List of The Handmaid's Tale characters

June Osborne (portrayed by Elisabeth Moss) is a woman who was captured while attempting to escape to Canada with her husband, Luke, and daughter, Hannah. Due to her fertility, she is made a Handmaid to Commander Fred Waterford and his wife, Serena Joy, and is named "Offred".

Moss was first announced as the lead actress in April 2016.[3]

Commander Fred Waterford (portrayed by Joseph Fiennes) is a high-ranking government official, chief diplomatic and Offred's master. Both he and his wife played an instrumental role in Gilead's founding. He wishes to have more contact with June outside of what is lawful between a Handmaid and her master, and starts inviting her to play nightly games of Scrabble. He shows a dissimulating kind personality, often seeming a victim of Gilead, but is cruel and aggressive. He also was responsible for the instauration of Gilead, being one of the leaders of Jacob Sons. After Commander Pryce's death he becomes the head of the Council, the Govern of Gilead. This role is comparable to a Prime Minister.

Fiennes joined the cast in August 2016.[4]

Serena Joy Waterford (portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski) is Fred's wife and a former conservative cultural activist and author of a controversial book, A Woman's Place, which advocates women as second-class citizens who exist merely to be obedient and submissive housewives and mothers, rather than be independent of their menfolk and pursuing careers. She appears to have accepted her new role in the Gilead society that she helped create. She is poised and deeply religious, but is capable of great cruelty and is often callous to June. She is desperate to become a mother, but most men are sterile. Showrunners have said we will see that Serena is actually fertile. Although a friend of Commander Cushing, she denounces him fearing his heavy response to the bombing and his semi-dictatorial power.

Strahovski joined the cast in August 2016.[5]

Emily (portrayed by Alexis Bledel), also referred to as Ofglen and later Ofsteven, is June's shopping partner. Although June is initially wary of her, it is revealed Ofglen is not as pious as she seems and the two become friends. Ofglen had a wife and son and was a university lecturer in cellular biology. Although homosexuality is punishable by death in Gilead and most university professors are sent to labour camps, Ofglen was spared and made a Handmaid due to her fertility. She is later captured and cruelly punished for her homosexual relationship with a Martha and is assigned to another household where she becomes "Ofsteven.” She is involved with a resistance movement called "Mayday.” In season 3 we witness Emily's post traumatic struggles as she escapes Gilead and is reunited with her wife and son in Canada.

Bledel was cast in January 2017.[6]

Janine (portrayed by Madeline Brewer) is a Handmaid who entered the Red Center for training at the same time as June. She considers June a friend because of her kind treatment. During training, Janine's right eye is removed as a punishment for her initial non-compliance. She reveals a past rape during training and the other Handmaids are forced to tell Janine the abuse was her fault, causing her great emotional harm. She becomes mentally unstable due to her mistreatment and often behaves in temperamental or childlike ways. She is assigned to Warren and Naomi Putnam and becomes “Ofwarren.” She eventually gives birth to a baby girl the Putnams name "Angela,” though Janine insists the baby's name is "Charlotte.” Janine is later reassigned and becomes "Ofdaniel.” She was temporarily assigned to the Colonies until a bombing at the new Rachel and Leah Center.

Brewer was cast as Janine in August 2016.[7]

Aunt Lydia (portrayed by Ann Dowd) is in charge of overseeing the Handmaids in their training, sexual reeducation, and duties. She is brutal and subjects insubordinate Handmaids to harsh physical punishment, but she also cares for her charges and believes deeply in the Gileadean mission and doctrine. She appears to have a soft spot for Janine, and even goes so far as to address her by her given name on occasion. She was heavily injured in Season 2. In Season 3, it was revealed in a flashback that her real name is Lydia Clements, and she was an elementary school teacher who taught fourth grade.

Dowd was cast in July 2016.[8]

Lucas "Luke" Bankole (portrayed by O. T. Fagbenle) is June's husband from before Gilead. Because he is divorced (he and June began their relationship before his divorce from his first wife), their union is considered invalid in the new society. June is considered an adulteress and their daughter, Hannah, is considered illegitimate. Initially June believes he has been killed, but it is later revealed Luke managed to escape to Canada.

Fagbenle was cast in September 2016.[9]

Nick Blaine (portrayed by Max Minghella) is Commander Waterford's driver and a former drifter from Michigan who has feelings for June. June and Nick develop an intimate relationship and she eventually discovers that he is an Eye, a spy for Gilead. He carries a high rank with the Eyes, even ordering a Guardian to let off his gun. His direct superior is Commander Pryce, head of Security, who wants him to "control Waterford" in prevision of further purges of Gilead. He passes then to the leadership of Cushing, which starts a brief authoritarian regime, and then Warren Putnam.

Minghella was cast in July 2016.[8]

Moira (portrayed by Samira Wiley), also referred to as Ruby, is June's best friend since college. She is already at the Red Center when June enters Handmaid training but escapes before being assigned to a home. She is recaptured and becomes "Ruby", a Jezebel. She seems to have given up hope of ever being free, but on meeting June again regains the conviction to escape.

Wiley joined the main cast in July 2016.[10][11]

Rita (portrayed by Amanda Brugel) is a Martha at the Waterford home. She had a son who died fighting in the Civil War when he was 19 years old. Rita is part of the resistance and helped June escape with baby Nicole at the end of season 2.

Brugel was cast in the recurring role of Rita in September 2016.[12] In August 2017, she was promoted to the main cast for the second season.[13]

Commander Joseph Lawrence (portrayed by Bradley Whitford) is considered the "architect of Gilead's economy,"[14] and the creator of the Colonies, as well a gruff and intimidating man with a disheveled mad genius vibe. His sly humor and flashes of kindness make him a confusing, mysterious presence for his newest Handmaid. He shows regrets for his past and could be a member of the Mayday resistance.

Whitford joined the recurring cast in February 2018.[15] He was promoted to the main cast for the third season in October 2018.[16]

• Commander Warren Putnam (portrayed by Stephen Kunken) is a Commander in the Republic of Gilead. He's the husband of Naomi Putnam and the first known Commander of Janine (Ofwarren). He had his left hand amputated by the Council after being found guilty of adultery. He later becomes the right hand of Waterford in the Council itself, and the head of Security after the arrest of Cushing, who had enstablished a semidictatorial regime too violent and exclusive for Gilead. He personally carries out Cushing's arrest "on Waterford order".
• Naomi Putnam (portrayed by Ever Carradine) is Commander Warren Putnam's wife. She views her baby largely as a status symbol and has no sympathy for the Handmaids. Carradine joined the cast in October 2016.[17]
• Lillie Fuller (portrayed by Tattiawna Jones), also referred to as Ofglen, is a woman who replaces Emily in the position after Emily is captured by the Eyes. She initially follows the rules and does not wish to upset the status quo, but this is because she believes her life as a Handmaid is better than the difficult, impoverished life she led prior to Gilead, rather than out of religious piety.
• Alma (portrayed by Nina Kiri), also referred to as Ofrobert, is another Handmaid who trained at the Red Center with June, Moira, and Janine. She is frank and chatty, and often trades gossip and news with June. She is also involved with Mayday and becomes June's first contact with the resistance group.
• Dolores (portrayed by Jenessa Grant), also referred to as Ofsamuel, is a local Handmaid with a friendly and talkative nature.
• Briana (portrayed by Bahia Watson), also referred to as Oferic, is another local Handmaid who is friends with June.
• Hannah Bankole (portrayed by Jordana Blake) is June and Luke's daughter. She is later renamed Agnes.
• Commander Andrew Pryce (portrayed by Robert Curtis Brown). One of the architects of the Sons of Jacob movement. He is a high ranking commander who employs Nick as an Eye, and the head of Security. He gains political power very quickly, eventually becoming head of the Council (Govern) and an influent member in the Committee (Senate). He is later replaced in these roles by Cushing and Waterford, after dying in a terrorist action. He seems a faithful man but proves to be cruel and opportunist. He is also the superior of Nick and wants to "purge and clean" Gilead.
• Beth (portrayed by Kristen Gutoskie) is a Martha at Jezebel's. She has an arrangement with Nick whereby she trades illegal alcohol and other contraband for drugs, which the Jezebels use. She has a casual sexual relationship with him and is aware that he is an Eye. Beth becomes a recurring character in season three as one of the two Martha's working at the Commander Lawrence's household.

• Eden Spencer (portrayed by Sydney Sweeney) is a pious and obedient girl who dreams of one day being a Commander's wife. Sweeney was cast in May 2017.[18]
• Commander Ray Cushing (portrayed by Greg Bryk) is a high government official who is friends with the Commanders Pryce, Waterford and Serena. Cushing, his wife and the Waterfords were friends before Gilead and used to travel together. Cushing is pointed out to replace Commander Pryce following the Rachel and Leah Center bombing, thus becoming the head of the Council (Govern) and of Security. He acts like the absolute ruler of Gilead for a while, abusing of his power, but proves to be a cruel tyrant, ordering dozens of random executions even between the other Commanders. He also questions Offred about who aided her when she tried to flee the country. Fearing the possibility of her household being targeted and angry at Cushing's heavy-handed response to the bombing, Serena forges orders from her husband to have him arrested for treason and apostasy.[19] Cushing is taken to prison "on Waterford's word" (executive order), with Waterford eventually replacing him as the head of the Council and Gilead's leader. Cushing is the only politician to enstablish a semi-dictatorial regime in Gilead, although only for few days. In fact his excessive power and authoritarism were feared by the other Commanders.
• Isaac (portrayed by Rohan Mead) is a Guardian assigned to the Waterford home.
• Eleanor Lawrence (portrayed by Julie Dretzin) is Commander Lawrence's long suffering wife.
• Mark Tuello (portrayed by Sam Jaeger) is a mysterious stranger who Serena encounters in Canada.

• Erin (portrayed by Erin Way) is a young, apparently mute, woman who was being trained to become a Handmaid but managed to escape to Canada.[20]

• Mrs. O'Conner (portrayed by Marisa Tomei) is a Commander's wife sent to the colonies as punishment for having sex with another man. Tomei was cast in January 2018.[21]
• Holly Maddox (portrayed by Cherry Jones) is June's mother, an outspoken feminist. Jones was cast in January 2018.[22]
• Sylvia (portrayed by Clea DuVall) is Emily's wife, who managed to leave the United States with their child before Gilead was installed.
• Omar (portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is a man who helps June attempt to escape. He does not return from church nor his family does.
• Dan (portrayed by John Carroll Lynch) is Emily's boss at the university where she worked.
• Annie (portrayed by Kelly Jenrette) is Luke's ex-wife, who stalked June as an attempt to make her give up on him.
• Odette Johnson (portrayed by Rebecca Rittenhouse) is the doctor who helped Moira during her surrogacy and later became her fiancée.