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 Peacock reboot of the beloved Will Smith sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," simply re-titled as "Bel-Air," takes a different, dramatic approach compared to the '90s comedy. Actor Cassandra Freeman joined Cheddar News to discuss bringing a revamped Aunt Viv to life with the updated backdrop in mind. "When I first heard about it I just thought why would anyone want to mess with a classic? It's a classic for a reason," she said. "And then after a year I finally saw the trailer that Morgan Cooper, our creator made and it was amazing."
February 20 marks what would have been Kurt Cobain’s 55th birthday, and NFT gateway Pop Legendz will be offering up a collection of rare images from a 1991 Nirvana show in Philadelphia that took places days before their monster hit album "Nevermind" was to be released. Faith West, the founder of Pop Legendz, music journalist, and the photographer who captured it on film joined Cheddar News to talk about the historic event and the NFT sales where half the proceeds will go to charities like the Trevor Project and GRID Alternatives. “I showed up at a small club, 150 people, not quite know what to expect, brought my camera, and halfway through the show I knew music history was being made," West said of the iconic evening.
In a thrilling overtime finish, 23-year old NASCAR driver Austin Cindric clinched the 64th annual Daytona 500 win. Narrowly beating out legendary race car driver Bubba Wallace, Cindric earned his very first NASCAR cup series victory, and became the second youngest driver to win The Great American Race. Daytona 500 Champ Austin Cindric joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss his historic victory.
More than two years into the pandemic, Americans are ready to go out and splurge. With Covid cases falling and restrictions rolling back, many companies are seeing a surge in demand for everything from hotels to restaurants to sports games. Lindsey Roeschke, travel & hospitality analyst at Morning Consult, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss trends going on in the industries right now.
To combat slumping ratings, the Academy Awards are undergoing a radical slimming down, with eight awards to be presented off-air during next month’s telecast.
Two Blackhawk helicopters crashed near a Utah ski resort Tuesday morning, forcing the closures on part of the mountain but leaving no crew members seriously hurt.
Equip is a virtual treatment platform for eating disorders, and recently raised $58 million in a Series B round led by The Chernin Group. The company aims to revolutionize treatment for eating disorders by delivering virtual care teams and clinical expertise directly to families' homes. Equip says the need for its platform has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Eating Disorder Association's helpline has had a 107% increase in contacts since the start of the pandemic. Kristina Saffran, CEO and co-founder of Equip, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
U.S. stocks ended today's session sharply lower on the heels of rising geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Melissa Brown, Managing Director of Applied Research at Qontigo, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Tonga's main internet connection to the rest of the world has finally been restored more than five weeks after a huge volcanic eruption and tsunami severed a crucial undersea cable.
As we celebrate Black History Month, Cheddar is highlighting prominent Black Americans who are carving their own historic paths and trailblazing in their fields. Today we feature athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick.
