Then one determined 'medical engineer' noticed that she left a trail of disease wherever she cooked, and identified her as an 'asymptomatic carrier' of Typhoid Fever. Sought after by New York aristocracy, and with an independence rare for a woman of the time, she seemed to have achieved the life she'd aimed for when she arrived in Castle Garden.

Canny and enterprising, she worked her way to the kitchen, and discovered in herself the true talent of a chef.

Brave, headstrong, and dreaming of being a cook, she fought to climb up from the lowest rung of the domestic-service ladder. Moss is currently starring in the Hulu adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s book “The Handmaid’s Tale.” She’s also set to star in the second season of “Top of the Lake” for SundanceTV.About the Book 'On the eve of the twentieth century, Mary Mallon emigrated from Ireland at age fifteen to make her way in New York City. Annapurna’s Sue Naegle and Megan Ellison, along with Morrison, are also executive producing. The former “Mad Men” actress acquired the rights to the book and teamed up with Phil Morrison (“Junebug”), who is signed on to direct. Robin Veith (“True Blood”) is tapped to write the screenplay and will also executive produce. “She is incredibly complicated, something I seem to enjoy playing,” Moss said of the character.Īlso Read: Elisabeth Moss on Why She Became a Feminist: 'Our Generation Has Taken Our Rights for Granted' (Video)

Mallon was eventually taken into custody and quarantined, but always maintained she did nothing wrong. She is believed to have infected around 22 people, with three of them ultimately dying. She changed jobs multiple times, but at each of those places, multiple people became ill. However, at every job she held, people seemed to come down with typhoid fever. “Typhoid Mary,” or Mary Mallon, was an immigrant in early 20th century New York who found work as a cook. “I look forward to telling this story about one of the most infamous women in America, ‘Typhoid Mary,’ a woman whose true tale has never been told.”Īlso Read: Yes, 'The Handmaid's Tale' Is 'Absolutely Feminist,' Showrunner Clarifies “I’m so honored to be working with the incredible team of collaborators we have pulled together with Phil, Robin, BBC America and Annapurna,” Moss said in a statement. Moss will be starring and executive producing a period mini-series adaptation of “Fever,” a novel by Mary Beth Keane about “Typhoid Mary,” the woman who was discovered to be a healthy carrier of the sometimes deadly typhoid fever. “The Handmaid’s Tale” star Elisabeth Moss’s next project is another book adaptation, according to an announcement from BBC America on Tuesday.

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