Elisabeth Moss almost said no to playing June Osborne in The Handmaid’s Tale. The actress revealed she initially turned down the role but changed her mind after a clever move by the show’s producers.
Moss shared this story during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show. She explained that she was hesitant to take on another big TV role so soon after finishing Mad Men. The show ran for eight seasons, and she wasn’t sure she wanted another long commitment.
“I wasn’t quite sure if I was ready to make that commitment again,” Moss said. “So I actually passed the first time they offered it to me. I know, it seems insane now.”
The producers didn’t give up. They leaked the name of the actress who would replace her if she refused the role again. This tactic worked instantly.
“Then the thing that clinched it was, they leaked it to me, obviously on purpose, who they were going to offer it to if I didn’t take it, and I was like, ‘Over my dead body,’” Moss admitted. “It was the thing that made me realize that I needed to do it.”
She didn’t reveal who the other actress was. But the thought of someone else playing June made her fiercely protective of the role.
“I couldn’t stand the idea of anyone else playing that role, you know what I mean?” she said. “That was the thing that made me realize how badly I wanted to do it.”
Moss took the role and made it iconic. Her performance earned her two Emmys, a Golden Globe, and a Critics’ Choice Award. She also directed several episodes, becoming a key creative force behind the show.
The Handmaid’s Tale is based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel. The story is set in a future where the U.S. is taken over by a brutal regime called Gilead. Fertile women are forced into slavery as “Handmaids” to bear children for powerful men.
Moss plays June, a Handmaid who fights back against the system. The show explores themes of power, resistance, and survival. It became a huge hit for Hulu, winning multiple awards and sparking global discussions.
Before The Handmaid’s Tale, Moss was best known for playing Peggy Olson in Mad Men. That role also earned her critical praise. But June Osborne became her most defining character.
The show’s final season is airing now. Fans will see the conclusion of June’s journey on May 27, 2025.
Moss isn’t the only star who almost missed out on the show. Alexis Bledel, who played Emily, also had doubts at first. She told The Hollywood Reporter that the dark themes were hard to process.
“It was deeply upsetting to even imagine Emily going through something like that—being captured, powerless, with no say over her body,” Bledel said. But she took the role and delivered a powerful performance.
The Handmaid’s Tale faced challenges even before filming. The rights to the book were stuck in legal issues for years. Early attempts to adapt it included a poorly received 1990 movie.
When Hulu decided to make the series, they fought hard to get it right. Showrunner Bruce Miller stayed faithful to the book, avoiding sensationalized changes.
“I told them I found this to be scary as shit,” Miller said. “It’s a thriller. She’s stuck in this house, it’s Rosemary’s Baby, and also it’s absurd.”
The show’s success led to a sequel series, The Testaments, based on Atwood’s 2019 novel. Casting is currently underway.
Moss’s journey with The Handmaid’s Tale almost didn’t happen. But thanks to a little push from the producers, she took the role—and made TV history.
Also Read:
Taylor Swift Surprises Fans With Reputation (Taylor’s Version) Debut on The Handmaid’s Tale; WATCH
Taylor Swift Subpoena Dropped in Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni Legal Battle; Here’s What Happened
Taylor Swift Could Buy Her Original Recordings Back; Scooter Braun Reportedly Supports the Deal
Credits: Sources include Deadline, Sportskeeda, Just Jared, and The Hollywood Reporter.
