Honestly, it feels like Elisabeth Moss has been on our screens forever. You’ve probably seen her transition from the quiet, rebellious First Daughter in The West Wing to the powerhouse force behind June Osborne in The Handmaid’s Tale. But when you actually sit down and look at the dates, it’s pretty wild to see how much she has packed into her career.
So, let's get the main question out of the way: How old is Elisabeth Moss? As of early 2026, Elisabeth Moss is 43 years old. She was born on July 24, 1982.
It’s easy to lose track of time because she started so young. Most people don’t realize she was a child actor long before she became the "Queen of Peak TV." She didn't just stumble into fame; she built it, year by year, role by role, starting in the early '90s.
The Early Years: From Ballet to the Big Screen
Born in Los Angeles to musician parents, Moss was basically raised in the industry. Her parents, Ron and Linda Moss, were heavily involved in the jazz world, so creativity was just the family business. Interestingly, acting wasn't even her first love. She actually moved to New York City to study ballet at the School of American Ballet.
You can still see that dancer's discipline in her work today. She has this way of using her body—sometimes just a slight twitch or a stiffening of the shoulders—that says more than five pages of dialogue.
Her first real gig was back in 1990 in a miniseries called Lucky/Chances. She was just eight. Think about that for a second. By the time most of us were figuring out long division, she was already hitting marks on a professional set. She popped up in everything from Picket Fences to the voice of Holly DeCarlo in Frosty Returns.
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The Breakout: Zoey Bartlet and the White House
If you’re a fan of The West Wing, you remember Zoey. Moss was about 17 when she started playing the youngest daughter of President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen).
It was a tough role because she had to play "normal" while living in the most abnormal house in the world. She managed to hold her own against heavyweights like Sheen and Stockard Channing. She stayed with the show until its finale in 2006, which is a massive chunk of her young adulthood spent in one of the most critically acclaimed dramas ever made.
Why 2007 Changed Everything (The Peggy Olson Era)
When Mad Men premiered in 2007, the world saw a totally different side of her. Moss was 25 when she took on the role of Peggy Olson.
At first, Peggy was just the "new girl"—the shy secretary with the awkward ponytail. But Moss turned her into the heartbeat of the show. We watched her age from a naive girl to a fierce, whiskey-drinking, cigarette-smoking advertising powerhouse over the course of seven seasons.
- Age at Start: 25
- Age at Finale: 33
- Nominations: Five Emmy nods for Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
That’s basically a decade of her life dedicated to one character. It’s also where she solidified her reputation for being able to play characters who are "difficult" or "complicated." She doesn't need you to like her characters; she just needs you to believe them.
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The Handmaid’s Tale and "Peak TV" Dominance
If Mad Men made her a star, The Handmaid’s Tale made her an icon. When she stepped into the role of June Osborne (Offred) in 2017, she was 34.
This was the moment she started taking more control behind the scenes, too. She didn’t just act; she produced. Eventually, she started directing. By the time the show wrapped its sixth and final season in 2025, she had become the face of a cultural phenomenon.
Working on a show that heavy for nearly eight years takes a toll. She’s been very open in interviews—especially recently while promoting her 2024 film Shell—about how she prefers dramatic roles but actually has a much lighter personality in real life.
Recent News: Motherhood and Future Projects
Speaking of real life, 2025 was a huge year for her personally. After announcing she was expecting, Moss confirmed the birth of her first child in early 2025. She even talked about bringing the baby to the set while filming the final bits of Gilead.
Even with a newborn, she isn't slowing down. She’s heavily involved in the upcoming sequel series, The Testaments, which is set to premiere in April 2026. While she’s primarily an executive producer on that project, her DNA is all over the production.
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Elisabeth Moss Career Timeline at a Glance
- 1982: Born in Los Angeles (July 24).
- 1990: Acting debut at 8 years old.
- 1999: Joins The West Wing at 17 years old.
- 2007: Mad Men premieres; she’s 25.
- 2017: The Handmaid's Tale debuts; she’s 34.
- 2025: Becomes a mother and wraps The Handmaid's Tale at 42.
- 2026: Currently 43 years old and producing The Testaments.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her Age
Because she’s been famous since she was a teenager, people often think she’s older than she is. She’s part of that rare group of actors who transitioned from "child star" to "prestige TV lead" without the typical Hollywood meltdown.
She’s also tackled the "aging in Hollywood" conversation head-on. In her recent horror-comedy Shell (directed by her Handmaid's co-star Max Minghella), she plays an actress in her 40s who is pressured to use a youth-restoring procedure. It’s a bit of a meta-commentary on the industry she’s lived in since she was eight.
Basically, Moss has spent over 35 years in front of a camera. That’s a lot of mileage, but at 43, she’s arguably at the absolute peak of her powers.
If you’re looking to catch up on her more recent (and perhaps overlooked) work, you should check out Shining Girls on Apple TV+. She stars as an archivist chasing a time-traveling killer, and honestly, it’s some of her best work. It’s dark, weird, and exactly what she does best. You can also look forward to The Testaments hitting Hulu this April to see how the world of Gilead continues without June at the center of every frame.
To see the full evolution for yourself, try watching an episode of The West Wing (Season 1) followed by a clip from The Veil or Shell. The transformation is pretty incredible.