You’re sitting on your couch, mid-binge of The Handmaid’s Tale, watching June Osborne dismantle a terrifying, fundamentalist theocracy. Then you pick up your phone, scroll through Twitter or a subreddit, and see it: is Elizabeth Moss a scientologist? It feels like a glitch in the Matrix. How could the woman who has become the face of on-screen resistance against cult-like oppression actually belong to an organization that many ex-members describe in almost identical terms?
It’s the ultimate Hollywood paradox.
Honestly, the short answer is yes. Elizabeth Moss is a Scientologist. She didn't join after getting famous, and she wasn't "recruited" at a fancy Hollywood party. She was born into it. But the "why" and the "how" of her staying involved—especially while playing June Osborne or Peggy Olson—is where things get really weird.
The Born-In Reality: Not Your Typical "Celebrity Recruit"
Unlike Tom Cruise or John Travolta, who found the Church later in life, Moss is what they call a "second-gen" Scientologist. Her parents, Ron and Linda, were musicians and longtime members. She grew up in Los Angeles, surrounded by the lifestyle. Basically, for her, Scientology isn't some weird alien-worshiping secret club; it’s just the wallpaper of her childhood.
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When people ask if Elizabeth Moss is a Scientologist, they often imagine someone who signed a "Billion Year Contract" at age ten. While the Church has those intense levels (like the Sea Org), Moss has always existed in the "Celebrity Centre" orbit. This is a very different version of the religion.
Celebrity members usually get the "white glove" treatment. They aren't scrubbing floors with toothbrushes or being disconnected from their families. Instead, they get "auditing" sessions that feel more like high-end life coaching. For Moss, the religion is focused on "communication" and "empowerment." She’s even credited her Scientology training for her ability to handle the intense emotional labor of her acting roles.
The Handmaid’s Tale Irony
You can't talk about Elizabeth Moss and Scientology without addressing the elephant in the room: Gilead.
Fans have been hammering her on this for years. They point out the parallels:
- Separation of families.
- Extreme secrecy.
- Shunning (or "disconnection") of members who leave.
- High-level surveillance.
Back in 2017, a fan actually asked her about this on Instagram, comparing the Church's stance on the outside world to Gilead’s. Moss didn't ignore it. She actually replied, saying that the idea that Scientology and Gilead are similar is "not true at all." She doubled down, claiming that religious freedom and "resistance against a theocracy" are actually core to her personal beliefs.
It’s a bizarre mental gymnastic to watch. To the public, the parallels are glaring. To Moss, her faith is what gives her the strength to play a character like June. She sees the Church as a place that promotes "truth" and "individual liberty," which is the exact opposite of how whistleblowers like Leah Remini describe it.
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The 2022 New Yorker Interview
For a long time, Moss was pretty "cagey" (her word) about her faith. But in 2022, she gave a massive interview to The New Yorker that really pulled back the curtain. She said she doesn't like talking about it because she doesn't want people to be "distracted" by her personal life when they're watching her work.
"I don't want people to be distracted by something when they're watching me," she told Michael Schulman. "I want them to be seeing the character."
But the distraction is already there. You can’t un-know it.
In that same interview, she pushed back hard against reports that the Church is "closed-off." She called it a place that is "very open" to anyone who wants to learn. She also denied the famous story that she walked out of the room when Leah Remini won a TCA Award. Her excuse? She just happened to go to the bathroom at that exact moment.
Why She Won't Leave (And Why She Probably Never Will)
Look, leaving Scientology isn't like switching gyms. It’s not even like leaving the Catholic Church. If Moss were to leave and "speak her truth," she would likely be declared a "Suppressive Person" (SP).
In Scientology culture, when you are declared an SP, every other member—including your family—is required to "disconnect" from you. Her mother, her brother, her closest friends—they’re all in. Leaving would mean losing her entire support system in one afternoon.
Most experts who watch this stuff think she’s essentially "trapped" by love and career. She has a massive production company now (Love & Squalor Pictures). She’s a powerhouse. Why would she blow up her life to satisfy a few angry fans on the internet?
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think Moss is being "brainwashed" or that she’s a "victim" who needs saving. That might be true for the rank-and-file members working for pennies in the Sea Org, but for someone at Moss's level? She is a "Big Being" in their eyes.
She likely genuinely believes the tech works. She’s been doing it since she was a kid. It’s her community. When she sees the "anti-Scientology" documentaries, she likely sees them as "bigoted" attacks on her family, rather than legitimate journalism.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're struggling to reconcile her talent with her ties to the Church, here is how most people handle it:
- Separate the Art from the Artist: It’s a cliché, but it’s the only way to watch The Handmaid’s Tale or Mad Men without a headache. She is undeniably one of the greatest actors of her generation, regardless of what she does on Sundays.
- Support the Survivors: If you feel guilty watching her work, you can balance the scales by supporting organizations like the Aftermath Foundation, which helps people who are actually trying to escape the Church.
- Stay Informed, Not Enraged: Recognize that Moss's experience as a multi-millionaire celebrity is NOT the experience of 99% of people in that organization. Her "truth" is real to her, but it’s a protected, curated version of the reality.
Ultimately, the question of whether Elizabeth Moss is a Scientologist is easy to answer. The harder question is whether her involvement changes the way we hear the message of her work. For many, the final season of The Handmaid's Tale in 2025 and 2026 will be the ultimate test of that "suspension of disbelief."
Next Steps: If you want to understand the darker side of what Moss calls a "welcoming" environment, check out our deep dive into the disconnection policy or the history of the Scientology Celebrity Centre.