EXCLUSIVE: ‘Queen of Peak TV’ Elisabeth Moss says being a parent is hardest job in the world
The Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss is now playing Mary in the Apple TV series Imperfect Women, a psychological thriller series, adapted from the Araminta Hall novel
Actress Elisabeth Moss agrees that The West Wing is probably the greatest political drama ever made, she says of being part of the cast: “It was such a gift.”(Image: Variety via Getty Images)
Stellar performances since the age of 17, when she joined a cast of established stars in The West Wing, have earned Elisabeth Moss the nickname ‘Queen of Peak TV’. Yet, the mum-of-one lavishes praise not on great actors, but on great parents. She says: “I have so much admiration for how hard not just mums, but dads, too, work.”
Elisabeth, 43, is speaking about her latest role playing Mary in the Apple TV series Imperfect Women, a psychological thriller series, adapted from the Araminta Hall novel. The eight-episode show, which is currently streaming, focuses on three best friends-of-25 years – Mary, Nancy, played by Kate Mara, and Eleanor (Kerry Washington). Their lives are turned upside down when wealthy Nancy is murdered and Mary and Eleanor’s friendship begins to unravel.
Elisabeth, who is also executive producer on the show, says of her character: “She’s more of a homemaker – a mum, a wife and that’s her job. And taking care of her family is everything. I have a lot of admiration for that. I think that is the hardest job in the world.” Elisabeth, who has never revealed the name or sex of her child, born in 2024, or the identity of the father – although she was reputed to have taken her baby on set when she filmed the sixth series of The Handmaid’s Tale – adds: “She [Mary] has three, so, it’s something!”
Elisabeth Moss in a scene from Imperfect Women(Image: Copyrighted)
In the ‘whodunit-style’ thriller, as secrets and betrayals emerge, the investigation focuses on Nancy’s secret affair with a mysterious man named David. As the friends’ lives are examined and the different paths they have followed are scrutinised, Elisabeth says: “I think it’s very true to life and that part’s probably the most relatable part.”
Reflecting on the main theme of the murder, she laughs: “I hope that none of the other parts are relatable to you and your friends or anyone’s friends. But that is the thing that I related to very much.” Elisabeth’s own friendships in some ways mirror Mary’s at the start of the series. She says: “I have three best friends and one of them actually lives here in the UK. “Your lives go in different directions and, hopefully, you stay in touch. Usually, if they’re your best friend, you do. But, sometimes, you don’t even talk every day and sometimes you end up doing different things than when you were 20.
“But if it really is a true best friend, you know how it is, you can not have seen them for months and then you pick up right where you left off and it’s beautiful. These three friends have that. But Mary’s life, yes, ends up being very different to Nancy and Eleanor’s.”
Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara attend Today At Apple – Spotlight: The Cast & Creator Of “Imperfect Women” at Apple The Grove on March 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California(Image: Apple TV via Getty Images)
Elisabeth, who lived in Richmond, south west London, for several years, is now settled in Sonoma, California, with her child. Married to Saturday Night Live star Fred Armisen from 2009 to 2011, she has not publicly announced a new partner, but is fiercely protective about her private life,
Raised as a Scientologist by her musician parents Ron – an Englishman from Birmingham – and Linda Moss, an American, her first screen role was in 1990 when, aged six, she played Lucky Santangelo in the TV miniseries Lucky Chances. But the role that made her name was playing Zoey Bartlett, the youngest daughter of President Bartlett (Martin Sheen) in The West Wing – which she landed, aged 17.
Agreeing that The West Wing is probably the greatest political drama ever made, she says of being part of the cast: “It was such a gift. Honestly, I was 17 to 23 when I did it. I literally did my last episode of The West Wing at the beginning of April and shot the Mad Men pilot at the end of April.
Elisabeth Moss with her husband Fred Armisen(Image: WireImage)
Elisabeth Moss attends the UK photocall for Hulu’s “The Testaments”, coming to Disney+ on 8th of April, at Raffles London at The OWO on March 23, 2026 in London, England(Image: Grant Buchanan/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Disney+)
“I am very, very fortunate. The coolest thing was the people I got to work with. Looking back…at the time I appreciated it…but now, I’m like ‘oh my god I was 17 and was with Bradly Whitford, Martin Sheen, Richard Schiff, Alison Janney, John Spencer. I was with these actors that are just some of the best that we have – learning from them. And not just on camera, but off camera.”
Elisabeth, who went on to play Peggy Olsen – working for the troubled advertising genius Don Draper (Jon Hamm) in Mad Men – says The West Wing also taught her how to behave towards her colleagues. She says: “That is where I learned how to be on set. That is where I learned how you are supposed to behave; how you’re supposed to treat other people; how you’re supposed to collaborate with the crew. Martin Sheen would, literally, treat the background actor who was there exactly the same way as he would treat the other lead actor in the scene. And I was like ‘that’s how you’re supposed to be.’ So, it was an incredible learning experience.”
Elisabeth, who has also starred in movies including The Invisible Man and The One I Love, as well as being awarded a Tony for her role on Broadway in The Heidi Chronicles, cites The Handmaid’s Tale – adapted from Margaret Attwood’s novel – as the role that changed her life. Set in a dystopian society, she plays June Osborne, of whom she says: “I find her very inspiring. I find her just so cool and strong and complicated. I’ve always been kind of inspired by June. Again, just a gift to portray somebody who I look up to.”
Offred played by Elisabeth Moss in the Handmaid’s Tale(Image: Hulu)
The main star of the series, she adds: “It was a very life changing experience personally and professionally for me. Nine years doing that. And I learned how to be a producer, I learned how to be a director, I really learned how to lead a show, as well as my first time being number one on the call sheet. It was really a big, life changing experience.”
Returning to the present, she confesses that she was attracted by the structure of Arminta Hall’s Imperfect Women. She says: “It was really the structure of the book that starts with Kerry’s character, Eleanor, and then goes to Kate’s character, Nancy, and then mine. There was also a lot of fun, delicious, juicy stuff in the book and the show.”
But she confesses that it was sheer chance that the series was ever made. She says: “It’s a brilliant book that I truly fell in love with. I bought it at the airport because I loved the cover and the title. I’m very deep that way!”
*This interview was adapted from The Arts Hour on the BBC World Service and is available on BBC Sounds.