The Handmaid’s tale star Elisabeth Moss on Scientology, her rise to fame and how she was lined up to be the next Mrs. Tom Cruise
ACTRESS Elisabeth Moss has got the nation doubly spellbound – in the return of thriller Top Of The Lake, then in Sunday’s finale of sci-fi drama The Handmaid’s Tale.
TV’s star of the moment reprises her role as Detective Robin Griffin, alongside Nicole Kidman, in crime drama Top Of The Lake, this time investigating a body washed up on Australia’s Bondi Beach.
But it is Elisabeth’s character Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale — in which religious fundamentalists rule the roost — which more closely echoes her own private life.
For the 35-year-old actress is a follower of the Church of Scientology, the shadowy religion likened to a totalitarian state by former members.
She is such a prominent figure within the faith that at one stage she was said to have been lined up as a wife for leading fellow Scientologist Tom Cruise after his divorce from Katie Holmes in 2012.
A source told The Sun: “Elisabeth is a devout member who was born into this religion and would never do anything to rock the boat.
“She’s a role model within the church and her ambition is to climb the ranks to ‘OT-VIII’ (Operating Thetan Level 8) — one of the highest rankings in Scientology.”
As for the rumoured plan for a link-up with Tom, the insider said: “There was a push from senior church members for him to consider Elisabeth as a partner as they had visions of two big-name Scientologists pairing up, but Tom needed a break from dating after Katie.”
Unlike Tom — Scientology’s most famous member — rising Hollywood star Elisabeth has largely opted to stay quiet about her association with the church, apart from describing it as “grossly misunderstood”.
Perhaps mindful of damning attacks made in recent years in high-profile books such as Lawrence Wright’s Going Clear and the subsequent 2015 HBO documentary of the same name, Elisabeth has largely shied away from publicly defending her controversial beliefs.
She was a childhood friend of US actress Leah Remini, who fled Scientology in 2013 and has since made abuse and harassment claims, which have all been vehemently denied by the church. It also disputes claims made in Going Clear.
Elisabeth has said of the religion: “I feel it has given me a sanity and a stability that I’m not sure I would necessarily have had. But now, it’s private — off-limits.”
Her devotion to the religion — founded by sci-fi writer L Ron Hubbard in 1954 — appears to have only helped her rise in Hollywood.
Elisabeth first gained widespread notice as frumpy copywriter Peggy Olson in TV’s Mad Men, a role she played for eight years and which won her six Emmy nominations.
Since then her career has sky-rocketed. And she is set for the lead role in new BBC drama Fever, as historical character Typhoid Mary.
Her burgeoning career is managed by talent agent Gay Ribisi, a former member of elite Scientology division the Sea Org. And Elisabeth also has a tight-knit clique of friends who share her faith.
Chief among these are Gay’s children, Saving Private Ryan actor Giovanni Ribisi and his twin sister Marissa, who is married to pop musician Beck, also a Scientologist.
But her devotion to the faith reportedly put a strain on her short-lived marriage to American comedian Fred Armisen.
They were introduced in 2009 by her Mad Men co-star Jon Hamm.
MOST READ IN TV & SHOWBIZ
Engaged after three months, they wed within the year but separated eight months later. Fred, 50, was not a Scientologist and although he had reportedly been accepted by the church, it proved a barrier between the couple. A source said: “Her religion was as important to her as her marriage, if not more. He couldn’t get on with it.
“There were also rumours he cheated on her and she threw him out. If true, the last thing he wanted was to sit there with Elisabeth’s Scientology advisers and be grilled about it — it was easier to walk.”
While neither has publicly discussed the break-up, Fred seemed to take the blame, calling himself “a terrible husband”.
And besides calling her divorce “awful and horrible”, Elisabeth said of her ex: “One of the greatest things I heard someone say about him is, ‘He’s so great at impersonations.
“But the greatest impersonation he does is that of a normal person.’ To me, that sums it up.”
Her withering comments seemed highly uncharacteristic and the source said: “When Mad Men wrapped, both she and her co-star Christina Hendricks were offered book deals — and Elisabeth couldn’t have said no fast enough.
“It goes without saying that Scientologists are ‘programmed’ into not saying a word.”
Elisabeth’s devotion to Scientology dates from childhood when she was introduced to the church by her parents, harmonica player Linda and British dad Ron, a jazz musician and manager.
She and younger brother Derek were raised in a hippy enclave of LA. Her parents are separated but Elisabeth remains extremely close to her mother and brother.
She splits her time between New York and Tinseltown and is now a big enough name to have control over how she is presented on screen — particularly regarding sex scenes.
She has said: “I’m very particular about that kind of thing and I don’t let anyone decide who’s going to do what angles except for myself.
“Everything that involves nudity I have 100 per cent approval over, otherwise I don’t do it.”
While her character in The Handmaid’s Tale is desperately searching for a way to escape an oppressive religious regime, off-screen it seems Elisabeth could not be more committed to hers.
- Top Of The Lake: China Girl is on BBC2