The Handmaid’s Tale is filming in Washington D.C., and the photos are haunting
There are few TV shows on the air that feel more prescient than The Handmaid’s Tale. Given the current administration’s repeated efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and challenge reproductive rights, there are times when the Hulu series hits way too close to home. So things felt almost a little too real when the cast was recently spotted filming in Washington, D.C.
A photographer for the Washingtonian, Evy Mages, captured several images of the cast gathered on the National Mall today, February 15th. According to the magazine, more than 200 actors were spotted working on a Season 3 scene, many of whom wore the handmaids’ trademark red robes and white bonnets. Some of them had their mouths covered with red cloth. Stars Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, and Joseph Fiennes were also reportedly present, and according to the Washingtonian, they could be seen climbing the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The result was haunting, making the fictional dystopia seem eerily real. In one particularly striking picture, the Handmaids can be seen kneeling in a group with their heads bowed in prayer.
Happening now: Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale filming all day on the National Mall. pic.twitter.com/Kt5sjxTaMd
— Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) February 15, 2019
The scene at the National Mall looks … a little different today. Elisabeth Moss and co. are filming "The Handmaid's Tale" on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. (📸: @SweeneyABC, @philliefan_99) https://t.co/pV6IDchUKZ pic.twitter.com/HuHcra9brb
— Lori McCue (@LoriMcCue) February 15, 2019
When Handmaid's Tale is filming right around the corner from the office 👀 pic.twitter.com/FjIqcdwRBh
— Rima Mandwee (@RimaMandwee) February 15, 2019
This isn’t the first time that people dressed as Handmaids have infiltrated our nation’s capital. The costume has become popular with protesters since the show’s debut, leading some to think that the filming was simply another demonstration.
Says something about 2019 that we had to see this up close to figure out if it was a protest or filming for the Handmaid's Tale season 3. (It's the latter)@slupkin @shefalil pic.twitter.com/BfcXdlWQiP
— Rachel Bluth (@RachelHBluth) February 15, 2019
For now, at least, The Handmaid’s Tale (thankfully) remains only a TV show—and one that we can’t wait to continue watching. The show returns for Season 3 on June 5th, and we’ll definitely be keeping our eyes peeled for footage from today’s shoot.
