Paul Haggis has severed ties with the Church of Scientology. But maybe he's not quite willing to tell all.
Last week, a number of reports said Haggis was collaborating on a Scientology-themed book with New Yorker writer Lawrence Wright, who was also writing an as-yet-unpublished magazine article on the subject. The book was to explore the director's involvement with, and disassociation from, the Church of Scientology.
The next day, a representative for the filmmaker messaged to clarify that while Haggis was cooperating with the book, he was not an author and would not benefit financially from it.
This afternoon the representative, Ziggy Kozlowski, sent out a statement that Haggis is not cooperating on the book either. "Wanting to clear the air, Haggis asserts that he has absolutely no involvement in the book," the statement said, and includes a quote from Haggis himself. "I am a great admirer of Mr. Wright, but he has not asked me to cooperate with him on any book. I am certainly not collaborating with him on one."
Wright acknowledges that Haggis, who famously broke from the church in August 2009 after more than three decades as a member, cooperated on the article; he said that the book, which is being shopped around and does not yet have a publisher, will "expand on that material."
Conspiracy theorists might speculate about the reason for Haggis' apparent change in stance. Asked in an e-mail if a shift had indeed taken place, Kozlowski did not address the issue, replying simply, "He did the interview with Wright, but I believe that that is it."
