Elisabeth Moss confirms June Osborne returns for Testaments

Elisabeth Moss says June Osborne was always going to appear in The Testaments, explaining how the original Handmaid’s Tale ending leaves her story open—and why that matters for the sequel’s next generation of resistance.

June Osborne didn’t just show up again. She arrives with unfinished business.

Elisabeth Moss. who plays the rebellion-sparking character in The Handmaid’s Tale. says she and the creative team “always knew that June was going to be in” The Testaments. In the sequel series. June appears at the end of the first episode. then works her way through the season as a mentor to Daisy (Lucy Halliday). Daisy is a Toronto girl who infiltrates Gilead as a Mayday operative—and by the close of season one. June agrees to let Daisy try her own tactics. with an emphasis on “minimizing collateral damage. ” as the plot to overthrow Gilead gathers steam.

That choice isn’t only strategic for June. It’s personal. Moss frames June’s constant thinking about her daughter. Hannah. who was kidnapped by Gilead as a toddler and is now the same age as Daisy. The show reveals that Hannah—who viewers know as Agnes (Chase Infiniti)—is one of Daisy’s closest friends. Moss describes the kind of recognition that changes everything as June realizes Daisy has a direct link to her long-lost child.

In a new interview, Moss said the outcome for Hannah was never in doubt. “I had known for years from Bruce [Miller. who created both The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments] that June wasn’t going to get Hannah out [at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale]. ” she said. She added that the decision was “further confirmed” when Margaret Atwood wrote the sequel novel. and “Hannah didn’t get out.”.

Moss also connects that predetermined end-state to what The Handmaid’s Tale left behind. She said the most important part for her was that the show could end in a way that made sense for The Handmaid’s Tale. while also making sense for The Testaments. “which is an incredible gift and tricky with the audience.”.

For a while, fans weren’t supposed to know. Moss said casting was kept “carefully secret” and that it was “difficult at times to not be able to tell the fans. ‘Guys. it’s okay. June’s story is so not over. The Handmaid’s ending isn’t really even an ending.’” She said she and Miller knew she would return with “multiple [Testaments] episodes. ” including “an arc and a larger plan for June.”.

As for what comes next. Moss cautions that it’s too early to know how June will factor into season two’s action. But she’s clear about one thing: she doesn’t want the fight to stop. “I would never want to stop playing her,” she said. “So for me, yes. As long as there’s a Gilead, she’s never going to stop fighting.”.

Then she pointed to what this sequel moment represents—not just for June, but for the audience watching resistance evolve. “There has to be so much more story that we can explore,” Moss said, “and it’s so cool that now we have this next generation of actors to explore it through.”

Elisabeth Moss June Osborne The Handmaid's Tale The Testaments Lucy Halliday Daisy Hannah Agnes Margaret Atwood Bruce Miller Gilead Mayday