The Testaments is an upcoming spin-off of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and the show will feature several returning characters from the original series. Based on the 2019 Margaret Atwood novel, The Testaments follows a handful of key characters from The Handmaid’s Tale 15 years after the events of the original book, with the story continuing and tying up several loose ends and unfinished storylines. Although the new series won’t be out for a while, considering that The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 just premiered, and The Testaments has only started filming, there are some characters and storylines that are already confirmed to appear in the spin-off.

The Handmaid’s Tale is a literary classic, with the novel being adapted into the popular Hulu show as well as a 1990 feature film. Despite this success, a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale wasn’t written for decades, as the original novel mostly wrapped up Margaret Atwood’s story of Gilead, with Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale series having to expand on the book over the course of six seasons. However, Atwood eventually returned to the world of Gilead, releasing The Testaments in 2019. The Testaments is divided into the story of three returning characters, shedding more light on some familiar faces.

Aunt Lydia

Played by Ann Dowd

Aunt Lydia is one of the main characters in The Testaments, with the vicious leader of Offred and the Handmaids getting seen in a new light. The character has been a major focus of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale throughout the show’s first five seasons, having been there since the very beginning.

Although she is undoubtedly one of The Handmaid’s Tale‘s villains, Aunt Lydia changes as a person over the course of the show, developing a love for Esther and Janine in season 5 and even beginning to change her perspective on Gilead, standing against some of the unjust aspects of Gileadean society. This proves that Aunt Lydia’s story in The Handmaid’s Tale isn’t over.

The Testament changes how audiences see Aunt Lydia, with the novel explaining much of her backstory. However, the show has already presented much of this narrative, with Aunt Lydia’s pre-Gilead life being a big focus in The Handmaid’s Tale season 3.

In the book, Aunt Lydia publishes the manuscripts of her life story and her opinions of Gilead, with them gaining popularity inside and outside of the republic. This gives Lydia more influence over Gilead, as she attempts to change it for the better from the inside. Although Aunt Lydia is undoubtedly better than she was in The Handmaid’s Tale, she still has a lot to learn in The Testaments.

Aunt Lydia’s role in The Testaments is integral, and luckily, she’s already set to return in the Hulu series. Ann Dowd will reprise her role as Aunt Lydia, continuing her critically acclaimed and award-winning performance as the cruel but powerful woman from The Handmaid’s Tale. Dowd is the only actor confirmed to return in The Testaments yet, but there’s a possibility that more are on the way.

Hannah Bankole

Played By Jordana Blake In The Handmaid’s Tale

Hannah Bankole is the daughter of June and Luke in The Handmaid’s Tale, and while this version of the character doesn’t exactly exist in The Testaments, an incredibly similar counterpart does. In The Testaments, a crucial figure is Agnes, the adopted daughter of two high-ranking Gilead officials. Agnes attends a prestigious school and is being trained to be a wife — she even becomes Victoria later in the story. However, The Testaments reveals that Agnes is actually the biological daughter of a Handmaid who works for Mayday and lives in Canada, with Agnes also learning that she has a sister named Nichole.

The Testaments is a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale book and not the Hulu series, explaining why there are some inconsistencies between both versions of the story. However, since Hulu’s version of The Testaments will maintain continuity with the original series, some of these holes will be patched up. Hannah’s story matches up with Agnes’ almost one-for-one, with Hannah being the daughter of June, sister of Nichole, and adopted daughter of the MacKenzies. Since The Testaments takes place 15 years in the future, Hannah will likely be recast for the series, but she will undoubtedly be returning for the upcoming spin-off.

Nichole Osborne

Nichole Is A Teenager In The Novel

Baby Nichole Osborne from The Handmaid’s Tale also returns to The Testaments, although at times she is also called Daisy and Jade. Nichole lives in Toronto with two adopted parents, where she advocates for social justice in Gilead. However, much like Agnes, Nichole doesn’t know her true origins. Nichole is also the daughter of the Mayday Handmaid who escaped to Canada, unknowingly making her the sister of Agnes. During The Testaments, Nichole meets various people from Gilead, becomes more radicalized against their systems of oppression, and learns more about her past bit by bit.

In The Testaments, Nichole is about 16 years old, although the novel tells stories from other parts of her life. Since Nichole is just a baby in The Handmaid’s Tale, the spin-off series will undoubtedly have to cast a new actress for the role. Nichole’s The Testaments story has already been set up, with her living in Gilead after being smuggled out by June. However, her plotline also involves her living with an adoptive family, meaning that (unless Hulu’s version changes something) June and Luke may have to meet a tragic ending. Nichole has been integral, so it’s good that she’ll play a bigger role in The Testaments.

Aunt Elizabeth

Played By Edie Inksetter In The Handmaid’s Tale

While Aunt Lydia, Hannah, and Nichole are the main focuses of The Testaments, there’s actually one other character who returns from The Handmaid’s Tale. Aunt Elizabeth is one of the four founding Aunts of Gilead, and despite her importance, actress Edie Inksetter has only portrayed her in the background of a few scenes so far. Although it isn’t confirmed if Aunt Elizabeth will return for Hulu’s The Testaments, she does play a slightly bigger role in the novel than in the original story. While The Testaments may not feature a lot of returning characters from The Handmaid’s Tale, those that do return are given so much more depth.

Everything Else We Know About The Testaments

While no release date has been announced for The Testaments, the series began filming on April 7, 2025 in Toronto, which means there might not be too long of a wait between the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale and its new series, possibly aiming at a 2026 release. Outside the returning characters, there have been some major casting updates for The Testaments, which has considerably fleshed out its cast, with most of them in yet unconfirmed roles.

Three actors have been confirmed alongside their characters, while 10 others currently have an unknown role in The Testaments. The three include Rowan Blanchard (Girl Meets World) as the pampered Gilead teen, Shunammite; Lucy Halliday (Blue Jean) as Daisy, June’s daughter; and Mattea Conforti (Frozen 2) as Becca. Though her character has not been announced, actress Chase Infiniti (Presumed Innocent) will also have a leading role in The Testaments.