Elisabeth Moss revealed she took the lead role in The Handmaid’s Tale to prevent another actor from landing it. Initially hesitant, she declined the role twice until learning who would be offered it if she didn’t accept, prompting her to secure the part. The series, based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, highlights her portrayals of women transitioning from victimhood to empowerment. Moss aims to create relatable female characters that embody feminism, emphasizing that real women can find strength in various situations, whether in the workplace or standing up for their rights. The show is now in its sixth and final season.
Elisabeth Moss has disclosed that she accepted the lead role in The Handmaid’s Tale to prevent another actor from landing it.
The series features Mad Men star Moss as June Osbourne (Offred), who must become a Handmaid and bear children in a dystopian United States. It is based on the novel by Margaret Atwood. Premiering in 2017, the show is currently in its sixth and final season.
However, Moss initially turned down the role twice, only agreeing to it when she learned who would get the part if she declined.
“I wasn’t entirely certain I was ready for that commitment again, so I actually passed the first time they presented it to me,” Moss explained on The Jennifer Hudson Show.
“I know, it sounds crazy now. I’m so happy I made that decision. Then they came back with a nice offer again, and the clinching factor was them leaking to me—obviously intentionally—who they were planning to offer it to if I didn’t accept, and I thought, ‘Over my dead body.’”
While Moss didn’t disclose her competitor, she added: “That was the moment that made me realize I had to take on the role. I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else playing that part, you know? That was what made me realize how badly I wanted it.”
The actress has portrayed characters that evolve from victimhood to self-empowerment, like the groundbreaking secretary Peggy in Mad Men and June, who is enslaved for her fertility in The Handmaid’s Tale.
“I always strive to make my characters end up as heroines and symbols of feminism,” Moss shared with The Times.
“I aim to make them relatable, whether it’s as women in the workplace or as mothers. They’re just normal people – not extraordinary, not flawless. No one is always 100 percent good.”
She continued: “We lack special abilities. We’re women, we’re human. But real women who may not be perfect can find their strength, whether that means leaving a toxic relationship, asking for a raise, or protesting in the capital wearing a red outfit.”