Margaret Atwood Pitches Drake for Cameo in ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 2

The rapper and actor is a Toronto icon, so why not?

Alexis Bledel Handmaid's Tale
Hulu

Margaret Atwood, author of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” would consider adding a famous cameo in the show’s second season.

In an interview with Boston Review, Atwood told interviewer and author Junot Diaz (who also edits the publication) that she would love to have rapper, actor and fellow Canadian, Drake, in a cameo.

“Wouldn’t it be fun for him to have a cameo in Season 2 of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale?’” she proposed. “I’ll drop that notion into the ear of Bruce Miller, the showrunner, and see what he can do with that, because of course the show is filmed in Toronto. Maybe Drake could help smuggle someone?” Atwood added.

While the novel takes place in the fictional world of Gilead, the show places that in what was formerly Boston. Canada is a safe haven, where those looking to get away from the Gilead regime cross the border. The country has a refugee program, with volunteers helping to get immigrants settled. In a perfect world, Drake can help in that movement.

The conversation moved to Drake because of his connection with Toronto, where Atwood is also from. Atwood has always been at the forefront of the literary world thanks in part to novels like “The Handmaid’s Tale” but with the Hulu show taking off, she’s becoming an international icon. Just like Drake.

“It seems like currently Toronto — and we could say by extension Canada — has two global superstars: Margaret Atwood and Drake,” Diaz said.

Unfortunately, Atwood, who is 77 years old, hasn’t met Drake yet.

“I haven’t met Drake, but I have of course met people who have met Drake,” she said. “But you have to realize how o-l-d I am. I’m not likely to go to the same parties. Or many parties at all, to be frank.”

The long interview, which you can read here, also touches upon subjects such as race. Some criticized the show from erasing a piece from the original novel, where people of color aren’t allowed to live in Gilead society. The show incorporates people of color, allowing them to become handmaids, for instance.

“[The show] updated the time period of the ‘before’ part of the show to ‘now.’ In 1985, it was much more plausible that you might be able carry out that kind of re-segregation,” she said. “But the modern television version … takes the view that there are, at the present time, many more — especially in cities, certain cities — there are many more interracial friendships and relationships than there would have been in 1985.”

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