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Spoilers ahead for Milk, episode four of season four ofThe Handmaids Tale.
Madeline Brewer has played Janine, Junes longtime fragile sidekick in HulusThe Handmaids Tale, for four seasons now.
Brewer considers the shows take on it gentler than what shes seen in her research of these places.)
At the beginning of Milk, weve just come off Janine and June surviving by a hair … again.
Janine always seems to make it through, doesnt she?
Could that have something to do with June always being there to protect her?
In any other season, says Brewer, I would agree that yes, Janine survives because of June.
But there are things that come up in this season [where that dynamic changes].
We have all underestimated Janine, I think, myself included.
And they need each other.
That friendship has been their lifeblood for so long thats what keeps them alive.
That scene made me angry and sad and frustrated all the things.
There are going to be a lot of opinions.
So I was proud to be the person who is doing that storyline.
Its called Catholic guilt for a reason, but its sinister to me, honestly.
Theres this whole TikTok thing devoted to people who work at abortion clinics who film the people outside.
Its honestly one of my favorite things to watch on TikTok.
And then they take my eye out and thats it.
Im a very physical actor and Im a very physical person.
I actually had to resist the urge to crumble and be like the Janine Im used to playing.
It was strange to exist as Janine in what would be her most natural place.
And you got to be with Caleb for the first time in the show.
Though it was short, it was incredibly sweet.I was so excited to meet Caleb!
You know, I only recently deleted the few pictures of infant boys that I had on my phone.
It was kind of a Janine thing for me.
But Janine starts to ask questions and talk back to June a little bit.
Is that the first time weve ever seen that from Janine?Yes.
And their dynamic changes a little bit.
I dont want to say anything mean.
Shes saying, Im not always who you think Im going to be.
Im not just this weak person.
I think Janine knows thats how people think of her.
But she is so lucid.
You think so?Yes.
She knows whats going on; shes always listening.
Shes much more calculated than anybody realizes, I think.
That felt pretty mean.It was so mean!
And I think June means it.
Because June clearly doesnt see how these women have kept her alive as well.
I think in this moment, Janine is like, Listen.
We are in this together.
This is not you against the world with us behind you.
It is us together.
And youtold them where we are.
You sacrificed all of your friends.
We could have all died.
But this episode ends with Janine stepping up to the plate, so to speak.
June couldnt protect her by giving this rebel guy a sexual favor, and Janine just handles the situation.
Again?I struggled with that one for a minute.
She does not care.
She ends up having a kind of a relationship with Steven, but shes like, Im starving.
I have been starving for days.
Ive been in a milk tank with you.
We are finally inside and clothed with food.
You are clearly distraught and Im going to do what it takes.
And it wasnt in the way of like, she had to do this terrible thing.
No, its just what she did to survive.
Theres no moral value to it; it is just: I did what I had to do.
He thinks my eye patch is cool.
Next to being a mother, Janines loyalty to her friends is her identity.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
