Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Joseph Fiennes says ‘you can’t not equate’ Trump’s administration and The Handmaid’s Tale

‘Everything that went before, to build a government for the people, is now being torn down,’ said the actor

Ellie Harrison
Monday 12 August 2019 04:02 EDT
Comments
The Handmaid's Tale: Season 3 Trailer

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Joseph Fiennes has said that ‘you can’t not equate’ Donald Trump’s administration and the dystopian regime depicted in The Handmaid’s Tale.

The actor plays Commander Fred in the hit drama, which is set in a world with a regime where women are raped in monthly ceremonies and forced to bear children for the upper classes.

He said: “The last thing I want to do is talk Handmaid’s and then Trump’s administration, but somehow you can’t not equate some things. So you look at those Republican leaders who are not standing up, and they are all Fred.

“There’s a scene we shot on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. You think about the Gettysburg speech and all that engenders, and the flag of Martin Luther. And you look from 1863 to 1963, and then to our dystopian future – Margaret Atwood’s future – and then at what’s going on in the administration today. Everything that went before, to build a government for the people, is now being torn down. And Gilead takes it down in flames.

“So, yes. We got lucky with the zeitgeist.”

The actor, who portrays one of the most hatest characters on television, also said he is “waiting for someone to slap or punch me in the street”.

“I’m waiting for someone to be really disturbed by Fred because I’m really disturbed by him.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in