Australian TV

Aussie TV channel axes 'Top of the Lake' over Elisabeth Moss casting

Published Monday, Nov 7 2011, 04:43 GMT | By Rebecca Davies | 2 comments

Elisabeth Moss on the red carpet at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards

Australian broadcaster The ABC has pulled funding from Holly Hunter's new TV miniseries Top of the Lake.

The corporation said that it decided to pull out of a $600,000 (£390,000) deal to air the drama after discovering that actress Elisabeth Moss had been cast as lead character Robin Griffin, an Australian police officer.

A spokesperson for the network told the Herald Sun: "We went into this with the understanding the lead actor would be an Australian. But when that could not happen, we removed ourselves from the deal.

"We love Elisabeth Moss, but she's not an Australian. We have a fine calibre of Australian actors available and we would have preferred to see one of them in the role."

Director of the Actors Equity Foundation Simon Whipp added: "To cast an American in this is a really disappointing decision. I find it hard to believe they could not find a suitable performer in Australia or New Zealand, in their 20 to 30s, to perform this [role]."

Top of the Lake - which is directed by Jane Campion - tells the story of a missing pregnant 12-year-old girl last seen standing on a frozen lake. It will feature various Australian actors, including Lord of the Rings star David Wenham.