Actress Elisabeth Moss Embraces Her Comedic Side in New Dark Comedy

In the two years since the release of the dark comedy "Shell," actress Elisabeth Moss has been challenging perceptions about her on-screen persona. Moss, who is best known for her dramatic roles in shows like "Mad Men" and "The Handmaid's Tale," says she's far less serious in real life than the characters she typically portrays.

This sentiment is reflected in "Shell," which Moss both stars in and produced. The film follows an actress in her 40s who faces pressure from her management team to undergo cosmetic procedures in order to land more roles. Moss' character decides to try an experimental new treatment created by the character played by Kate Hudson, unaware of the deadly side effects.

Moss and director Max Minghella, with whom she previously collaborated on "The Handmaid's Tale," wanted to create a thrilling yet entertaining film that explored the industry's obsession with youth and beauty. "We wanted it to be this entertaining, fun, campy, wild ride of a film without there being some super-serious statement about beauty and aging," Moss explains.

The actress says she and Minghella have similar sensibilities when it comes to their work, and that they were able to easily collaborate on bringing this darkly comedic concept to life. Moss hopes the film will showcase her more lighthearted side, which she says often surprises people who are only familiar with her dramatic roles.