Tara Rae Moss (born 2 October 1973) is a Canadian-Australian author, documentary maker and presenter, journalist and UNICEF national ambassador for child survival.[1][2][3]
Moss began modelling at age 14, but did not stay long in the profession.[5] At age 21, as detailed in her 2014 memoir The Fictional Woman, she was raped in Vancouver by a known assailant, a Canadian actor.[6]
After marriages to the Canadian Marty Legg and to the Australian actor Mark Pennell,[7] she married Australian poet and philosopher Dr. Berndt Sellheim.[7] Moss gave birth to a daughter, Sapphira, on 22 February 2011.[8] In early 2024 the marriage ended. [9]
Moss has private investigator credentials (Cert III) from the Australian Security Academy and as of 2019[update] is undertaking a Doctorate of Social Sciences in the Department of Gender and Cultural studies at the University of Sydney.[12][13]
Writing and career
Moss's books are published in 18 countries in 13 languages and include the internationally best-selling and critically acclaimed[14] series of six crime novels featuring a feminist heroine, Makedde "Mak" Vanderwall: Fetish, Split, Covet, Hit, Siren and Assassin.[15] Her first non-fiction book, The Fictional Woman was published in June 2014, became a #1 bestselling non-fiction book, and is listed by The Sydney Morning Herald as a "must-read".[16] The book has received critical acclaim,[17] with Dr Clare Wright writing, 'Moss is a serious thinker.' [18]
Moss is an advocate for the rights of women and children. She has been an ambassador for the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children since 2000 and has hosted their annual charity flight for over a decade. She has also been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2007 and as of 2013 has taken on a larger role as UNICEF’s National Ambassador for Child Survival.[10]
She is known for her novel research, which has included touring the FBI and LAPD,[20] shooting firearms, being set on fire, being choked unconscious by Ultimate Fighter'Big' John McCarthy,[21] flying with the Royal Australian Air Force, spending time in morgues and courtrooms and obtaining a licence as a private investigator.[22] She has also been a race car driver (CAMS), and holds a motorcycle licence and wildlife/snake-handling licence.[23] In 2014 she was recognised for Outstanding Advocacy for her blog Manus Island: An insider’s report, which helped to break information to the public about the events surrounding the alleged murder of Reza Barati inside the Australian-run Manus Island Immigration Detention Centre.[24]
Moss hosts and acted as executive producer and writer of Cyberhate with Tara Moss on the ABC in 2017, hosted two seasons of the true crime television series Tough Nuts – Australia's Hardest Criminals[25] on the Crime & Investigation Network, and Tara Moss in Conversation[26] on the 13th Street channel. She also previously hosted the crime documentary series Tara Moss Investigates on the National Geographic Channel.
Cyberhate with Tara Moss – Host, Executive Producer, Writer (2017),[27]
