It annoys Elisabeth Moss when people say the Handmaid’s Tale is ‘hard to watch’

"If you can't face our show then how are you going to face what's actually happening in the world?"

Elisabeth Moss has said that it annoys her when people say that The Handmaid's Tale is "hard to watch." The actor, who plays June in the dystopian TV show, said that the issues depicted in the series, although entirely fictional, are still "shockingly relevant" to real life. Now in its third season, The Handmaid's Tale has been praised for its brutal portrayal of female systematic oppression under the dystopian state of Gilead, formerly the United States. Under the system, fertile women are treated like walking wombs where their only function is to be impregnated by important men. If they are not deemed suitable to be Handmaids, they are either killed or sent to the colonies where they are subjected to harsh environments and dangerous pollution. Despite the intense and upsetting issues portrayed in the show, Moss told Radio Times that she has no time for people who think the show is difficult to watch. "When people say the show is hard to watch, I get my hackles up," she said. "If you can’t face our show, then how are you going to face what’s actually happening in the world? 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." Moss also said that although the show is predominantly dark, she doesn't find shooting the scenes too taxing. "I’m very good at shaking it off," she said. "As soon as we’ve finished a scene, I’m done." "I’m like 'Where’s my coffee?' I’m not somebody who stays in the moment. If I stayed in character, I would lose track of reality. "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 favourite days involve the emotional material."