WARNING: This article contains spoilers from The Handmaid’s Tale season 2
Who is Oprah Winfrey’s character in The Handmaid’s Tale season 2?
Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale were sent into meltdown by the latest episode of the drama after they spotted an unexpected celebrity cameo.
The episode called Holly saw Offred/June (played by Elisabeth Moss) trying to escape from the Waterfords after she was left abandoned in an isolated mansion.
During her attempt to flee from Gilead, June was trying fruitlessly to start a car and drive away.
As she tried to get the engine running, June turned on the radio and was met with the soothing voice of none other than US talkshow host and actress Oprah Winfrey.
For a brief moment, June appeared relieved by the comforting voice, who informed her that the radio station was broadcasting “from somewhere in the Great White North”.
The voice carried on, saying: “The American government in Anchorage received promises of economic aid from India and China.
“In the United Kingdom, additional sanctions on Gilead were announced, as well as plans to raise the cap on American refugees relocating from Canada.
“Now a tune to remind everyone who’s listening — American patriot or Gilead traitor — that we are still here.”
She signed off, saying: “Stars and stripes forever, baby.”
It was a reminder to audiences that Gilead is singular and extreme state and that there’s a world outside of its stringent fundamentalism.
But who is Oprah Winfrey’s character? She wasn’t given a name in the show and only her voice was heard. Could she be a high-ranking member of the American government or is she just a radio host?
While her identity was kept a mystery, Winfrey was approached by programme-makers to make the cameo after she recently admitted to being a fan of The Handmaid’s Tale.
Showrunner Bruce Miller explained in an interview with Deadline: “The radio segment she recorded was inspired by the free radio of the Allies from WW2.
“It was an absolute honour to have Oprah featured on the show, and especially thrilling as she was the one who presented us with the Emmy last year.”
Will Oprah Winfrey return to The Handmaid’s Tale?
Oprah didn’t appear physically in the episode and her cameo was fleeting but she could appear in the flesh in the next season.
Following this cameo, perhaps Oprah’s voice could be featured again in another message from the American government.
Alternately, she could be seen in flashbacks to a pre-Gilead America as we find out more about how the regime came to power.
The Oscar-nominated actress’ previous roles induce The Color Purple, Beloved and A Wrinkle In Time.
The Handmaid’s Tale season 2 airs on Channel 4 on Sundays at 9pm in the UK and drops on Hulu on Wednesdays at midnight
