PARTING SHOT
“IT’S DISGUSTING TO ME,” WAS THE REACTION FROM THE HANDMAID’S TALE STAR Ann Dowd when asked about the abortion restrictions being passed in states like Georgia, Alabama and Missouri. The series, set in Gilead—a totalitarian society in a dystopian future where some women are forced into sexual servitude— premiered in April 2017, and is the perfect foil to Trump’s presidency, according to Dowd. She plays the strict, God-fearing Aunt Lydia who prepares the handmaids to be concubines. Season 2 ends with Aunt Lydia being stabbed by Alexis Bledel’s Emily. The Handmaid’s Tale, originally written in 1985 by Margaret Atwood (a consulting producer on the series), has garnered dozens of Emmy award nominations, with Dowd winning in 2017 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The Handmaid’s Tale is a cautionary tale about what could happen if women’s rights are taken away. Dowd has a message for people supporting the anti-abortion bills: “Go to church and ask for forgiveness: That’s my advice to all of you who are dying to shut down women’s rights.” Season 3 premieres on June 5th.
Illustration by BRITT SPENCER