She later appeared in several television shows, including a recurring role as Stacey Carosi in Saved by the Bell. Remini also starred in short-lived sitcoms such as First Time Out and Fired Up. On Cheers, she played Serafina Tortelli, the daughter of Nick and Carla Tortelli. In 1994, she auditioned for the role of Monica Geller on Friends, but the part ultimately went to Courteney Cox.

Breakthrough with The King of Queens

Leah Remini rose to fame with her portrayal of Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens, which aired from 1998 to 2007. Her strong comedic timing and on-screen chemistry with co-star Kevin James earned acclaim and cemented her status as a household name in American television.

Co-Hosting Role on The Talk

In 2010, Remini became one of the original co-hosts of the CBS daytime talk show The Talk. The show was modeled after The View and focused on contemporary issues and motherhood. Alongside co-hosts Sharon Osbourne, Sara Gilbert, Holly Robinson Peete, and Julie Chen, Remini contributed to its early episodes. However, after the first season, she was not invited to return, with the producers opting to revise the panel.