Elisabeth Moss, an acclaimed American actress, boasts an impressive net worth of $30 million. She is recognized for her notable roles in TV shows like “The West Wing,” “Mad Men,” “Top of the Lake,” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Alongside her television work, Moss has appeared in films such as “The One I Love,” “Her Smell,” “Us,” “Shirley,” and “The Invisible Man.” She has also graced the stage in productions like “Speed-the-Plow,” “The Heidi Chronicles,” and “The Children’s Hour.”
Her breakthrough role came as Peggy Olson in the highly successful series Mad Men on AMC. Running from 2007 to 2015, Mad Men launched Moss to international stardom, where she appeared in 88 out of the show’s 92 episodes.
Early Life of Elisabeth Moss
Born on July 24, 1982, in Los Angeles, California, Moss is the daughter of musicians Linda and Ronald. Growing up with a younger brother, Moss was raised in the Church of Scientology. She initially dreamed of becoming a professional dancer and moved to New York City during her teenage years to study ballet at the prestigious School of American Ballet. She also studied under ballerina Suzanne Farrell at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Throughout this period, Moss was homeschooled to balance her dancing career with her education.
Career Beginnings in Television
Moss’s career began in 1990, with her first screen appearance in the television film Bar Girls and the miniseries Lucky Chances. She then starred in Prison Stories: Women on the Inside and lent her voice to animated specials such as Frosty Returns and It’s Spring Training, Charlie Brown. From 1992 to 1995, she had a recurring role as Cynthia Parks in Picket Fences. During this time, she also voiced characters in Batman: The Animated Series, Animaniacs, and Freakazoid!. She appeared in the television films Gypsy and Escape to Witch Mountain.
Rising to Prominence
In 1999, Moss’s breakthrough came when she was cast as Zoey Bartlet, the daughter of the President of the United States, on the political drama The West Wing. She appeared in 25 episodes of the show, which concluded in 2006. During her time on The West Wing, Moss also appeared in The Practice and Law & Order: Trial by Jury. She later had a recurring role on the science-fiction series Invasion.
Afterward, Moss guest-starred in various shows, including Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Grey’s Anatomy, Medium, and Ghost Whisperer.
Mad Men and Critical Acclaim
Moss’s most iconic role came in 2007 when she began portraying Peggy Olson in Mad Men, the AMC period drama. Peggy, a secretary-turned-copywriter, became one of television’s most complex and celebrated characters. Throughout the show’s seven seasons, Moss earned five Emmy Award nominations for her performance. Moss’s role in Mad Men cemented her as a prominent actress in television.
She also received widespread recognition for her portrayal of Detective Robin Griffin in Top of the Lake (2013). In 2017, Moss took on one of her most significant roles yet, playing Offred in the Hulu adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. She not only starred in the show but also served as its producer and director. Moss’s work on The Handmaid’s Tale has earned her both Emmy and Golden Globe Awards, further solidifying her place as one of Hollywood’s finest actresses.
Salary Milestones
Moss’s salary history reflects her growing fame. On Mad Men, she earned $75,000 per episode at her peak. In the first season of The Handmaid’s Tale, she made $175,000 per episode. As her star continued to rise, Moss’s earnings increased significantly. By later seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale, her salary reached $1 million per episode. Thanks to her prominent role and behind-the-scenes work as an executive producer, Moss earned a staggering $24 million between September 2018 and September 2019, making her one of the top ten highest-paid actresses in the world. She repeated this success in the following period, bringing in $16 million between September 2019 and September 2020.
Elisabeth Moss’s Film Career
Moss’s cinematic journey began in 1991 with a small role in the science-fiction comedy Suburban Commando. She also voiced a character in the animated film Once Upon a Forest in 1993. Her film career continued with appearances in Imaginary Crimes, Separate Lives, The Last Supper, A Thousand Acres, The Joyriders, Mumford, and Anywhere But Here.
In 1999, Moss starred in Girl, Interrupted alongside Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie. She portrayed a mental patient in the psychological drama, earning significant attention for her performance. The early 2000s saw Moss in films like Heart of America, Virgin, and The Missing. She earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Virgin.
Moss’s filmography expanded with roles in The Attic, Day Zero, Did You Hear About the Morgans? A Buddy Story, Get Him to the Greek, Darling Companion, and On the Road. 2014 was a significant year for Moss, as she starred in two noteworthy films: The One I Love and Listen Up Philip. The latter film marked the beginning of her collaborations with writer-director Alex Ross Perry, with whom she worked again in Queen of Earth (2015) and Her Smell (2018).
Other notable film roles for Moss include High-Rise, Mad to Be Normal, The Square, The Seagull, The Old Man & the Gun, Light of My Life, Us, The Kitchen, Shirley, and The Invisible Man.
Stage Performances
Moss has also made a name for herself on the stage. She debuted in 2002 in the off-Broadway play Franny’s Way, where she portrayed the teenage version of Franny. In 2008, she joined the Broadway revival of David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow. She then made her West End debut in 2011, starring in The Children’s Hour alongside Keira Knightley. In 2015, Moss earned a Tony Award nomination for her performance as the lead in The Heidi Chronicles, a production of Wendy Wasserstein’s play.
Elisabeth Moss married comedian, actor, and musician Fred Armisen in 2009, but the couple divorced in 2011. Moss has been a long-time member of the Church of Scientology, which she has supported publicly. She has defended her religious beliefs on platforms like Instagram and has advocated for religious tolerance and freedom for all faiths.
Elisabeth Moss’s career continues to flourish, from her groundbreaking roles in television to her work in film and theater. With a growing fortune and an unyielding passion for her craft, Moss remains one of Hollywood’s most versatile and talented actresses.
