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The sixth and final season of The Handmaid's Tale premiered on Hulu on April 8, 2025, and began airing in the UK on Channel 4 and Prime Video on May 3. Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s acclaimed novel, the Emmy-winning drama explores the brutal dystopia of Gilead through the eyes of June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss), a former handmaid turned resistance leader.
Alongside Moss, the ensemble cast of The Handmaid's Tale includes Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Ann Dowd, and Samira Wiley, who return to navigate the tense and ever-shifting politics of survival, resistance, and retribution. As the show barrels toward its highly anticipated finale, fans can expect explosive developments, especially with the arrival of new allies, and betrayals.
One such unexpected addition is Aunt Phoebe, portrayed by D’Arcy Carden, who made her debut in The Handmaid's Tale episode 7 of the season. In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly on May 6, 2025, Carden shared her excitement and uncertainty about joining a show known for its high stakes and unpredictability. Reflecting on her character’s entrance, she said,
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“Also coming into the show, I could have been a villain. I could have been dead in the first scene. This is a show that moves and things happen — gigantic things happen — in every episode. So it was so exciting to see what this character would bring.”
This revelation adds new depth to Aunt Phoebe’s evolving storyline, which surprises both audiences and the actress herself. Her character’s secret allegiance to the resistance adds another layer to the intricate web of rebellion within Gilead, a twist that even Carden didn’t see coming.
D’Arcy Carden Reflects on Aunt Phoebe's Complex Journey
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly published on May 6, 2025, D’Arcy Carden opened up about her debut in The Handmaid's Tale. She discussed the challenge of keeping her role and its twists under wraps, saying,
“It’s always so funny to be a part of something that has a twist.”
Carden revealed that even she was kept in the dark about large parts of the storyline.
“There’s so much that I don’t know,”
she said, explaining that the scripts she received were partially redacted, often omitting entire pages, including the ending. Her portrayal of Aunt Phoebe, a character who initially appears to be one of Aunt Lydia’s colleagues but is later revealed to be part of the underground revolution, required navigating secrecy and subtlety.
“This character is so layered,” she explained. “I would pull the director aside or the writers who are on set to just [to discuss].”
Carden also recalled the pressure she put on herself to do justice to the role, praising the showrunners Yahlin Chang and Eric Tuchman for their collaborative support. She was initially told she would appear in just one episode, but her role expanded as the season unfolded.
“At first it was just one episode and then another,”
she said, noting that while much was kept secret, she was given a general outline of Aunt Phoebe’s arc. The actress, who has long been a fan of the show, was thrilled to join the cast.
“It’s been worth keeping secrets about the script. To be honest, there’s so much that I don’t know,” she said.
“I just love the character so much and I love getting to work with these other characters in this world that I know so well and love so much. I really wanted to rise to the occasion and also do them proud. It was such a gift of a role that I felt a lot of pressure to really deliver — a pressure I put on myself — to them.”
Carden admitted that when she first joined the cast, she initially assumed her character might turn out to be the show's most sinister antagonist. However, after reading further into the script and discovering the arc of Aunt Phoebe, she was relieved to learn that her role leaned more heroic.
A Glimpse into The Handmaid's Tale season 6
Season 6 of The Handmaid's Tale marks the explosive final act of the series, weaving together years of uprising, betrayal, and reckoning. Premiering on Hulu on April 8, 2025, and rolling out weekly episodes until the finale on May 27, the final season also began airing on Channel 4 and Prime Video in the UK starting May 3.
The latest episodes of The Handmaid's Tale pick up with June reeling from a devastating betrayal by Nick, who reveals Mayday's plans in a desperate move to protect himself. As their bond shatters, the rebellion recalibrates, with June and Moira stepping in to lead a new covert mission targeting high-ranking commanders during Serena and Wharton’s opulent Gilead wedding. The plan includes using veiled handmaids as undercover agents, a dangerous gambit fueled by revenge and justice.
Aunt Phoebe (portrayed by D’Arcy Carden) is essential to the uprising, secretly bringing June and Moira into the Red Center while the plans for the lethal mission develop. At the same time, Lydia, oblivious to the scheme, is dispatched to D.C. for official duties, conveniently taking her out of danger. Phoebe’s understated bravery proves crucial to the execution of the plan, while Carden’s character introduces a complex moral aspect to the season’s intense storyline.
Returning cast members consist of Elisabeth Moss, Ann Dowd, Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes, and Samira Wiley, whose impactful performances emphasize the emotional toll of conflict and survival. Fresh tensions, unforeseen fatalities, and the rebellion’s ultimate surge guarantee a continuous flow of startling incidents.
“There are no filler episodes in The Handmaid's Tale,”
Carden commented, and season 6 demonstrates this with each twist. As The Handmaid's Tale reaches its conclusion, D’Arcy Carden's Aunt Phoebe becomes one of the season's most intriguing new characters. Her nuanced portrayal examines the indistinct lines of allegiance and defiance, enhancing the character past conventional stereotypes.
Carden expressed how empowering it felt to be part of a story that reflects real-world struggles.
“These women are fighting against all odds... There’s something about that that feels really powerful to me.”
Don’t miss the final episodes of The Handmaid's Tale, airing every Tuesday on Hulu in the US, and available on Channel 4 and Prime Video in the UK.
