"The Handmaid's Tale" has tapped "Gilmore Girls" alum Alexis Bledel in a coveted role for the upcoming tv series.
Bedel booked the role of Ofglen, a confidante handmaid to Elisabeth Moss' Offred, who would later rise as one of the most important member of the underground resistance.
The 10-episode drama is based on the critically acclaimed Margaret Atwood dystopian novel of the same title. The series is set in the Republic of Gilead, a male-dominated totalitarian society where women are reduced to wives or breeders (handmaids).
The handmaids are being forced by the totalitarian government to give sexual service and bear the child of couples from affluent families. Basically, they are being treated as child-bearing slaves to repopulate the new Republic in the aftermath of a coup orchestrated by an extreme Christian sect.
Moss who has briefly worked with the actress in "Mad Men" said that the Bledel is an excellent choice for the role. She went to say that they wanted to find a good actress who is "strong and magnetic" and is certain that Bledel fits the bill, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
"When Alexis' name came through, it was perfect. She has this incredible fragility and vulnerability to her, but there is another side - a strength and a toughness to her - that some people maybe haven't seen. Obviously it doesn't hurt that she's a friend of mine," she said.
Showrunner Bruce Miller said that the theme of the book is timeless in context. However, as with any adaptation, Miller and the writers have made some changes from the source material. In the adaptation, the Commander and his wife Serena Joy's age will be much younger, Variety reported.
The role marks Bledel's first main role since Netflix's revival of "Gilmore Girls." She will be joined by Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Madeline Brewer, Samira Wiley, Ann Dowd and Max Mingella in the ensemble.
"The Handmaid's Tale" is slated for release on April 26, 2017 in Hulu. Watch its official trailer on the clip below:
