In 2011, she had a role in "Our Idiot Brother" as Liz, the sister of Paul Rudd's titular character. In that same year, Mortimer appeared in Scorsese's "Hugo", an adaptation of Brian Selznick's book, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret." "Hugo" won five Academy Awards from eleven nominations, but was a box office disappointment. Also in 2011, she started work with screenwriter and producer Aaron Sorkin, playing Mackenzie McHale in HBO's "The Newsroom". Although the first season of the series gained a mixed reception, the later seasons fared better. Several critics praised Mortimer's acting abilities in season one, but they took issue with her character's writing. In January 2013, it was announced that Mortimer would be co-creating and starring in the comedy series "Doll & Em" for Sky Living, along with her longtime friend, actress and comedian Dolly Wells.