As Hulu’s dystopian series The Handmaid’s Tale nears its conclusion, Elisabeth Moss reflects on her portrayal of June Osborne with a deep sense of admiration.
“I hope that she gives courage to somebody who needs it, whether it’s in our country or another country,” Moss shared with Variety about the journey of the handmaid-turned-rebel. “She’s somebody that people can hopefully look up to. She’s very brave, and I look up to her.”
The final season of the acclaimed series will premiere on April 8, promising an action-packed conclusion as the long-simmering rebellion in Gilead is set to ignite.
“It goes a little wild there toward the end, and I think it’s what the fans have been waiting six seasons for — they’ve been waiting for revolution,” noted Madeline Brewer. “We had a long resistance, we had a lot of building and building and really a slow burn to what is an outrageous revolution, truly, in the end.”
Moss, Brewer, and the rest of the cast and crew gathered to mark the series’ conclusion at a special event at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre. The venue was transformed to evoke the iconic red cloaks and white bonnets that define Gilead. On the red carpet, the writers emphasized their dedication to making the final season truly satisfying for loyal fans.
“We knew that this would be our very last chance to tell these stories with our beloved cast and our beloved characters, so it was definitely a now-or-never feeling,” explained co-showrunner and executive producer Yahlin Chang. “It’s a wish fulfillment season, it’s a season where we just want to be really rewarding and really satisfying.”
Max Minghella teased the unpredictability of the upcoming episodes. “I think it will surprise audiences,” he remarked.
The cast itself was kept largely in the dark about the plot’s conclusion, with many scripts heavily redacted.
“To be very honest, I’m still not sure if I know exactly how the series ends,” said Samira Wiley. “I mean, all of these scripts were so redacted. People’s names were different people in it. What I do know is fans will be very rewarded for their dedication.”
Ever Carradine shared a similar experience with the scripts, admitting, “I haven’t read the last 15 pages of the script, and I never asked for the un-redacted version. It’ll be the first time I’ve ever watched the show completely blind. Now I know I can’t spoil it.”
Reflecting on their roles, the cast shared how their characters had influenced their personal lives. “I’m now unafraid to speak up about things I might not have before playing Moira,” said Wiley, highlighting her character’s passion for activism.
O-T Fagbenle, who plays Luke, June’s husband, reflected on how his character sheds light on the struggles faced by civilians during times of political upheaval.
“He was a civilian, and a lot of civilians in the world today have been made refugees and been taken out of their home through war and eviction,” Fagbenle explained. “In this final season, you see a person who’s willing to lose it all to get what he wants.”
Chang also mentioned that the writers had carefully considered leaving space for the forthcoming sequel series, The Testaments. Although she and co-showrunner Eric Tuchman are not involved in the new project, Chang teased, “If there’s anything after watching these 10 episodes that you are wondering about or worried about, or a loose thread or an unresolved story — there’s a sequel that will address it.”
Moss, who also serves as an executive producer and directed several episodes, including the finale, expressed gratitude for the experience.
“Getting to work with these actors, that’s gonna be the great privilege of my life and my directing career,” she said.
