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In a rare instance, The Invisible Man star Elisabeth Moss opened up about her association with the controversial religion of Scientology. In a recent interview with The New Yorker, which was published on April 29, Moss expressed that Scientology is "not really a closed-off religion."
The actress also praised the religion for boosting her communication skills. In the profile, Moss also mentioned that Scientology encourages people to ask questions about the religion. While speaking about the open nature of Scientology, the 39-year-old star disclosed that its inclusivity is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Scientology.
While speaking to Michael Schulman of The New Yorker, Moss also opened up about the controversies she had to face owing to her connection with the religion.
What did Elisabeth Moss say about Scientology?
The Handmaid's Tale star insinuated that she does not want her association with Scientology to be her defining factor as a star. She shared:
"I don't want people to be distracted by something when they're watching me."
Elisabeth Moss further spoke about how she benefited from the religion. She said:
"Communication is something that I obviously use so much, not only in my job but in my interpersonal relationships as well. That is probably one of the number one basic things that I grew up learning and grew up using and use every day."
Later, she addressed conflicting takes on her religious background with her role in The Handmaid's Tale. A few viewers and critics have pointed out that in the show, Moss' character is against the oppressive authorities, a characteristic that critics of Scientology have long associated with the religion. In the profile, Moss took on the allegations and criticisms and said:
"I would just encourage people to find out for themselves… And obviously something like religious freedom and resistance against a theocracy is very important to me."
When did Elisabeth Moss get into Scientology?
According to reports, Elisabeth Moss's parents joined the religion before her birth. Meanwhile, the actress was raised to follow her parents' beliefs since 1982. As per CheatSheet, Moss went through her first Scientology course at the age of eight.
Moss was initially accused of being anti-LGBTQ+ owing to her ties with Scientology. The religion itself was alleged to have homophobic stances. However, many spokespersons for the religion have denied such claims.
Meanwhile, Moss told the Daily Beast in 2019:
"I am obviously a huge feminist and huge supporter of the LGBTQ community…"
While the actress has rarely spoken about her religious beliefs, Moss has faced many controversies because of it. However, Moss replied:
"People can obviously hold in their mind whatever they want to, and I can't control that. If it's not that, it's going to be something else."
Though Elisabeth Moss is one of the most well-known faces of Scientology, other celebrities like John Travolta and Tom Cruise are also followers of the religion.
