© 2026 ABC News

Showrunner Bruce Miller explained in a statement shared with ABC News that Winfrey was down for the role.

\"We'd heard Oprah was a fan of the show, and had a story idea, and thought, wouldn't it be wonderful if ... So we asked and she said yes, and it was a lovely, easy process,\" Miller said. \"The radio segment she recorded was inspired by the free radio of the Allies from World War II. It was an absolute honor to have Oprah featured on the show, and especially thrilling as she was the one who presented us with the Emmy last year.\"

\"PHOTO:
George Kraychyk/Hulu
PHOTO: Elisabeth Moss and Ann Dowd appear in a scene from "The Handmaid's Tale."
>

While presenting the Emmy for best drama series, Winfrey embraced Moss who was first on stage to accept the award.

The pair first spent time together for The Hollywood Reporter's Drama Actress Roundtable in 2017. It was then that Winfrey showed what a fangirl she was, peppering Moss with questions about the series.

\"She was in the dressing room next to me and she kept popping back into the room to ask questions about the show or to make comments or ask what was coming up for a specific character,\" Moss told THR in an interview earlier this year. \"Then she'd leave and I'd close the door and have a silent freak-out moment, just screaming silently, that Oprah Winfrey even knew what the show was and then she would pop back up with more questions.\"

Episode 11 is currently available on Hulu. The series' second season will wrap up with the finale, which premieres Wednesday, July 11.

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