Strange Things About Leah Remini And Her Ex Husband Angelo Pagan

From the moment they saw each other, there were signs that Leah Remini and Angelo Pagán wouldn't be your average couple even by celebrity standards. By Remini's own admission, she did everything wrong to get Pagán's attention when they first met at a Cuban club and restaurant in 1996. In an interview with RuPaul (via People), Remini asserted that even though she and Pagán crossed paths at the right place, it wasn't exactly the right time. "It's a beautiful love story because we did have a hard time at the beginning," she said. "We didn't meet under the best of circumstances."

But the two believed in each other so much that they took steps to resolve their issues and salvage their relationship. "We got counseling and it was not an easy road," Remini added. The result of their counseling allowed Remini and Pagán to enjoy a marriage that lasted for 21 years before splitting for good on October 11, 2024. Even though their marriage didn't last long, it's clear that their relationship is still in good standing after their divorce. During their time together, however, there were a lot of strange things going on between the two that might've gone under the radar.

Leah Remini was checking out more than just Angelo Pagán looks when he caught her eye. The "King of Queens" star was also sizing up his outfit, which could've been a major deal-breaker if  Pagán lacked basic fashion sense. She was relieved, and maybe even further in love, when she saw that he wasn't wearing white socks to go along with his shoes. "Because if you have white socks on, you're dead to me," Remini wrote in her memoir, "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology" (via E! News.) Fortunately, Pagán won extra points with Remini by wearing black socks instead.

But that wasn't the only time Remini paid close attention to her ex-husband's style. Years later, Pagán taste in clothes would land him in hot water when he donned a pair of shorts Remini felt gave his privates away. Audiences watched the strange exchange on an episode of the couple's old reality TV show "Leah Remini: It's All Relative" (via Daily Mail). "I have an issue seeing men's parts in their clothes," she recalled during the taping. Ultimately, it was noted that an embarrassed Pagán wore a jacket over his shorts to spare his ex-wife.

Angelo Pagán seemed to have everything that Leah Remini wanted in a partner except for one thing; he was already somewhat taken. Initially, Remini was under the impression that he was separated from his wife. But Pagán not only revealed that he was still married, but he was essentially a serial cheater. "'I'm a cheater—and not just with you. I have been a cheater my whole life,'" Remini remembered Pagán telling her. What might've been seen as a major red flag to some only made Pagán even more attractive. "This guy is so f***ed-up, he's perfect for me," she said.

After Remini's strange reaction to Pagán's confession, she came up with a stranger solution to help her ex. She felt he should continue being with his wife, and recommended that the two seek counseling. The counseling did help, but perhaps not in the way Remini might've expected. The therapy Pagán received convinced him that Remini was the woman he was meant to be with. After officially separating from his previous wife, Pagán and Remini picked up their relationship from where they left off.

Leaving the Church of Scientology was an important milestone for Leah Remini. But it was also one of her hardest decisions. Remini had been a part of the organization since she was eight. She stayed with Scientology for more than 30 years before leaving the church in 2013. Her daughter with Angelo Pagán, Sofia, was a huge inspiration behind Remini's decision to leave. "She was getting to the age where the acclimation into the church would have to start," she told Buzzfeed. Sofia's possible future with Scientology reminded Remini of her own upbringing with the religion, and it was an experience she wanted her daughter to avoid.

However, Remini felt such a drastic lifestyle change would've upset Pagán at the time. The actress already introduced her then-boyfriend to the religion, with members of the Church even offering them relationship advice. She was willing to leave Scientology even if doing so might cause a rift between herself and her family. Luckily, Pagán couldn't have been more supportive of Remini's decision, solidifying himself as the actress' rock.

The real reason behind Leah Remini's shocking divorce from Angelo Pagán was simply that the pair grew apart. Like Remini posted on Instagram, she wasn't the same person Pagán wedded all those years ago and vice-versa. "To put it simply, we both changed, as people do, and we got used to playing roles that didn't fit us anymore," she wrote. The strange thing about their divorce, however, is that nowadays it's almost as if it didn't happen. 

On November 10, 2024, Remini and Pagán posted an Instagram video showing the two bonding for the holidays like a married couple. But the post shouldn't have come as a surprise since Remini already reassured fans that their friendship would remain intact. "We are still celebrating holidays together, watching our favorite tv shows together, and gathering as a family," she said on her Instagram post.