Alexis Bledel is nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her turn as Emily/Ofglen in Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
Alexis Bledel is a quiet performer. From her role as bookish Rory on Gilmore Girls to her guest arc as unhappy housewife Beth on Mad Men, her best work comes when her characters are forced to take stock and consider, instead of act out. That’s why The Handmaid’s Tale‘s Ofglen (real name Emily) is, indeed, the perfect character for Bledel.
Like Rory, Ofglen at first seems to be a passive good girl. She doesn’t seem to be thrilled to live in Gilead’s misogynist theocracy (no one does), but she doesn’t seem to be as desperately unhappy as protagonist Offred, either. (Offred narrates the series, so the viewer is privy to her thoughts.) Before long, however, Ofglen proves to be the sort of badass who would earn Moira’s respect.
She uses code to let Offred know that she’s not a true believer; she’s miserable as a handmaid. “This used to be an ice cream place,” she mentions offhand on one of their outings. “They had the most amazing salted caramel. It was better than sex. Like, good sex.” To us: a fairly innocuous comment, albeit a ringing endorsement. To the people of Gilead: treachery. There is no sex, there’s only The Ceremony. And it’s definitely not there for your pleasure.
Once Ofglen reveals her true self, Bledel’s performance gets even more interesting. She presents Ofglen as simultaneously docile and resistant. Actually, the word that comes to my mind when I watch the character is “wry.” Ofglen is calm but well aware of the insane world around her. She’s also impressively resilient. Even after her “gender treachery” (she’s a lesbian) is discovered and she is “cured” of her urges via a horrific mutilation, she doesn’t lose herself. To use the language of The Handmaid’s Tale, Ofglen never lets the bastards grind her down. Instead, she steals a car and takes a literal joy ride—that scene is one of the few moments of genuine happiness the series allows its characters.
Of course, Bledel is never better than in the series’ third episode, “Late,” in which we see what happens to Ofglen after she is arrested for having an affair with a Martha. Manacled and masked, she is unable to move freely or speak. Bledel’s performance is entirely wordless, but the audience has no trouble understanding her. I’d argue that her whimpers, sobs, and screams are the most heartbreaking parts of a heartbreaking show. In a series built on revelatory, moving performances, Bledel’s turn in “Late” is the very best.
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I’m not the only one to sing Bledel’s praises. After The Handmaid’s Tale hit Hulu, many critics wrote about her fascinating performance. The producers were presumably impressed as well, since Bledel will return as a series regular next season. But it’s worth keeping in mind that Bledel has been doing great work since she first broke out with Gilmore Girls. Her conversation with her father in A Year in the Life was the reboot’s most interesting moment—and its most important, as was revealed by the final four words. Her original turn on Gilmore is a so-subtle-you-don’t-even realize-it’s-happening transformation from unassuming small-town girl to entitled princess. And her Mad Men character is a beautiful symbol for all people who don’t quite fit into society’s mold and suffer for it.
For my money, Alexis Bledel has been building up to Ofglen for more than 15 years. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences should recognize her performance for the marvel that it is.