Actor, who was raised a Scientologist, denies that the movement is similar to the fictional regime in The Handmaid’s Tale

Elisabeth Moss has defended Scientology after a fan on her Instagram account drew parallels between the movement and Gilead, the dystopian homeland depicted in The Handmaid’s Tale.

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Moss was raised as a Scientologist but rarely talks about it in the media, saying recently the issue was “private, off limits”.

However, the actor and producer was prompted to speak out after after a fan named as @moelybanks asked her if working on the hit drama had made her “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,” @moelybanks wrote below an Instagram post about the second season of The Handmaid’s Tale.

The question prompted Moss to respond, saying: “That’s actually not true at all about Scientology.”

She went on: “Religious freedom and tolerance and understanding the 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!”

Moss is famously reluctant to talk about Scientology. In 2016 she told the Guardian that her beliefs are no one else’s business.

“You feel kind of like, I am a nice person who likes to talk about stuff. I also get the curiosity. I get the fascination. I become fascinated with things that are none of my business as well. I am just fascinated when someone breaks up with somebody. I want to know all about it. I am very interested in what people are wearing, and all of that kind of thing, but you have a right to your privacy.”