“The Handmaid’s Tale is just the hardest job I’ve ever had,” Elisabeth Moss told the HFPA. “The hours are tough and the producing aspect of it adds more hours to it. At the same time, it’s also the most fun and the most fulfilling.” Though originally written more than three decades ago, her character’s story of survival and bravery amidst impossible circumstances continues to resonate.
“I think the world is in a state of upheaval right now and we tell stories that reflect our world back. We know that’s what Margaret Atwood did and we’re just trying to do that justice,” Moss said after her Golden Globe-winning moment in 2018 for Best Television Actress-Drama Series. Atwood authored the dystopian novel about America set in the near future where an ultra-conservative, totalitarian government has taken control.
Moss’ hard work on the show as its lead star and producer, where she plays its main protagonist June Osborne, has reaped substantial rewards. The 39-year-old actress now has three Golden Globe nominations for her role in the Hulu TV series. In 2014, she also received the Best Actress – Television Motion Picture Golden Globe for Top of the Lake. Moss was previously nominated for her leading actress performance in Mad Men.
Born in July 1982 in Los Angeles, California, Moss started acting at 8 years old. The role of presidential daughter Zoey Bartlet in the drama series The West Wing, in 1999, is a milestone in her career.
“The West Wing, I would say, was definitely the start of something. I learned a lot on that show. It really set up for me how we’re supposed to act, how you’re supposed to be a professional, how you’re supposed to be kind. Those actors were all of those things and really talented. I was young enough to be able to really learn from them,” Moss said.
In the 2020 sci-fi horror film The Invisible Man, the actress received praise for her portrayal of a woman fighting to free herself from an abusive relationship.
“I think we’ve all had experiences where we’ve lost our voice and where we haven’t been able to speak up for ourselves, or someone has told you that what you’re saying is crazy, or that you’re overreacting, or you’re emotional. Or all those things. I think we’ve all had that experience – especially as women, to greater or lesser degrees,” she stated.
The star’s other notable TV roles include Secretary Peggy Olson in the Golden Globe-winning series Mad Men (2007-2014), detective Robin Griffin in Top of the Lake (2013) and Top of the Lake: China Girl (2017), both directed by Golden Globe nominee Jane Campion. In films, she worked in Girl, Interrupted (1999), On the Road (2012), Darling Companion (2012) by Golden Globe nominee Lawrence Kasdan, High-Rise (2015), the Swedish Film The Square (2017), The Kitchen (2019) with Golden Globe nominee Melissa McCarthy, and in Shirley (2020).