Alexis Bledel Isn't Returning to "The Handmaid's Story" – Right here's What We Know

When season 5 of “The Handmaid’s Story” premieres, Alexis Bledel won’t be round. The actress, who has portrayed the character Emily throughout all 4 seasons, introduced on the finish of Could that she wouldn’t be returning to the present for its subsequent installment, which is at the moment filming.

“After a lot thought, I felt I needed to step away from ‘The Handmaid’s Story’ presently,” Bledel stated in an announcement supplied to USA Right now. “I’m perpetually grateful to (present creator) Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the forged and crew for his or her assist.”

Bledel has not stated why she’s chosen to step away from the Hulu present, so followers are left to surprise why she may not wish to return to her story. Emily’s performed a pivotal position to date, initially stepping in as June’s (Elisabeth Moss) buying accomplice and finally proving herself to be keen to go towards the grain and assist girls and youngsters escape to Canada. Each season has garnered her an Emmy nomination, and he or she took dwelling the prize after season one.

The present, primarily based on Margaret Atwood’s written work of the identical identify, is heavy and feels particularly poignant with the state of the US proper now. Within the sequence, handmaids don’t have any physique autonomy and are as a substitute used as breeders and mistreated. The present will be tough to look at at occasions and fairly presumably tough to participate in.

“Tv and drama are protected locations to see your worst fears acted out and form of expertise them at a take away,” Miller instructed a Tv Critics Affiliation panel in February, per USA Right now. “If you give you one thing horrible in your head and put it on tv, after which hear one thing prefer it taking place in the true world, it is simply sickening.”

It is unclear why precisely Bledel will not be returning to the present and whether or not or not she could produce other tasks within the pipeline. “The Sisterhood of the Touring Pants 3” is supposedly on the horizon, based on what America Ferrera instructed SiriusXM in November 2021, so maybe Bledel can be engaged on that as a substitute.