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**Elisabeth Moss Initially Declined ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Role, Accepted to Block Another Actress**

Elisabeth Moss, star of the critically acclaimed series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” has revealed she initially turned down the lead role of June Osbourne (Offred) not once, but twice. Moss disclosed on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” that she only committed to the role when she learned who the producers were considering as a replacement.

“I wasn’t quite sure if I was ready to make that commitment again,” Moss said. After declining the role twice, producers told her who they would offer the role to. “They leaked it to me, obviously on purpose, who they were going to offer it to if I didn’t take it, and I was like, ‘Over my dead body.’”

While Moss kept the identity of the other actress a secret, she admitted the thought of anyone else playing June spurred her to action. “It was the thing that made realise that I needed to do it. I couldn’t stand the idea of anyone else playing that role, you know what I mean? That was the thing that made me realise how badly I wanted to do it.”

Moss, known for roles like Peggy in “Mad Men,” is drawn to characters who evolve from victimhood to empowerment. She told *The Times* she strives to portray realistic and relatable female characters who are “just like you and me – not special, not perfect.” She added that real women can “find their strength, whether that’s getting out of a bad relationship, telling your boss you want a pay rise or marching on the capital in a red costume.”

“The Handmaid’s Tale,” based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, is currently in its sixth and final season.

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