The Testaments kicked off with a major surprise cameo in its premiere episode.
The new Hulu series, which serves as the follow-up to The Handmaid’s Tale, debuted Tuesday (April 8), and viewers quickly noticed an unexpected celebrity appearance tied to the franchise’s expanding universe, which also has a connection to a previous cameo.
Keep reading to find out more…
Late night host Stephen Colbert makes a surprise cameo in the premiere as the announcer for “Radio Free Boston,” the underground resistance broadcast heard by characters in the episode.
“This is Radio Free Boston. If you’re hoping for some tunes, you’re in the right place. For our Mayday heroes behind the lines, tonight’s messages are on channel 99.2. And don’t forget. Don’t let the bastards grind you down,” he says.
“He very kindly did that for us, and I couldn’t think of anybody more appropriate to have on Radio Free Boston as the announcer,” creator Bruce Miller told EW.
“You know, I knew that he’d be available, and he probably needed work,” he also joked, referring to the Late Show’s cancellation amid speculation that it was due to political pressure.
“I thought he’d be great for the job. He was wonderful to do it. I feel like he’s been a voice, you know. He’s a voice of America I was putting out on the airways. It’s just like Oprah.”
Oprah did a similar voice cameo in 2018 on The Handmaid’s Tale.
“Now a tune to remind everyone who’s listening, American patriot or Gilead traitor, that we are still here. Stars and stripes forever, baby,” she declared.
“Knowing who Oprah was, knowing Stephen Colbert, his voice, even The Colbert Report that he used to do, all of that put together into a free speech context, and what America should stand for was fascinating. And look, it only took 16 words!” the creator told EW.
New episodes of The Testaments premiere Tuesdays on Hulu.
The cast of The Testaments just promoted the show at a historic New York building!