Donatella (Donna) Moss
Assistant to Deputy Chief of Staff

Character Biography

Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman's sarcastic, but lovable assistant. In describing Donna, Moloney says, 'If she's not having a good time, something's wrong. She enjoys what she does.' And about the incredible chemistry between Donna and Josh? 'Donna couldn't have been created without Josh. He brought her out. Brad is hysterically funny and one of the best people I've ever met. He's stellar.'

Donna Moss grew up in Wisconsin where she attended the University of Wisconsin before dropping out to support her boyfriend through medical school. She majored in political science, government, sociology, psychology, and biology and minored in drama and French. After her and her boyfriend broke up, she joined the Barlet presidential campaign by showing up in Josh's office and answering his phone. She persuades him to let her be his assistant as a volunteer until she can be put on payroll. Donna worked for him over a period of time before going back to her boyfriend, only to return to the campaign again. Supposedly, she got into a car accident and he stopped for a beer on the way so she left him once and for all.

After the president won the election, Donna became the official assistant to the deputy chief of staff, Josh Lyman, or as she like to say the "deputy-deputy chief of staff."

Basic Facts