The Handmaid's Tale might have a pretty lengthy main character cast list, but the story is really centered around June. She gets the most screen time along with other main characters like Serena Waterford and Aunt Lydia and, in the latest seasons, Moira and Luke.

In reality, all the other characters on the series, including main, guest, and recurring, are there to support the main storylines. This includes June's quest to save her daughter, Serena and the commanders' focus on expanding Gilead's reach, and others hoping to put an end to the totalitarian society. It's an empowering tale that is made even better by the many other characters who help to tell it with their own parts of the story.

Updated on October 13, 2022 by Christine Persaud:

As The Handmaid's Tale continues to shock, terrify, and entertain viewers with its disturbing premise and story, more characters are introduced and some have disappeared, either through death or leaving the show. Whatever the case, they have all made an impact on the series that will finally come to an end after its sixth and final season, likely to be released some time in 2023.

Rose

A close-up of Rose from The Handmaid's Tale

There isn't much known about Rose, Nick's new wife, just yet, but from what fans know already, she comes across as likable. Walking with a cane, she seems to have come from a good family and is close with the commanders and leaders in Gilead. But she has also made comments that suggest she's well aware of June and Nick's history with her. What's more, she seems to want to help.

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It's possible Rose is working on something in the background that Nick either knows about or doesn't. She will likely be integral to the story going forward in one way or another.

Alma

Alma in a scene from The Handmaid's Tale.

Alma, or Ofrobert as she became known in Gilead, was a recurring character who appeared in the first four seasons, up to her tragic end when she got hit by a train while trying to escape Aunt Lydia's clutches with June and other handmaids.

She helped June by trading gossip about what was going on in Gilead through the years, often discreetly when they would see one another at the market. And it was Alma who first helped June get in touch with the resistance and proceed with the Mayday plan. Alma might not have had a lot of screen time, but she stole scenes she was in.

Brianna

Brianna in The Handmaid's Tale

Another recurring character, Brianna was one of June and Moira's first friends when they were captured and forced into servitude in Gilead, dealing with some of the most terrifying laws in The Handmaid's Tale. While she met her death alongside Alma when the train hit them both in season four, she was integral to helping June the whole way through.

Her biggest and most impactful move was when she was among the first handmaids to drop their stones and refuse to execute Janine in that terrifying scene. Brianna is one of the women who June is likely fighting for when she looks to fuel her anger about Gilead and taking the society down.

Emily Malek

Emily walking down the stairs in plainclothes on The Handmaid's Tale

Technically, Emily was a main character on the series. But since escaping Gilead and trying to re-integrate back into her old life, or whatever she can make of it in Canada where she has found safety, she wasn't seen as often.

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Emily was seen trying to deal with the trauma she endured while in Gilead, but in the latest fifth season, the character has left the show, seemingly having decided to go back to Gilead. Whether she plans to try and fight the society from the inside or is suffering from a type of Stockholm Syndrome remains to be seen. Nonetheless, Emily was one of the fiercest, strongest women among the handmaids who wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in, no matter the cost.

Nick Blaine

A close up of Nick Blaine on The Handmaid's Tale Season 4.

What makes Nick so interesting is that it's so difficult to determine where his allegiances lie. While he seems to want to do whatever he can to protect June, he also seems to enjoy the power and purpose that his high position in Gilead affords him in this new world. So much so that he has betrayed her before.

It's always interesting when he's on screen, because viewers aren't quite sure what Nick will do next. Does he truly care for June, or does he hold out hope that she will leave her husband to be with him and their biological daughter? The idea that June and Luke are raising Nick's child together suggests that there's lots to come in the future for Nick and his relationship with June. His clearly torn feelings along with whatever he might be plotting with his new wife Rose and the constant temptations from Mark Tuello to work as a mole within Gilead has fans excited to see where his arc will go.

Luke Bankole

Luke sitting beside an American Flag on The Handmaid's Tale

Fans can't help but feel for Luke, who has had to deal with the guilt of knowing his wife was trapped in Gilead, forced to do terrible things, never knowing if she was hurt or even alive. Once he finally reunites with her, the story becomes even more interesting, as it isn't quite the rosy reunion he had hoped for. As he attempts to deal with this new changed version of June, he seems to be becoming hardened himself, saying and doing things the old Luke never would have done or said.

Luke manages to get fans to sympathize with him as well, even though June was the one who went through the literal abuse and torture. He represents a different side of June's life and is a reminder of who she was before all of this and how much she has changed.

Commander Warren Putnam

A close-up of Commander Putnam looking scary, standing in a dark room

Commander Warren Putnam - one of the most villainous characters on The Handmaid's Tale - is certainly not likable, but he is compelling. Initially coming across as weaker, even getting his hand cut off for disobeying Gilead's rules and sleeping with his handmaid outside of the "ceremony," he has a larger air of arrogance about him in more recent seasons.

Getting more screen time as well, he has shown to be calculating, cruel, manipulative, and abusive, more so than other commanders. The scene where he feeds Esther chocolate like a little child before raping her, was one of the most disturbing of the latest fifth season. But he's a character who shows what Gilead is truly capable of, and how warped the beliefs and practices truly are.

Rita Blue

Rita from The Handmaid's Tale getting on the plane with kids during Mayday

Rita is one of the more complex characters, because while she detested the way she was treated by the Waterfords and how Gilead was run, she is also a deeply religious person. She dealt with loss before Gilead when her son died in the war, which might explain why she was especially protective of the children.

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Rita's story hasn't been followed as much as the other characters, but her pivotal role in Mayday and getting so many children out of Gilead make her one of the best supporting characters on the show, and seeing her re-assimilate to normal society has been an interesting subplot of the series.

Moira Strand

Moira with her hand on June's face on The Handmaid's Tale

Moira was the first main character to get out of Gilead, and in playing a bigger role in season 5, fans appreciate how much she has done for June and Luke. She takes care of the baby, tries to help June through her trauma, all the while dealing with the same trauma herself. While she has managed to adjust better than some other escaped handmaids, Moira clearly carries her feelings close to her chest. She is more focused on helping others.

A loyal and devoted friend to June, Moira is fearless and a heroic character. If it weren't for Moira, both Luke and June, as well as baby Nichole, likely would not be able to survive, mentally and physically.

Esther

Esther in a handmaid uniform on The Handmaid's Tale.

Esther, one of the best characters introduced after season 1 of The Handmaid's Tale, has had one of the most interesting arcs to date. She began as the wife of an elderly commander, only to help handmaids and be demoted to becoming one herself. She struggled with the adjustment, particularly given her age. Fans loved the budding relationship between her and June, and felt for Esther when June manipulated the young woman.

Her scene with Commander Putnam was disturbing, and her attempt to kill both herself and Janine with poisoned chocolates was shocking and heartbreaking. She's a fascinating reflection of what a life of raising in Gilead can do to a person.

Mark Tuello

Mark Tuello from The Handmaid's Tale looking off to the side

First appearing as a guest star in season 3, Tuello became a main character in season 4. A U.S. government operative, he is heading up the investigation into Gilead and working to help save those who escape, getting their statements and building a court case.

He was integral in the arrests of Serena and Fred Waterford, but he is clearly playing a long game to destroy Gilead. While he appears to have a soft spot for Serena, he is also laser-focused on doing what he can to put an end to Gilead, even trying his best to recruit Nick as a mole. Fans love how he is able to balance his revulsion for what goes on with his compassion for people like Serena who he clearly believes is simply brainwashed and not seeing the hard truths.

Commander Joseph Lawrence

The Handmaids Tale Season 3 Finale Commander Lawrence June

There's something enticing about Commander Joseph Lawrence, who was one of the architects of Gilead, yet became one of June's closest allies. After seeing what his theories yielded in reality, Commander Lawrence did not like what Gilead truly was.

The fact that he helped June and the Mayday plan knowing he could end up dead because of it was admirable. His role in Fred's death, and giving June the satisfaction of being able to attack and kill him with other escaped handmaids, showed in one way that he was on her side, but was also likely done for selfish reasons and his own personal gain (and revenge for his own wife's death). Commander Lawrence constantly teeters the line between good guy and bad, which is precisely what makes him exciting to watch.

Janine Lindo

Janine from The Handmaid's Tale looking at someone

Janine is the most naïve, kind, and troubled of the handmaids. One of the first to rebel against Aunt Lydia, she paid for it by losing an eye.

Janine is sweet and tough to dislike, but often childlike in her behavior. It's clear she has been traumatized because of everything that has happened to her in Gilead, yet she continues to be one of the few people June can truly trust. With them now separated, however, and Janine's brush with death, she could become one of the most influential resources in Gilead. Because Aunt Lydia has a sweet spot for Janine, she gets away with a lot more than the other handmaids. And she may just be the person who turns Aunt Lydia against Gilead, which makes her a huge part of the show going forward.

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