Director Paul Haggis leaves Scientology

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Canadian director Paul Haggis has left the Church of Scientology in a dispute over the church's support of a ban on homosexual marriages, his spokesman said.

CNN said Haggis demanded the church denounce the actions of its San Diego congregation, which allegedly came out in favor of Proposition 8, a California referendum that stripped same-sex couples of the right to marry in the state.

Haggis, who won two Oscars for producing and writing "Crash" and was nominated for a writing Oscar for "Million Dollar Baby," was not immediately available for comment. His office said he was directing a new Russell Crowe movie in Pennsylvania.

A Scientology spokesman, Tommy Davis, told CNN the San Diego church was mistakenly listed as a supporter of Prop 8 on some campaign materials and was removed from the list. Davis said Scientology was "absolutely not anti-gay."

The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news of Haggis' departure from the church.