Elisabeth Moss is a double Emmy nominee this year: for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for Mad Men, as hard-working advertising executive Peggy Olson; and for Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for her starring role as Robin, the moody detective in Top of the Lake. Moss has come a long way since her days as Zoey Bartlet on The West Wing. SSN talked to her about both strong female roles and the different processes she uses to inform each character.
SSN: How does it feel to be a double Emmy nominee?
Moss: It’s pretty crazy, honestly. It’s definitely something that makes you feel pretty nice; the fact that they’re two things I’m equally proud of and worked equally hard on. It’s not a bad thing! (laughs)
SSN: What attracted you to Top of the Lake?
Moss: First, it was Jane [Campion] and getting a chance to work with her. She’s such a prolific filmmaker and I’m a big fan of her movies. The fact that she’s a female filmmaker is so cool and inspiring. She tends to make movies that have great female roles. As an actress, that’s very cool when number-one on the callsheet is a woman, and they’re really great performances. I wanted to see what that was like. Why is it that she gets these amazing performances out of women?
SSN: How did your process differ from Mad Men?
Moss: I did more research for this project than any other I’ve done. I had a three month lead time before filming, so had a lot of time to think and read and watch movies, talk to Jane, and work on the accent. It was a different kind of role from anything I’ve done before. I couldn’t rely on old tricks, I had to challenge myself; [play] scenes and emotions I hadn’t played before. It was different and challenging in that sense, and that’s why I did it.
SSN: How did you get involved in the project? Was it offered to you?
Moss: No, I had to audition. It was a total longshot. I had met with my wonderful agent Esther Chang, who championed me. There were several obstacles: they wanted an Australian, they wanted a movie star. Luckily, Jane, being who she is, is very open-minded and she gave me a shot. The casting director, Kirsty McGregor, also championed me. I met with her for a drink and this was very early in the process and she went back and convinced Jane to take a look at me. We didn’t know if it would go anywhere. Then the casting director flew back out and put me on tape and I spoke to Jane on the phone before the audition. I put three scenes on tape and got another call from Jane, did an accent test; it was a process … In the end, it was something that Jane and Garth [Davis] and the producers responded to. They took a little bit of a chance on me.
SSN: Do you prefer dark subject material? Do you ever get the urge to work on something lighter/comedic?
Moss: Yeah, I kind of do. Comedy is really hard. One isn’t easier than the other. Doing good comedy is difficult; it’s an arduous process and not as easy as it looks sometimes. I like showing different emotions and layers. It’s not so much about darker material but complicated material; things that show a lightness and a darkness, and that’s very Mad Men. I think Mad Men is hilarious. For me, I like to have both.
SSN: As Mad Men heads toward its conclusion, where do you hope Peggy Olson winds up at the end of the series?
Moss: I actually look forward to being surprised. I have a sense every season of where it might go, and I have a vague idea of what’s going on. I’m usually spot on but what I love most is the way it comes about, the way it’s written, which is always surprising and interesting. I knew Peggy was going to wind up back at [Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce] and have the problem of being caught between Don and Ted, then Ted breaking up with her and then her rise to a new job. There was this kind of subtle hint when she’s in Don’s office at the end. In season seven, I have an idea that she’ll progress in the workplace but how it’s going to go down is something I could never guess at, and that’s the interesting part.
SSN: What’s been the best thing about playing Peggy Olson? Besides having a part where you knife your boyfriend?
Moss: (Laughs) Yeah, I thought Abe and Peggy would break up; I didn’t think they were going to last but the way it went down was so awesome and unusual. There are a million things about playing Peggy that I love but the thing I love most is her complexity: this combination of the vulnerability, getting the pie in the face, always winding up in these situations and saying “F—k! How did I get here?” and then fighting back. She gets stronger, or if you want call it harder, or more cynical, she always manages to take these moments where she’s humiliated and she gets a little bit tougher.
SSN: What’s the best way you’ve found to get into Peggy Olson mindset?
Moss: It’s so hard to describe. There are things she does, little mannerisms that I can’t break down. For me, it’s the duality of her; she’s very still, she’s very composed. She tends to sit still and stand still, then there’s a lot going on underneath. For me, that’s very Peggy.
SSN: What’s your favorite thing about attending the Emmys?
Moss: Getting to see people. I’m friends with a lot of people who work in television. Everyone goes off to work on their shows for months at a time and you don’t get to see them. I’m good friends with Connie Britton, and the Downton Abbey people, and the Emmys are really just a big excuse to hang out with them all weekend because you go to the parties leading up to the Emmys. You also get to see people you watch on TV and admire.
We can’t wait for the final run of Mad Men episodes and we’ll be thinking all good thoughts for Moss on Emmy night.
Click here for SSN's study on the effects Elisabeth Moss' double nomination on her Emmy chances.