Bradley Whitford Joins ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ in Big Season 2 Role

Bradley Whitford has signed on to The Handmaid’s Tale.

The West Wing alum has been tapped to play a major recurring role in the upcoming second season of Hulu‘s Emmy-winning drama.

According to Deadline, Whitford will play Commander Joseph Lawrence, the architect of Gilead’s economy, who is gruff and intimidating, with a disheveled mad genius vibe. His sly humor and flashes of kindness make him a confusing, mysterious presence for his newest Handmaid.

The new season will focus on Offred/June’s (Elisabeth Moss) pregnancy and her ongoing fight to free her future child from the Dystopian horrors of Gilead. Whitford joins previously announced recurring cast member Cherry Jones, who will guest star on the dystopian series playing the role of June’s mother, Holly.

“She’s a terrific literary character who’s now going to come to life for the first time and so it was important to me who that was,” Moss told The Hollywood Reporter. “I was obsessed with it for weeks and bothering everybody about it — way before anybody cared to talk about it. Cherry was my fantasy choice. I sent her the script, she wrote me a lovely email back and she said yes almost immediately.”

Marisa Tomei will also make an appearance in the upcoming season, set to premiere April 25 on Hulu.

The Handmaid’s Tale is created, executive produced and written by Bruce Miller based on the book by Margaret Atwood. Warren Littlefield, Elisabeth Moss, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and Ilene Chaiken executive produce.

Co-starring alongside Moss are Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel, Ann Dowd, Max Minghella, Madeline Brewer, O-T Fagbenle and Amanda Brugel star.

The Handmaid’s Tale is based on the novel by the same name, written by Margaret Atwood. However, the first season told the entire story of the book, and the upcoming season will delve into new territory.

Two-time Emmy winner Whitford can be seen in two Oscar-nominated films, Get Out and The Post. He’ll next be seen in crime thriller The Destroyer with Nicole Kidman and the upcoming installment of the Godzilla MonsterVerse alongside Vera Farmiga, Kyle Chandler, Sally Hawkins and Millie Bobby Brown. Whitford is repped by ICM Partners and Greenlight Management.

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