Glenn Close Reflects On The ‘Trauma’ & 'Emotional Devastation' Of Growing Up In A Cult

Glenn Close got candid about the personal trauma of growing up in a cult.

The 74-year-old actress recently appeared on Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry‘s The Me You Can’t See, where she opened up about how her family’s upbringing in the conservative religious cult called Moral Re-Armament affected her mental health. In case you didn’t know, Close was first brought into the group when she was just 7 years old by her father, Dr. William Taliaferro Close. MRA, founded in 1938 by Frank Buchamn, basically believes that change in the world comes from seeking to change in yourself. And while it’s not technically considered a “cult,” the momma has called them out for their controlling antics in the past.

While in it, the Damages alum claimed the organization managed the members and “basically dictated how you’re supposed to live and what you’re supposed to say and how you’re supposed to feel,” adding:

“It was basically a cult. Everyone spouted the same things, and there’s a lot of rules, a lot of control. Because of how we were raised, anything that you thought you would do for yourself was considered selfish. We never went on family vacations or we didn’t have any collective memory about stuff other than what we went through.”

According to E! News, the Oscar-nominated star’s father got so involved with the bunch that he actually relocated the whole family to their headquarters in Switzerland. And it wasn’t until Glenn was 22 that she escaped to embark on her acting career in the US. However, the 15 years spent with the movement still had a profound effect on her family’s relationship:

“It was so awful. We were so broken up. It’s astounding that something you went through at such an early stage of your life still has such a potential to be destructive. That’s childhood trauma, because of the devastation, emotional and psychological, of the cult.”

In addition to affecting her relatives’ lives, the three-times divorcee also recognized how the cult has influenced her personal life:

“I have not been successful in my relationships and finding a permanent partner, and I’m sorry about that. I think it’s our natural state to be connected like that. I don’t think you ever change your trigger points, but at least you can be aware of them, and at least you can maybe avoid situations that might make you vulnerable, especially in relationships.”

She then jokingly noted:

“It’s probably why we all have our dogs!”

We would need some puppy snuggles too if we experienced all of this! In all seriousness, though, we even can’t imagine how much pain and confusion Glenn must have felt for years. What are your reactions and thoughts, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below)! And if you are wondering what Glenn and other celebs have had to say about cult life some more, CLICK HERE to read “Celebrities Linked To Alleged Cults & Communes!”

[Image via Ivan Nikolov/WENN]