Tom Cruise blasted by Scientology expose Going Clear director Alex Gibney

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Alex Gibney, the director of the Scientology documentary Going Clear, blasted Tom Cruise after a screening of the film on Monday
Gibney called Cruise 'irresponsible' over his refusal to comment on the many claims made against him and Scientology over the years
The film speaks to former members of the church, one of whom claims that Cruise asked the church to tap Nicole Kidman's phone during their marriage
There are also claims that Cruise used workers who were paid less than a dollar and hour by the church to maintain his motorcycles and plane
'The accusations made in the film are entirely false and alleged without ever asking the Church,' said the Church of Scientology is a statement
HBO meanwhile had a reported 160 lawyers watch and vet the documentary, which airs at 8pm this Sunday

Published: 19:27 EST, 25 March 2015 | Updated: 19:36 EST, 25 March 2015

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The man behind the highly anticipated expose on Scientology that is set to air this weekend on HBO is calling out the most high profile member of the church - actor Tom Cruise.

Alex Gibney said in a recent interview he does not understand why Cruise has refused to comment on the numerous claims made against him and Scientology over the years, going so far as to call his silence 'irresponsible.'

Among the claims featured in Gibney's documentary, Going Clear, are that Cruise allegedly tapped the phone of his ex-wife Nicole Kidman prior to their split and that he used underpaid workers for his own personal use that were supplied by the church.

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Speaking out: Alex Gibney (above), the director of the Scientology documentary Going Clear, blasted Tom Cruise after a screening of the film on Monday

The film speaks to former members of the church, one of whom claims that Cruise asked the church to tap Nicole Kidman's phone during their marriage (above during one of their final appearances together)

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

'Cruise is the big kahuna and that's why we've gone to the trouble of calling him out,' said Gibney following a screening of the film earlier this week according to The Huffington Post.

'We believe that he has a responsibility to say something about the abuse.'

He then said of Cruise; 'He can espouse his beliefs, that's fine. But not to address the allegations of abuse seems to me palpably irresponsible.'

Mark Rathbun, who goes by Marty, makes some explosive claims about Cruise and current head of the church David Miscavige in Gibney's documentary.

Rathbun, who was a top aide to Miscavige, claims that the church did not approve of Cruise's relationship with Kidman, and hoped they would break up once Cruise began to drift away from the church during their marriage.

Then, while Cruise was away with Kidman in England working on the Stanley Kurbrick film Eyes Wide Shut, Rathbun claims the actor ordered the church to tap his wife's phone.

Rathbun says he was shocked by this demand, but did as he was told.

Rathbun, who also claims he was beaten and abused by Miscavige, did not say what, if any, information was obtained through the tapping of Kidman's phone, but the two did split just a few years later, at which time Cruise became a highly vocal supporter of Scientology.

There are also claims in the film that church workers being paid less than a dollar an hour are used by Cruise to maintain his collection of motorcycles and his private plane.

Mark Rathbun (left) makes some explosive claims about Cruise and current head of the church David Miscavige (right) in Gibney's documentary

'The accusations made in the film are entirely false and alleged without ever asking the Church,' said the Church of Scientology is a statement

Scientology documentary on film-maker Alex Gibney

'The accusations made in the film are entirely false and alleged without ever asking the Church,' said the Church of Scientology is a statement.

Neither Cruise or Kidman granted Gibney an interview.

The church also ran an ad in January - just after the documentary had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival - which appeared in the New York Times, saying; 'The Church has documented evidence that those featured in Gibney’s film regurgitating their stale, discredited allegations are admitted perjurers, admitted liars and professional anti-Scientologists whose living depends on the filing of false claims.

'All have been gone so long from the Church they know nothing of it today. Yet Gibney and HBO stonewalled more than a dozen requests by the Church to offer relevant information about them, with more than 25 individuals with firsthand information eager to speak.

'To this day, neither HBO nor Gibney can deny that they have yet to present the Church with a single allegation from the film so the Church may have an opportunity to respond.

'The Church never sought special treatment, only fair treatment.'

HBO meanwhile had a reported 160 lawyers watch and vet the documentary, which airs at 8pm this Sunday.