Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls) announced Friday that she will exit Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale after playing a key role for four seasons, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actress previously won an Emmy in 2017 alongside three more nominations for her role as Emily.
Based on the dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood (The Testaments), The Handmaid’s Tale took place in a totalitarian society that used to be part of the United States. In Gilead, women are treated as property as the world’s birth rate plummets. In an attempt to repopulate the world, a group of women are forced into sexual slavery.
The fourth season of the series centered around the group of former handmaids turned resistance fighters to exact revenge on Gilead leader Fred Waterford, played by Ralph Fiennes (The King’s Man).
“After much thought, I felt I had to step away from The Handmaid’s Tale at this time,” Bledel said in a statement, via The Hollywood Reporter. “I am forever grateful to [showrunner] Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support.”
The upcoming fifth season of the series is expected to premiere later this year.