Ann Dowd’s noteworthy role, hands down, is her portrayal of Aunt Lydia in The Handmaid’s Tale. She did a remarkable job in bringing out those details, and she’s back in the same iconic role for the TV series The Testaments. The actress had lots to say for her character, so let’s jump right into it!
Ann Dowd shares her message for her character, Aunt Lydia
In a conversation with Entertainment Tonight, Ann Dowd was asked by the interviewer what she would tell her character, Aunt Lydia, since she played the role for almost a decade. The actress replied, saying, “Come on now. Settle down a little bit. You can do it. There’s another way to approach. We can do it together. Yes. Yeah. Just take it down a little bit. But I don’t know if she could have done that at that time. She thought she was doing the right thing. And no judgment from an actress’s point of view. No judgment. I love her very much.“
Aunt Lydia Clements is one of the most hated characters in The Handmaid’s Tale, along with Serena Joy Waterford. Clements finds sadistic pleasure in torturing students at the Rachel and Leah Center.
While her motives are presented as stemming from discipline and order, her methods suggest otherwise. She believed that sparing the rod would definitely mean spoiling the child, and hence she left no stone unturned in traumatizing Janine, June, Emily, and other handmaids. However, Aunt Lydia, by Season 5, was already in her redemption arc, which began around this time. She slowly opens up to Janine after witnessing the dire conditions and learning of Gilead’s motives.
Ann Dowd perfectly captured the essence of Clements’ absolutism through her acting, and as they say, if they hate the character, it means the actor did a commendable job.
Dowd is all set to return to her role for the upcoming series The Testaments, which will air on Hulu. It will feature Chase Infiniti, Rowan Blanchard, and Mabel Li in central roles.
The Testaments is scheduled for release on 8th April 2026. It will be available for streaming on Hulu.
