Elisabeth Moss Says She Was Surprised With ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Popularity

Lead Actor On ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Didn’t Think It Would Blow Up The star of “The Handmaid’s Tale” is surprised by the show’s smashing success. But Elisabeth Moss also told...

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Lead Actor On ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Didn’t Think It Would Blow Up

The star of “The Handmaid’s Tale” is surprised by the show’s smashing success. But Elisabeth Moss also told Britain’s “Radio Times” that the show is “shockingly relevant,” and that she gets annoyed with people who say the show is too dark for them.

“When people say the show is hard to watch, I get my hackles up. If you can’t face our show, then how are you going to face what’s actually happening in the world?” Moss said. “It’s shockingly relevant. It’s important to hold that mirror up to society and to ourselves to try to get people to face what’s going on, before it’s too late.”

“The Handmaid’s Tale” is based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian novel of the same name. The story takes place in the fictional world of Gilead, where women have no rights whatsoever and are controlled by a patriarchal group of male overlords.

The show, available on Hulu, is now in its third season and has won two Golden Globes. Rather than shying away from difficult scenes, Moss said she thrives on them.

“The tougher scenes are my favorites to work on. I’m an actor, so I don’t want to sit around looking happy all the time. If I do that, I get bored. I’m not a dark person, but my favorite days involve the emotional material,” Moss told the Radio Times.