In today’s world of overwhelming fake news and alternative facts, it can be tough to get the truth and the inside scoops on complicated matters. That’s why the role of storytellers and documentarians like Louis Theroux is needed now more than ever. For those unfamiliar with Theroux’s work, he has over 50 BBC documentaries under his belt, regularly diving into underground and taboo industries such as pornography, wrestling, and gangsta rap. And in the video above, he chats with HitFix host Miri Jedeikin about his career and his most recent subject: the super elusive world of scientology.
The organization isn’t exactly something you can just call up and set up interviews with. It’s already been a controversial topic as of late, with the 2015 documentary Going Clear and Leah Remini’s crusade against the their practices. In the interview, Theroux explains why he too decided to tackle the extremism and secrecy behind the religion with My Scientology Movie. In order for him to tell a story not normally available to the public, Theroux explains the power of “negative access,” a method of using their own tight-lipped tactics against it, including scientology’s somewhat bizarre practice of sending out its own camera crew when faced with prying media.
The documentary premieres in theaters and on on demand services this week.