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Elisabeth Moss

1982Directed by American

Elisabeth Moss is an American actor and producer, best known for her roles as Peggy Olson in Mad Men, June Osborne in The Handmaid's Tale, and Detective Robin Griffin in Jane Campion's Top of the Lake.

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Quick Answer

Elisabeth Moss filmed 1 production in Queenstown: Top of the Lake. Elisabeth Moss is an American actor and producer, best known for her roles as Peggy Olson in Mad Men, June Osborne in The Handmaid's Tale, and Detective Robin Griffin in Jane Campion's Top of the Lake.

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About Moss

American actor, 1 production filmed in Queenstown.

Moss won a Golden Globe for Top of the Lake: China Girl, and has received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe awards for The Handmaid's Tale. She is widely recognised as one of the most compelling dramatic actors of her generation.

Top of the Lake was filmed almost entirely in and around Queenstown, Glenorchy and the Central Otago region. Moss spent months living in Queenstown during production, and has described the landscape as integral to the show's haunting, atmospheric tone.

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Films Shot in Queenstown

Every production Moss filmed in the Queenstown-Lakes region, with characters, roles, and behind‑the‑scenes stories.

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Top of the Lake

2013-2017Jane Campion

“Moss lived in Queenstown for nearly six months during the filming of Top of the Lake. She has said the isolation and beauty of the region deeply informed her performance: 'When you look at those mountains every day, the character's psychology starts to make a different kind of sense.'”
Elisabeth Moss, on filming Top of the Lake

Behind the Camera

Queenstown Stories

Trivia, anecdotes, and inside stories from Moss's time filming in Queenstown.

Did Elisabeth Moss live in Queenstown during filming?

Yes - Moss lived in Queenstown for approximately six months during production of the first season of Top of the Lake. She has described the experience as transformative, saying the landscape - 'those vast, silent mountains and that dark lake' - fundamentally shaped her portrayal of Detective Robin Griffin.

Where was Top of the Lake filmed in Queenstown?

The series was filmed extensively around Queenstown, Glenorchy and the Paradise Valley. Key locations include the Glenorchy waterfront, the Paradise backcountry (used for the commune setting), Lake Wakatipu and Moke Lake. The series director Jane Campion chose the locations for their brooding, isolated atmosphere.

What awards did Elisabeth Moss win for Top of the Lake?

Moss won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries for Top of the Lake: China Girl (the second season), and was nominated for an Emmy for the first season. Critics universally praised her performance as one of the most powerful in television that year.

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