Elisabeth Moss has insisted taking on a producing role isn’t about a vanity credit for her.
The 36-year-old actress is a producer on TV show The Handmaid’s Tale, and also starred in and produced Toronto International Film Festival competitor Her Smell. Elisabeth enjoys working both behind and in front of the camera, and said that taking on dual roles is about more than just having her name on two credits.
“You approach the project in such a different way when you are producing it because you are involved from the start like buying a property, like a book, and developing it from there,” she told Women’s Wear Daily. “I pretty much always ask to be a producer, especially if you are the lead role, because you know, it’s your face that’s out there, and the more ownership you can have, why not?
“For me, I never wanted it to be a vanity title, and I think there’s definitely a little bit of that sometimes.”
However, Elisabeth has the advantage of being inspired by many of her peers, who have found success as producers as well as actors.
“There are women producers who are not actresses who have really inspired me and there’s a couple actresses who were the first, like Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock, who produce really good s**t,” Elisabeth smiled.
Praising Reese’s “incredible eye”, Elisabeth continued: “In one year, she did Gone Girl and Wild. She bought two of the hottest book properties before they were even out, I think. That’s not because you’re famous and you’re an actress; she actually has a knack for it creatively and those are the kinds of people I admire.”
Elisabeth has been praised for her portrayal of June in The Handmaid’s Tale, but lost out on the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series to Claire Foy for The Crown at the 2018 ceremony on Monday night (17Sep18).
