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Gilead came to Washington, DC, recently as The Handmaid’s Tale filmed several scenes at the Lincoln Memorial.
I hurried down at the end of the day to see a bit of the shoot for this Hulu series. When I arrived, handmaids in red robes and white bonnets were assembled on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, standing in absolutely silence as a scene was filmed.
The director then yelled “Cut!” and the handmaids moved with military precision down the marble steps, as I scurried to get out of the way.
It was surreal to see dystopia in the middle of DC, even if it was just a TV show. I read the book in college. The novel by Margaret Atwood was controversial even in the 80s, not for its political content, but because it was feminist. I read its depiction of a right-wing takeover of this country and thought: it can’t happen here.
The handmaids were escorted down the marble steps by brown-robed “aunts” with cattle prods. Surrounding them were guards with automatic weapons. They moved into place for another shot, this time with the Washington Monument behind them.
Production assistants primped the handmaids, making sure that their costumes were perfect. The director took his place. The handmaids pulled up their veils to cover their mouths. They bowed their heads. Then the camera slowly rolled down the line of women, their…
