Viewers Will Be "Shocked" By "The Handmaid's Tale" Season 2
The plot details of the highly-anticipated second season of "The Handmaid's Tale" on Hulu were so carefully crafted, even the actors didn't see them coming, said Amanda Brugel, whose character Rita was promoted to series regular for the new season.
"Everyone is fighting for their own safety and their own lives, so everything is very unpredictable," said Brugel in an interview Wednesday on Cheddar.
Her character Rita is an infertile woman who was forced to become a slave for the wealthy rulers of the fictional Republic of Gilead. But little else is known about Rita's backstory.
"I found in season one you sort of didn't know where her allegiances lied, like, you didn't know if she was really drinking the Kool-Aid and a part of Gilead or whether or not she was really someone who was just trying to make a low profile and would be somebody who would fight for humanity," said Brugel. "So season two you really find that out ー and it's shocking!"
Brugel didn't give much away about the second season, which has remained tightly under wraps before the trailer was released earlier this year. But the actress did say she found the script "shocking," when she read it.
"We're going there," she said
Brugel, 40, also said that the new season, which returns to Hulu on April 25, will focus more on the relationship between Rita and Offred, played by Elisabeth Moss.
Set in a dystopian future, "The Handmaid's Tale" follows the story of a woman who is forced to procreate by the fundamentalist rulers of a theocratic regime that takes over the United States. The series has been lauded by critics and won the Emmy award for outstanding drama series, among other honors.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/amanda-brugel-heads-back-to-gilead-in-season-2-of-the-handmaids-tale).
The Chinese government brought the sitcom "Friends" back to its streaming services. However, it had instances of LGBTQ+ references left out, after the series had been banned on Chinese streaming platforms for years.
Season 13 "Shark Tank" contestant Tania Speaks secured a $400,000 deal for her Speaks Organic Skincare brand with "Shark" Mark Cuban while also being named one of the best pitches in the history of the show — all at 19 years old. Now 20, Speaks joined Cheddar News to talk about the skincare line, the clean beauty industry, and the moment that host Cuban was moved by her pitch. "I couldn't believe that he got emotional. I'm surprised I held back my tears that long," the young entrepreneur revealed. "It's just amazing for someone else to be inspired by your story, especially Mark Cuban himself."
The media giant formerly known as ViacomCBS has officially rebranded itself as Paramount Global with a focus on its streaming service, Paramount Plus. Naveen Chopra, chief financial officer at Paramount, joined Cheddar to discuss the company’s name change and streaming wars. "There are components of content licensing that we continue to do, either historical arrangements or opportunities to license content that don't really impinge on what we're trying to do with our owned and operated services and that continues to be an important ingredient in our broader financial model," he said. "But our number one priority is putting our best assets on Paramount Plus." Chopra also discussed theatrical release windows before feature films hit its service and the platform's subscription goals.
In efforts to help support black-owned brands. Ulta Beauty says it will make a commitment to not only give these brand shelf space but also help them navigate the ins and outs of growing a business. Last week, the beauty retailer announced in order to reach those goals, the company will spend $50 million on diversity and inclusion programs, including an accelerated program to mentor entrepreneurs of color. CEO of Ulta Beauty, Dave Kimbell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
For black history month, Cheddar is highlighting black business leaders who are driving the need for representation forward. On February 10, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called 'Developing the Black-Owned Business Ecosystem.' The virtual event was organized under the lobbying group's two initiatives -- the Equality of Opportunity Initiative, and the Coalition to Back Black Businesses. The event highlighted the developments needed to develop more black-owned businesses in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Wilbon, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as a speaker at the event.
