Best of 2019: Makeup Designer Burton LeBlanc on Creating Misery in the Colonies in The Handmaid’s Tale

*We’re reposting some of our favorite interviews of 2019. Happy Holidays!

In Margaret Atwood’s novel “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the radioactive Colonies are more felt than described. We’re told it’s where all Gilead’s undesirables, the childless handmaids, the criminals, the sick and insane, are sent to die. In Hulu’s adaptation of Atwood’s novel, however, the Colonies became one of the show’s most fecund sources of misery in season two. As Maria Elena Fernandez described in a piece for Vulture, 

The Handmaid’s Tale Makeup Designer on Creating Misery in the Colonies

In Margaret Atwood’s novel “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the radioactive Colonies are more felt than described. We’re told it’s where all Gilead’s undesirables, the childless handmaids, the criminals, the sick and insane, are sent to die. In Hulu’s adaptation of Atwood’s novel, however, the Colonies became one of the show’s most fecund sources of misery in season two. As Maria Elena Fernandez described in a piece for Vulture, The Handmaid’s Tales creators did something brilliant when they set out to create the location—the asked Atwood what she had in mind when she wrote about them.

The Handmaid’s Tale’s Samira Wiley Talks Religion, Love, and Season 2

Fresh from their Peabody Award win, The Handmaid’s Tale returns for a highly anticipated 2nd season. Season 1, which was filmed before Donald Trump was elected, became more than just a cautionary tale after his campaign and first year in office. Though sometimes difficult to watch, it represents some of the best writing and acting on the small screen. It also affirms just how successful and multi-layered a show with a strong female presence,

Offred Escaped Gilead in Body, But Maybe Not in Mind in the Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Trailer

As an adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s thrilling novel, we had a pretty good idea of where the first season of The Handmaid’s Tale was going. There were some newly introduced concepts and characters and a few surprises, but for the most part, the script told a similar story. Both, however, ended with a chilling cliffhanger. Where was Offred (Elisabeth Moss) going? Was Nick (Max Minghella) a member of Mayday or an Eye? In the book,

Bradley Whitford is Moving to Gilead for Season 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale

Bradley Whitford is possibly most famous for his Emmy award winning performance as Josh Lyman in The West Wing. The sharp and passionate political strategist is one of the most beloved characters in TV history. On the other hand, Whitford can be straight up creepy when he wants to be. That skill probably contributed to casting directors adding him to the season 2 cast of The Handmaid’s Tale.

Joseph Fiennes was dazzlingly evil in the first season,

Get Out and The Handmaid’s Tale Take Home WGA’s

The award season this year continues to spread the wealth. A variety of projects is getting recognition rather than a strong front runner sprinting out ahead of the pack. The Shape of Water has racked up the most nominations, but Get Out, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and other great films have held their own as contenders.

Last night was the Writers Guild of America Awards, which honors scribes across a variety of categories including documentary,

The Handmaid’s Tale DP on Using Old Lenses, Vermeer and Drones to Conjure Dystopia

*We’re sharing some of our favorite interviews of the year this week in our ‘Best of 2017’ roundup.

Liverpool-born cinematographer Colin Watkinson quit his job as a surveyor to work as an entry-level “runner” on a British soundstage, rose through the ranks to shoot Tarsem Singh’s The Fall in 2006, and on the strength of that film’s universally hailed visuals, became one of Los Angeles’ most prolific television commercial DPs.

Double Emmy Nominee Ann Dowd Talks The Handmaid’s Tale and The Leftovers

Frightening to begin with, The Handmaid’s Tale gets even more creepy fifteen minutes into the first episode with the introduction of “Aunt Lydia.” Played with fierce authority by Ann Dowd, Lydia hectors a group of young women forced to bear children for the men who rule near-future “Gilead.” Striding around the classroom in short hair, drab gown and combat boots, Lydia stops at the desk of a surly student and abruptly jabs the handmaid with a cattle prod.

The Handmaid’s Tale DP on Using Old Lenses, Vermeer and Drones to Conjure Dystopia

Liverpool-born cinematographer Colin Watkinson quit his job as a surveyor to work as an entry-level “runner” on a British soundstage, rose through the ranks to shoot Tarsem Singh’s The Fall in 2006, and on the strength of that film’s universally hailed visuals, became one of Los Angeles’ most prolific television commercial DPs. By the time cinematographer-turned director Reed Moreno invited him to shoot The Handmaid’s Tale in Toronto,

Dressing the The Handmaid’s Tale From Covered Head to Booted Toe

Costume designer Ane Crabtree exerted plenty of impact on pop couture through her mob suits featured in The Sopranos and the robot cowboy outfits she made for Westworld. But nothing prepared the cheerful 52-year old wardrobe auteur for The Handmaid’s Tale. In the Hulu series based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel, she dressed Elizabeth Moss' slave woman Offred and other female characters forced to bear children in the near-future fascist state of "Elysium."