Elisabeth Moss reprised her role as June Osborne in the first three episodes of Hulu's The Testaments, the sequel series to The Handmaid's Tale. The surprise appearance, kept secret until the Wednesday premiere, ties the new show to the original. Moss, an executive producer, explained that including June was essential to the Handmaid's Tale world.
Hulu's The Testaments, based on Margaret Atwood's 2019 sequel novel, premiered with three episodes on Wednesday. Set roughly four years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale, the series shifts focus to a new generation in Gilead, including commander's daughter Agnes, played by Chase Infiniti, undercover Mayday operative Daisy, played by Lucy Halliday, and Aunt Lydia, played by Ann Dowd, who returns to her Emmy-winning role. June Osborne appears at the end of episode 1 in Daisy's parents' thrift shop and in episode 3 after the teen's adoptive parents are killed by Gilead forces. There, June reveals Daisy's true origins—she was smuggled out of Gilead as a baby—and connects her with Mayday operatives, assuring her, 'You are never alone. Mayday's got you. We've always had you, from the beginning. Don't let the bastards grind you down, OK?'. Moss told TVLine the decision to include June was straightforward. 'We're doing The Testaments. This is The Handmaid's Tale world. How can we not have June in it?', she said. The TV adaptation compresses the timeline from the book's 15-year gap, allowing June to lead the resistance actively. Showrunner Bruce Miller, who also ran The Handmaid's Tale, called her inclusion a no-brainer, noting, 'Her story isn't finished at the end of Handmaid's.' Moss emphasized June supports the main characters—Aunt Lydia and the girls—rather than driving the plot. Production on The Handmaid's Tale wrapped in February 2025, with Moss filming her Testaments scenes that April.
