The biggest TV drama of 2017 is back. And after nearly a year, fans of The Handmaid’s Tale will finally get to see where June was being taken in that van – and where she ends up after that.
The first season of the award-winning series covered the plot of the Margaret Atwood novel.
That means in season two, viewers can expect there to be some shocking twists.
Elisabeth Moss, who plays June, says her character is “so much more brave”.
“She doesn’t think too much about what she’s going to do or say, she just says it or does it,” the 35-year-old star explains to TV WEEK. “She’s gotten super-ballsy in season two, and that’s been really fun for me.”
June will become braver this season.
The series is set in Gilead, in a dark future where fertile women are forced into lives of servitude, acting as child-bearing Handmaids for the barren elite.
June is one of the Handmaids. She was assigned to commander Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) and his wife, Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski).
At the end of season one, June, who goes by the name Offred, discovered she’s pregnant – not to the commander, but to his driver, Nick (Max Minghella).
“Basically, there’s this time bomb growing inside her,” Elisabeth explains. “Because as soon as she has the baby, it gets taken away, and she might die.”
Fans will also see June and Serena’s relationship change this season. June could never understand how Serena, as another woman, could stand by and watch what was being done.
“I think the two of them, together, could be more powerful than anything,” Elisabeth says. “We do play with that a lot in season two.”
But for Serena, her position in Gilead means it’s not that simple.
“It’s not like we move in together and get a studio apartment and have wild adventures,” Elisabeth jokes. “Although, I wish! I would love that show!”
“You have to grab love where you can find it in Gilead,” says Elisabeth.
Meanwhile, Aussie actress Yvonne, who plays Serena, admits she has struggled with the scenes between Serena and June.
“There have been so many scenes where I feel horrible,” Yvonne, 35, reveals. “I’m apologising [to Elisabeth].
I know a lot of people would say it’s fun to play the villain, and it’s fun to be evil. I haven’t really had that experience.”
Serena lets loose on June in season one.
Season two also sees June torn between her feelings for Nick and her husband, Luke (OT Fagbenle). Luke is the father of June’s daughter, Hannah (Jordana Blake), and has managed to escape to Canada.
“She’s been through a war, and been somewhere Luke may never understand,” Elisabeth says.
“But Nick does. You have to grab love where you can find it in Gilead, and she has found that in Nick.”
So is Elisabeth team Luke or team Nick?
“I’m 50-50 – I love them both,” she laughs. “And I think June is 50-50. It’s very complicated.”
As for co-star Joseph Fiennes, his character holds a position of authority over the women. But it’s a different story when the cameras aren’t rolling.
“We adore him,” Elisabeth adds. “He’s the opposite of Fred!”
