Emmys Backstage: Bruce Miller Talks Trump’s Effect on ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 2

“You don’t want to make up violence towards women, you can do that all day long,” he says

and | September 17, 2017 @ 7:29 PM Last Updated: September 17, 2017 @ 7:30 PM
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While “The Handmaid’s Tale” was first published in 1985, viewers of the Hulu series based on the novel couldn’t help notice the current parallels, especially following the election of Donald Trump and the backlash against immigrants in countries like the UK.

Series showrunner Bruce Miller, who won his first Emmy for outstanding writing for a drama series for “The Handmaid’s Tale,” said that people can’t help and see those similarities, even if the story wasn’t written in 2017. 

“Everything that happened in the novel happened somewhere in the world to women,” Miller told reporters after his win.

Of course, the show was set in our current era, which helped quite a bit.

Also Read: How Streaming Networks Invaded the Emmys: From 'House of Cards' to 'Handmaid's Tale' (Photos)

“The whole show is set in our time. It makes sense to have a show like that that,” he added. “You just want it to be as terrifying as possible and that comes from it being as relatable as possible.”

It’s part of the reason why the show resonated with so many people.

“The book had exactly the same kind of following,” he said. “Begging Margaret Atwood to tell us more shows that the books have been magnetic.”

Miller and the rest of the cast and crew have spoken about how the show became politically relevant in the age of Trump and Miller touched upon that as well.

Also Read: 'Handmaid's Tale' Showrunner Credits Trump Supporters' 'Cruelties' for Shaping Series

“Nowadays people are worried they live in a society where big things happening… such a terrible oppressive situation and still find ways to rebel,” he said.

The show has been picked up for a second season. The first wasn’t written with Trump and the current political age in mind and the second season won’t be either, but Miller added that it’s impossible to not even be thinking about it.

“Its kind of on an unconscious level,” he said when asked if Season 2 would feature any current parallels. “We’re a very plugged in group of writers… I don’t think you can help but have it affect you.”

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“You don’t want to make up violence towards women, you can do that all day long,” he added.

The actors had to enact horrible pieces of violence from the show, including rape and murder.

“There’s so much, our cast is astonishing,” Miller said. “The very first episode… where the handmaids tear apart a purported rapist… it was horrifying and it turned out everything I didn’t want it to be and more.”

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