Spoilers forward for The Handmaid’s Story.
Each streaming service has plenty of hit TV reveals, and The Handmaid’s Story is unquestionably on that checklist for these with a Hulu subscription. The guide to display screen adaptation just lately ended its tenure on the air, and all of our favourite characters obtained concerned in rebelling towards Gilead. That features former Martha Rita, with actress Amanda Brugel reflecting on her character’s ending (and probably returning for The Testaments).
What we find out about The Testaments is proscribed, and followers are inquisitive about what acquainted faces we would see within the spinoff. The fandom is recovering from The Handmaid’s Story collection finale, which noticed the return of beloved characters like Emily. Within the penultimate episode Rita obtained bodily concerned in Mayday’s rise up, utilizing a gun to assist save June’s life. When talking with THR about the way in which her story ended, Brugel shared:
So grateful. I really like her a lot. And since the viewers doesn’t know a lot about her and I’ve crammed in her blanks, I felt vindicated. I felt that she was lastly going to be seen and have the well-deserved moments of triumph that this character deserves. My ego obtained invested for her as a result of I really like her a lot. However I additionally beloved it for viewers members.
Rita began off as a tertiary presence in The Handmaid’s Story Season 1, largely quipping from the kitchen whereas serving the Waterfords. However the layers of her character had been slowly peeled again by means of six seasons, with Brugel bringing each her ferocity and vulnerability to the forefront. And that finally ended with Rita working with Mayday at each Serena’s marriage ceremony and Boston’s liberation.
Whereas Rita secretly poisoning Serena’s marriage ceremony cake was an on-brand approach for her to affix the combat towards Gilead, followers like me had been shocked when she joined Luke and Mayday to cease June’s execution. Seeing her brandish a gun and take out a Gilead soldier was an enormous payoff, and one which Brugel appeared thrilled about. As she shared:
Yahlin and Eric at all times stated they consider Rita as the one that’s closest to the viewers, not essentially an individual who’s going to arm themselves however somebody who needs to maintain themselves secure; hold their households secure and never make wild loopy selections. Hold your head below the radar, simply the conventional common particular person. And whereas I can get down with that and I really like that, she’s obtained a lot extra rise up in her. So lastly to have the ability to see her actively insurgent and for therefore many episodes, not only one second, it’s the most effective finish to me for her.
On this interview, Brugel revealed that Rita was on the checklist of characters that Margaret Atwood stated the present could not kill off. However followers did not know that, and I used to be nervous for Rita in New Bethlehem. And in the long run she obtained to reunite together with her household and assist Mayday on the similar time.
Rita wasn’t current within the finale of The Handmaid’s Story, aside from June’s fantasy karaoke scene. The character wasn’t included within the novel of The Testaments, one thing identified by THR throughout its interview with Brugel. She teased her potential return to her signature character, providing:
No. She’s not. However that doesn’t imply you won’t see her.
Nicely, I am intrigued. Whereas this is not an official affirmation, it looks like Amanda Brugel could be comfortable to play Rita once more in The Testaments. We’ll simply have to attend as that spinoff collection is introduced collectively, and if she’s confirmed to be a personality within the subsequent collection set in Gilead.
The Handmaid’s Story is streaming in its entirety on Hulu now, with the ultimate season a part of the 2025 TV premiere checklist. Hopefully we get details about the spinoff sooner relatively than later.