The world of Gilead is back, and so is a very familiar face. Elisabeth Moss made a surprise return as June Osborne in the new Hulu series The Testaments, which dropped its first three episodes on April 8, 2026. For new star Lucy Halliday, who plays the rebellious teen Daisy, finding out she would share the screen with Moss was a total shock.
Halliday, 22, had no idea when she signed on to the project that the star of The Handmaid’s Tale would be joining the cast. She recently opened up about what it was like to watch Moss work and how the veteran actress helped the new generation feel welcome in the dark world of Gilead.
“I was completely blown away by that realization, that I was going to get to work with Elisabeth Moss, because she is the embodiment of The Handmaid’s Tale, the show, and I definitely didn’t take that for granted,” Halliday shared in a recent interview.
Lucy Halliday Says Elisabeth Moss Felt Like an Encyclopedia of Knowledge on Set
Stepping into a show connected to one of the biggest dramas on television is no small task. Halliday admitted she felt pressure taking on the role of Daisy, a character caught between the resistance and the brutal regime of Gilead. But working alongside Moss made things much easier.
Halliday called Moss an “encyclopedia of knowledge” regarding the story of Gilead and its characters. Having spent years playing June Osborne, Moss knew the world inside and out. Instead of making the new cast nervous, Moss gave them the confidence to do their jobs.
“Of everything that she gave us, the best piece was her reassurance and her space that she allowed us, and that we could step into this world, and that we weren’t gonna mess up something that already existed and that people already loved. And I think that reassurance was what we needed.”
Halliday said she spent a lot of time just watching Moss from a distance. She wanted to learn how Moss carried herself on set, how she talked to the crew, and how she prepared for scenes.
“I just watched her because the way she carries herself on set, the way she knows information, the way she converses with the crew, I just wanted to soak it all up because I was like, ‘I want to be like that,’” Halliday told People magazine.
Moss also serves as an executive producer on The Testaments. Her return was kept mostly quiet before the show aired, making the cameo a true surprise for audiences watching at home.
How June Osborne Returns in The Testaments and What It Means for Daisy
The return of June Osborne in The Testaments is not just a quick visit for fan service. The sequel series takes place about four years after the end of The Handmaid’s Tale. June is still active in the resistance group Mayday.
Spoiler warning: Moss appears at the end of Episode 1 and plays a bigger role in Episode 3. Her character connects directly with Daisy after Daisy’s parents are killed. It turns out Daisy’s parents were involved in Mayday, and June steps in to guide Daisy.
Lucy Halliday explained that the June we see in The Testaments is different from the June fans remember. She is more mature, more confident, and takes on the role of a mentor.
“I think the core of her is very much the June that we saw in The Handmaid’s Tale,” Halliday said. “But I think what’s beautiful is that what she is in The Testaments, and she is an instructor, she’s a mentor, especially for Daisy. And she recognizes that Daisy is now in the position that June was in. And so she’s so caring and instructive towards Daisy.”
Showrunner Bruce Miller told TV Insider that bringing Moss back always made sense. “I felt like June’s story isn’t over, and she’s certainly not going to stop until she finds out the fate of her daughter,” Miller said, referring to Hannah (now called Agnes in the new series).
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The Testaments Release Info and Streaming Details
The Testaments premiered on April 8, 2026. The first three episodes are available to stream now.
Release schedule for global audiences:
- United States: Streaming on Hulu
- United Kingdom: Streaming on Disney+
- Canada: Streaming on Crave
- Australia: Streaming on Disney+
- India: Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
New episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays. The series stars Lucy Halliday (Daisy), Chase Infiniti (Agnes), Ann Dowd (Aunt Lydia), Rowan Blanchard (Shunammite), and Mattea Conforti (Becka).
The show is based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel of the same name. It follows a new generation of young women growing up in Gilead and facing the same horrors as those before them. The tone is different from The Handmaid’s Tale, focusing more on teen characters navigating a fascist world that treats them as property.
For Lucy Halliday, the experience of joining this universe was made better by Moss’s presence. The reassurance Moss gave the younger cast allowed them to focus on telling a good story instead of worrying about ruining a franchise that fans already love.
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