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Allow The Path Stars to Explain Their Fake Religion, the Meyerist Movement

Aaron Paul, Hugh Dancy and Michelle Monaghan discuss their new Hulu show

By Jean Bentley Mar 30, 2016 3:00 PMTags
Watch: "The Path" Stars Explain Tenets of Meyerism Faith

Want to be a disciple of The Path's Meyerist Movement (and the charming, handsome up-and-coming leader played by dreamboat Hugh Dancy)?

You'll have to understand what the totally-not-a-cult is all about. E! News sat down with the stars of Hulu's dark new drama about a Scientology-esque religious sect and asked them to explain the tenets of Meyerism. (Which, by the way, is not a cult. At all. As the members will remind every outsider repeatedly throughout the series.)

"We're kind of perceived within the community and the world as a cult but we perceive ourselves as a movement," Michelle Monaghan, who plays second-generation Meyerist Movement member Sarah, tells E! News.

Explains Aaron Paul, who plays her convert husband, Eddie, "It's a place where some questions are being answered."

Adds Monaghan, "where a lot of lost souls gravitate towards in order to find answers to their problems. It's a place of complete acceptance and transparency."

Hulu

Dancy, who plays the high-level Meyerist poised to become the Movement's new leader, lays out the basics: Meyerism was founded by Dr. Steven Meyer in Cusco, Peru, after he saw a vision of a burning ladder at the top of a mountain. When he ascended the ladder, he saw two visions: a catastrophic world after a global disaster, and a beautiful garden.

"What he's been teaching since then is that by ascending the rungs of the movement, which are his writings, by studying his writings and ascending you can prepare yourself to be spared from this inevitable apocalyptic disaster," Dancy explains.

The teachings aren't exactly real, but they do creep into the everyday lives of the stars. Says Monaghan, "I'm not going to lie, when we're talking on set…I will turn to Aaron and say okay, I need to unburden. And he's okay, let's do it!"

The Path premieres on Hulu today and will debut new episodes every Wednesday.