Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale once made serious waves in the world of literature, and Hulu’s adaptation of the novel is now causing similar swells in the world of television. As is the case with the sea, however, volatile surf can bring unexpected consequences.
Extended oceanic metaphors aside, Atwood was recently interviewed by the Boston Review, and had a surprising casting suggestion for season 2 of everyone’s favorite new dystopian drama. As reported by ScreenCrush, Atwood would love to see hip-hop superstar Drake make a cameo in the show, and she even has a role in mind.
Before you start scratching your head, let us provide a bit of context:
- Atwood is Canadian and — just like Drake — spent much of her adolescence in Toronto.
- (Mild spoilers ahead) In The Handmaid’s Tale, Canada is a sort of safe haven for refugees fleeing the oppressive Gilead, formerly the United States of America.
- Drake starred as Jimmy Brooks in the wildly popular Canadian Teen Drama Degrassi: The Next Generation before making it big as a rapper.
Getting back to the interview, while you may have assumed that Atwood was asked about the possibility of Drake appearing in the show, she actually suggested it during a conversation about her and Drake being two of the country’s global celebrities. Without further ado, here’s what she had to say:
“Wouldn’t it be fun for him to have a cameo in season 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale? … I’ll drop that notion into the ear of Bruce Miller, the showrunner, and see what he can do with that, because of course the show is filmed in Toronto. Maybe Drake could help smuggle someone?”
This now has to happen. If only so we can watch the internet explode.
In all seriousness, though, this makes more sense than it would seem on the surface. Drake certainly has the chops for it. In addition to logging 145 episodes of Degrassi: The Next Generation, he voiced Ethan in Ice Age: Continental Drift and appeared in shows like Soul Food and The Border. Then, of course, there’s the Toronto connection and the buzz that such a cameo would undoubtedly create.
Was Atwood most likely just having a bit of fun? Sure. But keep an eye on this going forward, as it may just be crazy enough to work.
The Handmaid’s Tale stars Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, and Yvonne Strahovski. Season 2 is currently slated for 2018, but Hulu has yet to set a premiere date. We’ll keep you updated as news breaks and we’ll be sure to let you know if/when this proposed cameo comes to fruition.
