Elisabeth Moss has defended Scientology, saying it is not "at all" like the fundamentalist regime in her new show.

The star of the dystopian show The Handmaid's Tale responded to a fan on her Instagram page, when asked about a correlation between Scientology and the fundamentalist nature of the show's oppressive regime.

"Love this adaptation so much," an Instagram user who goes by the name moelybanks wrote.

"Question though, does it make you think twice about Scientology? Both Gilead and Scientology both believe that all outside sources (aka news) are wrong or evil… it's just very interesting."

Image: The Handmaid's Tale is based on Margaret Atwood's best-selling novel

Gilead is the fictional place where The Handmaid's Tale takes place. In the show, based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, a religious dictatorship has taken over the United States and women are treated as maids.


"That's actually not true at all about Scientology," Moss responded.

"Religious freedom and tolerance and understanding and truth and equal rights for every race, religion and creed are extremely important to me. The most important things to me probably. And so Gilead and THT hit me on a very personal level. Thanks for the interesting question!!"

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Image: Elizabeth Moss' Instagram post

The 35-year-old actress has once before spoken about her involvement in Scientology, in an interview with the Telegraph in 2012, when her show Mad Men was wrapping up.

"I think that for me it's one thing that has helped me at times, and it's kind of as simple as that," Moss said.

"There's always kind of a time where you need to… It's not the same thing as going to church on Sunday. It's self-applied. It involves reading - you have to make a choice."

Former Scientologist and comedy actress Leah Remini said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter she thought Moss "wasn't allowed" to speak to her because of her criticism of Scientology.

In response to her defence of the religion, the Instagram user said: "Thank you for taking the time to try and explain a little."

"Either way, you do you and imma (I'm going to) do me and if that makes us happy i supposed that's all that matters."