Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, an adaptation of the book written by Margaret Atwood which follows the story of life in a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States, was actually filmed in many locations in Canada.
The show’s producers studied New England’s architecture and sourced locations in Toronto. The City Hall, for example, can be seen in some scenes.
Here’s a look at a few more of the show’s memorable locations:
During happier times, June brought her daughter to a Boston aquarium, which was actually Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada.
The Commander’s house, where June is sent to live, is on the corner of Bay S and Aberdeen St, Hamilton, ON.
The scene in which the women attack a man during an unimaginable ceremony was filmed at Coronation Park in Oakville.
In episode 2, June comes across a burnt out church, which is actually James Street Baptist Church in Hamilton. The church was in the process of a renovation when the show filmed at the site, but most of the destruction was done with CGI.
Wondering where the riverfront park is located that June strolls through on her way back from shopping? You can find the Mill Race Park in Cambridge and, luckily, if you pay the park a visit, you won’t find any bodies hanging from the wall.
The subway where Moira gets away is the Lower Bay Station in Toronto.
Two of Toronto’s landmarks, the Ritz-Carlton and the CBC building, can be seen in the background of episode one, too.
In addition to the filming done on location, most of the shoot took place on the soundstages of Cinespace Film Studios.
The show has already been renewed for a second season, which will premiere in 2018, and stars Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls), and Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love).
Photos: Hulu/Google Maps/Atlas of Wonders
Contributor Carolina Malhado also has a blog reviewing movies, TV shows and theater in New York. You can follow it on Twitter and Instagram as well.
Really very cool adaptation of the book with a serious idea and plot. I also liked that Joseph Fienes will star in the second season, because he played a cool role in the comedy drama Shakespeare in Love. In general, I love the works of Shakespeare, Hamlet is my favorite. I even wrote an essay about this work at https://studyhippo.com/essays-on/hamlet/ where a lot of cool material is collected that is interesting to read. This resource also helps me better prepare for college.