Plus, she teases an “extraordinary” finale: “I don’t have words.”
Warning: This article contains spoilers from season 5, episode 6 ofThe Handmaid’s Tale.
Without divulging too much,TheTestamentsfeatures Aunt Lydia in a pivotal role to the Mayday organization.
Ann Dowd in season 5 episode 6 of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ as Aunt Lydia.
ANN DOWD:The conversation really happens over time.
Meaning, there’s a general discussion, because we are headed towardThe Testaments.
First off, writers are smart, I know nothing about how it will proceed, except that itwill.
I have done the audiobook ofThe Testaments.
So I am familiar with it.
It’s brilliantly written, as is everything Margaret Atwood does it’s quite extraordinary.
The blinders are coming down, the walls are coming down.
She’s a very smart woman, she knows men have the power at the moment.
And just to make her moves slowly.
She has tremendous patience.
And I find her very inspiring as time goes on.
What cracked you up?
Yeah, it’s tough, boy, that relationship.
It’s kind of a thrilling ride, because he needs to be taught all about himself.
You know what I mean?
Yes, and Lydia is the perfect person to teach him.
Because he’s treated her so poorly.
I could never bear it.
I was like, you know, why can’t you just like mouth off?
Of course, she can’t.
She wants to live.
But things are shifting.
And that’s a very good thing.
Tell me about the heartbreaking scene between you and Esther [Mckenna Grace].
Were you surprised at all with how Lydia handles that moment?
Well, first of all, she’s such a wonderful actress, and such a wonderful person.
She’s a true delight, and it’s wonderful to be in it with her.
It’s all part of the original question: What is the journey here for Lydia?
First of all, she didn’t want to leave Esther in his creepy hands.
She knew this is not the way we do it here.
And yet she did not have the power to stop it.
It’s all of these worlds colliding.
She has very firm beliefs.
Now we’ll see where they go eventually.
I don’t know how she got through it.
It’s so much shocking revelations and things presenting right in her face.
And that gives her strength, doesn’t it, to confront Lawrence?
You see the progression.
And now how the relationship is going to evolve.
Yes, in that he’ll be punished, definitely.
However, this is what I love about Lydia she’s smart.
So yes, [Putnam] deserves punishment for sure, deserves to go on the wall, whatever.
However, she’s keeping track of [Lawrence].
And then knowing to bide her time to move things along because she needs him.
Yes, very much so in a deep way.
Love is a funny thing.
Not funny, actually, it’s the way forward.
But the fact that she loves Janine and comes to realize, “This is my child.”
The depths of her feelings for that handmaid, that Janine,that beautiful, beautiful, Janine.
Love is more powerful than anything.
And that’s what’s giving her the courage and the way forward.
It’s also scary for her.
It’s a brilliant journey the writers are putting her on.
I couldn’t be more grateful.
What more can we expect from that journey this season?
Can you tease those final episodes of season 5 for us?
You’re not gonna believe what’s coming.
I couldn’t believe it.
I’ve been in this job for five years.
Every time I read a new script, it’s like, wait a minute.
I have to sit down.
It’s extraordinary, what goes down.
It’s worth every minute.
I’ll just say hang in there.
I don’t have words for the finale.
It’s extraordinary what[showrunner] Bruce Millerhas done.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
