The Handmaid's Tale has announced some major casting news following Alexis Bledel's decision to bow out of the series.
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It's been confirmed that This Is Us and New Amsterdam actress Genevieve Angelson has joined the cast of the Hulu series' upcoming fifth season, which makes its debut on screens on Wednesday 14 September.
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"Blessed be the project reveal," the actress wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of her wearing the traditional teal shade that commanders' wives wear in the dystopian drama, giving away a huge clue about her character.
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According to TVLine, she will appear in approximately five episodes and play Mrs Wheeler, an affluent Canadian who idolizes Serena and who is a driving force behind the rise of Gilead in Toronto.
Genevieve Angelson will play a new character in season five
Meanwhile, there is no news on how the show plans to write out Alexis Bledel's character Emily Malek (or Ofglen as she is known in Gilead) following the surprise announcement that the actress would be departing the show.
It remains unclear how the show plans to write out Emily/Ofglen
The Gilmore Girls star played the key character on the show since its first season in 2017 but revealed that she would be stepping away from the show ahead of its fifth season back in May.
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"After much thought, I felt I had to step away from The Handmaid's Tale at this time," the actress said in a cryptic statement. "I am forever grateful to Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support."
During her four-year run on The Handmaid's Tale, Alexis received four Emmy nominations and one win for her performance. Her character was last seen in the season four finale, during which she, June and other former handmaids get revenge on June's commander Fred Waterford, played by Joseph Fiennes.
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