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Leah Remini and Elizabeth Moss

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https://decider.com/2017/09/15/what...cientology-and-could-mean-for-elisabeth-moss/

What Leah Remini’s Emmy Win Means For Scientology – And Could Mean For Elisabeth Moss

(excerpt)

The product of this mission, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, has made waves in more way than one since debuting in 2016. She’s been called pretty much every name under the sun by Church officials, and their Leah Remini smear campaign never seems to rest. On the flip side, however, the series allows former Church members who claim to have been abused a chance to tell their stories and connect with Leah on an emotional level, and it’s riveting to watch. The series surpassed all expectations in its first season and returned for a second after the desire of viewers was made clear, and Remini has not held back when it comes to painting even the most notable Scientologists in an ugly light.



At the Creative Arts Emmy Awards last weekend, Remini took home the award for best informational series or special, a victory she dedicated to the people brave enough to share their stories with her. As our Kayla Cobb previously reported, the success of the series with critics and viewers could potentially lead to some kind of action against the Church, though how it would come about remains to be seen. The Church can’t be happy with Remini’s continued success and the increase of negative connotations surrounding Scientology, and her Emmy win could very well propel Aftermath into a whole new arena. We’re living in an era that has seen trials affected and murders unexpectedly confessed to on television; series like this do have the power to enact real change, and at the rate Aftermath is moving, Scientology might just start feeling the blows.


An added layer to this entire thing lies in the fact that one of Hollywood’s most beloved working actresses, Elisabeth Moss, also remains a member of the Church (though she’s generally mum on the subject, with a few exceptions). Moss, who rose to A-lister status playing Peggy Olson on Mad Men and is nominated this year for her work on The Handmaid’s Tale, makes her way through all kinds of projects, press tours, and a social media presence without people saying much about Scientology. She’s a critical darling and a figure so seemingly normal that her involvement with the Church is almost confusing; Tom Cruise‘s manic persona speaks for itself, but Lizzie Moss? She could be your best friend.


The awards buzz surrounding Moss this year largely leans towards her winning; her performance on The Handmaid’s Tale is nothing short of harrowing, and even in wildly competitive category, she still stands out. Hollywood’s track record when it comes to dealing with Scientologists tends to lean towards ignorance; if a Scientologist doesn’t make a big deal out of things, neither will they. Cruise and Travolta often escape scrutiny either due to being off-the-radar (Travolta) or raking in millions at the box office due to bonafide action star status (Cruise). No matter how wacky or off-the-wall Cruise has behaved, he’s always been let off the hook, and the same seems to go to for Moss. She’s been serving up stellar performances since The West Wing – why should we care if she’s into a kooky pseudo-religion? The Television Academy’s honoring of Remini, however, could certainly be the canary in a coal mine. If they’re willing to award Remini’s efforts to take down the Church, they could also potentially penalize Moss for her involvement with the Church. It’s not totally likely, but it’s a possibility – and that’s farther than anyone ever imagined this going. As Aftermath grows, so might the unease amongst awards voters and the public. It’d take a lot for the world to turn their back on Moss, but as Scientology becomes less of a quirky side note and more of an umbrella term for a slew of horrors, prominent Church members could potentially be held accountable, rendering Moss complicit in the alleged abuses and perhaps diminishing her star power.
 

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