Video Interviews

How Elisabeth Moss Became Shirley Jackson for Shirley

The Invisible Man and Handmaid's Tale star shares how a herniated disc helped her embody one of the 20th century's greatest writers.

by | June 18, 2020 | Comments

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In Josephine Decker’s bitingly dark Shirley, Invisible Man star Elisabeth Moss plays novelist Shirley Jackson, most famous for The Haunting of Hill House and a notorious New Yorker story that made her, at one stage, the most reviled writer in America. Moss is earning major acclaim for her performance in the Sundance breakout – and some early awards buzz. With the movie now available to stream, Moss sat down with Rotten Tomatoes to talk about her approach to playing a version of Jackson that was true to her essence, but which allowed room for her own interpretation. And it all started with a herniated disc.

#1

Shirley (2020)
88%

#1
Adjusted Score: 102970%
Critics Consensus: Elevated by outstanding work from Elisabeth Moss, Shirley pays tribute to its subject's pioneering legacy with a biopic that ignores the commonly accepted boundaries of the form.
Synopsis: A famous horror writer finds inspiration for her next book after she and her husband take in a young couple.... [More]
Directed By: Josephine Decker

Thumbnail: © Neon / Courtesy Everett Collection