Madeline Brewer of The Handmaid’s Tale explains Janine’s choice

When it comes to Jeanine, Madeleine Brewer knows that there is more than meets the eye.

In its fifth season on Hulu The Handmaid’s Talewhich aired its first two episodes on September 14, Janine refuses to free herself from being a subservient servant under the control of her aunts, despite Esther’s urgings (McKenna Grace).

While Janine’s smugness may confuse some viewers, Madeline fully understands her motivations.

“I think it’s so easy to look at Janine and think she’s just going in line and following the rules,” Madeline told E! news Francesca Amniker. “I think it’s very easy to think she does. But there is nothing Janine does without a reason. I think she’s a survivor, and she always has been.”

In order to survive, Jeanine decides to try to help the Aunts.

“I think she feels like, ‘If I’m useful to them, maybe they won’t publish me,'” Madeline argued. “Her biggest worry right now, as we see her at the top of this season, is, ‘Am I going to be sent away or not? Will they send me back to the service or not?’ Because if I am returned to the service, I will die. She doesn’t need to be here anymore.”