Elisabeth Moss of The Handmaid’s Tale to Star In “Typhoid Mary” Miniseries

Elisabeth Moss, currently starring in and producing Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, has signed on to star in and executive produce a new BBC America limited series about the infamous “Typhoid Mary,” Variety reports.

Titled Fever and based on Mary Beth Keane’s novel of the same name, the series will follow the real life story of Mary Mallon, an Irish immigrant who was the first known carrier of typhoid fever. She became known as “Typhoid Mary” after unwittingly spreading the disease among several wealthy families as a home cook in the 1910s.

Moss acquired the rights to the novel, and will partner with BBC America and Annapurna Television to develop the project. Moss first sent the material to Phil Morris (Enlightened), who signed on as director and executive producer. Robin Veith (Mad Men) will pen the adaption as well as executive produce alongside Moss, Morrison, and Annapurna’s Sue Naegle and Megan Ellison.

Said Moss in a statement:

I’m so honored to be working with the incredible team of collaborators we have pulled together with Phil, Robin, BBC America and Annapurna. 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. She was an immigrant in turn of the century New York, a time of huge change and progress in America. She was incredibly unique, stubborn, ambitious and in fierce denial of any wrongdoing until her death where she lived out her days imprisoned on an island just off of the Bronx in NY. She is incredibly complicated, something I seem to enjoy playing.

In addition to The Handmaid’s Tale, which was recently renewed for a second season, Moss stars as Robin Griffin in Jane Campion’s Top of the Lake, which just had its season two premiere at Cannes.