Elisabeth Moss Says Becoming a Mom ‘Definitely’ Changed Her Perspective on Filming Season 6 of Handmaid’s Tale

The actress quietly welcomed her first child last year after announcing she was pregnant on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ in January 2024

Motherhood makes The Handmaid’s Tale hit even harder for star Elisabeth Moss.

The 42-year-old actress announced last year during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that she was expecting her first baby, though she kept most of the details about the pregnancy private. As the sixth and final season of the FX series begins, Moss is getting candid about how welcoming her first baby has led her to identify even more with her character June’s fight for her own child.

“It’s impossible not to identify more with it,” Moss told reporters including PEOPLE at the Los Angeles premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale on April 2. “It’s definitely a more emotional experience as opposed to maybe a little bit more intellectual.”

“Yeah, it’s impossible to not feel a more visceral reaction,” she added.

Speaking about the final installment of the series, which is based on Margaret Atwood’s bestselling book, Moss told reporters she’s “so proud” of how the story concludes.

“I really am. Everybody really, honestly, everybody left everything on the dance floor. You just felt like everybody was bringing everything they had, their A-game,” she said.

Of the final two episodes in particular, Moss said, “It was so important to [everyone] to make those last two episodes the best they could possibly be. And you can feel it. I think you can see it on the screen.”

Moss said she hopes the dystopian show “offers some hope to somebody,” particularly given the political backdrop during which it’s premiering.

“I hope it gives some inspiration. I think June is a very inspiring character. She’s so brave. She inspires me,” she shared. “So, I just hope that someone somewhere takes that home with them, and it helps them in any way.”

New episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 premiere Tuesdays on Hulu.