Showrunner Bruce Miller has revealed how The Handmaid’s Tale secured Oprah Winfrey for a cameo. Handmaid’s Tale has an ensemble cast of award-winning talent. While the show’s harsh look at a dystopian future is usually the topic of discussion week-by-week, the latest episode featured a cameo from the entertainment mogul.
The Handmaid’s Tale is based on the dystopian novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood. Set in the not-so-distant future, women are gruesomely mistreated and a new order has been set in place in the world of Gilead. Since its debut on Hulu last year, Handmaid’s Tale has received widespread critical acclaim. The show has garnered a slew of awards, including the Emmy award for Outstanding Drama Series. The second season debuted on Hulu this past April, but it is the show’s most recent episode that has fans talking.
In an interview with Sirius XM (via Variety) Bruce Miller explained everything that went into securing Oprah for her recorded cameo. While fans didn’t see Oprah on screen, her voice could be heard via radio broadcast. Miller revealed how the show landed such a huge star, saying:
Oprah’s voice can be heard in the episode “Holly.” As June (Elisabeth Moss) is turning on a car and fiddling with the radio, she pauses to listen to a message from the Great White North. It is, within the show, a message of comfort. Telling anyone who is listening that there are other countries out there sending aid, and Canada is raising the refugee cap for anyone looking to escape. The recording ends with Oprah’s character saying, “Now a tune to remind everyone who’s listening, American patriots or Gilead traitors: we are still here. Stars and stripes forever, baby.” This is followed by Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart.”
“We’d heard Oprah was a fan of the show, and had a story idea, and thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful if… So we asked and she said yes, and it was a lovely, easy process. The radio segment she recorded was inspired by the free radio of the Allies from World War II. It was an absolute honor to have Oprah featured on the show, and especially thrilling as she was the one who presented us with the Emmy last year.”
Season 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale isn’t over yet. And the show has been renewed for a third season at Hulu. Given that Oprah is such a huge fan of the show, there’s a strong possibility she could return for an onscreen performance. Portraying a broadcaster delivering a message of hope to those struggling is perfectly in tune with the work that Winfrey has done her whole career. While Winfrey has been doing a lot of work behind the scenes as of late; she has also appeared on screen with performances in A Wrinkle in Time and last year’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Keeping in mind that the cameo was only a vocal contribution and season 2 isn’t over, there’s no rolling out the possibility of actually seeing Oprah’s character in person. Either later this season, or more likely season three. Fans shouldn’t be surprised if they hear, or see, Winfrey on the show in the future.
MORE: The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2: Every Update You Need To Know
Source: Sirius XM (via Variety)
