Hulu’s adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale is ending with its sixth season as the network and producers begin work on an adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s sequel, The Testaments. As the final season begins, stars Elisabeth Moss, Bradley Whitford and Yvonne Strahovski and writer/executive producer Yahlin Chang previewed the final season Saturday at Deadline’s Contenders TV event.
Whitford marveled at how Moss’ June Osborne character has inspired reprehensible characters to change for the better, even slightly. In the dictatorship of Gilead, June was named Offred and made the handmaid of Commander Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes). Handmaids were the remaining fertile women, forcibly impregnated by Commanders. June led a handmaid rebellion and escaped to Canada, from which she also has to flee as Season 6 begins.
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“June is basically blowing on the spark of decency in all of these characters,” Whitford said.
Moss, who also executive produces and made her directorial debut with episodes of the show, agreed that June has pushed characters in authority to do better, let alone spearheading rebellion amongst the oppressed.
“She’s always believed in the good of people, to her detriment sometimes,” the two-time Emmy winner said. “Sometimes people aren’t good and don’t do the right thing. This season is so much about choice — choice whether to go towards the light or go towards the dark. The choices they make are sometimes surprising and you won’t see them coming for sure.”
That faith is challenged when June finds herself on a train with Serena Joy Waterford (Strahovski), Fred’s widow who held her captive. Serena gave birth to baby Noah in Season 5, with June’s help.
Strahovski said Serena has been influenced by “the beacon of hope that June has always held for Serena, that Serena can change and can open her narrowminded narcissistic viewpoint and see what her actions have done, how they have affected people, the greater scale of the whole thing. June’s faith in Serena’s change has worn off [on Serena]. In Season 6 we will see a little bit more of that, but let’s not hold our breath.”
Chang added that Serena desperately wants June’s forgiveness for making her a handmaid and assisting in Fred’s rape. That’s probably too much to ask, but June does consider Noah innocent.
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“In Season 6, June has so much power over Serena,” Chang said. “They’re enemies and friends, and there’s so much love and hate between them. It’s such a privilege as a writer to delve into that.”
When the show premiered in 2017, it already was seen as relevant as real-world attacks on women and reproductive rights ramped up. Whitford lamented that the show became more relevant with every season.
“I grew up in a time where naively I thought that a more inclusive society was inevitable and that democracy was inevitable,” said The West Wing alum, a three-time Emmy winner. “I think the fundamental message of the book is that it never was, it isn’t, and it never will be. We don’t just get a democracy. We don’t just get a decent society. We have to make it every day.”
Whitford, who plays Commander Lawrence attempting to rebuild Gilead, concluded that entertainment is not enough to correct society’s ills. He hopes the show inspires real-world action.
“This show is a testament both to the power of storytelling and obviously the inadequacy of it,” Whitford said. “Politics is actually the way you create your moral vision. West Wing won’t help you get a pre-existing condition [covered by insurance]. There are now 64,000 pregnant rape victims in the United States who don’t have access to abortion care, even though the show is a big hit.”
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Season 6 of The Handmaid’s Tale begins April 8 with three episodes.
Check back Monday for the panel video.
The post ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Stars Elisabeth Moss, Bradley Whitford & Yvonne Strahovski, EP Yahlin Chang Say Final Season Shows Results Of June’s Positive Influence – Contenders TV appeared first on Deadline.
