Speak the F— Up - Minority Mindset

Bradley Whitford is putting both his career and his safety at stake by standing up for what’s right, given that there are so many MAGA extremists around these days.

We’re sitting in a bustling café located on New York City’s Lower East Side during a cold Saturday afternoon in March, and Whitford is discussing the upcoming final season of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” airing this week on Hulu. In this series, he portrays Commander Joseph Lawrence, a character who created the fictional Gilead – an oppressive society modeled after America under the control of extremist white Christian nationalists and their wives. These women, after seizing power and overthrowing the U.S. government, enslave other women, subject them to cruel treatments such as torture, mutilation, rape, and steal their children. Whitford is clearly expressing his concern that we might be moving in this direction.

It’s an uncanny similarity that the premiere of “The Handmaid’s Tale” occurred during the 2016 election while Ruth Bader Ginsburg was still alive and Roe v. Wade was still established, and now, what initially seemed like a chilling fictional depiction of women’s oppression by cruel, fanatical, power-hungry extremists could be becoming reality. We may not don crimson robes and winged headpieces yet, but no woman in America is unaware of the symbolism behind this image, whether they’ve watched the show or not.

In 2018, it seemed fitting for the show’s creator, Bruce Miller, to cast Richard Whitford in the role of the quirky, forgetful Commander Lawrence during Season 2. This was because Whitford excels at blending humor with drama and vice versa. He had demonstrated this talent in Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” the previous year, where he played a charming liberal father who was just as adept at small-talk at garden parties as he was at performing transplants of white friends’ brains into Black people’s skulls.

In an alternate scenario, Whitford could have excelled as a quirky antagonist throughout “The Handmaid’s Tale.” However, by Season 6, Lawrence transformed into one of Gilead’s covert revolutionaries, though he may still harbor uncertainty. Whitford expresses a desire for someone in our reality to emulate this transformation.

To some extent, he accuses his past and present superiors in the network industry of allowing the decay of our democracy and the undermining of our Constitution. He remarks, “It’s quite intriguing,” he states, “particularly when you consider the individuals I’ve worked under throughout the years, who were all present at Trump’s inauguration, remaining silent as their daughters’ rights are being stripped away.

Today, he’s sporting Commander Lawrence’s black-rimmed spectacles, and his silvery hair is slightly disheveled. In a dry tone, he remarks, “We’re facing the demise of democracy, and the planet is ablaze,” yet he maintains a focus on a revival in footwear comfort and aesthetic dentistry.

Bradley Whitford’s acting style is characterized by delivering harsh truths with a touch of wit, making his characters complex and unexpected. This approach has earned him numerous nominations for Emmy Awards (eight) and Screen Actors Guild Awards (nine), winning three Emmys and two SAGs. It’s likely why he was chosen to play Allison Janney’s husband in the upcoming season of the political comedy “The Diplomat,” portraying a hesitant first spouse to her character as the President of the United States.

He moves closer to me, flashing a weary smile, and his white beard shows signs of him twirling it as a comforting gesture. Spending time with him feels like catching up with an old buddy you haven’t seen in about 40 years, with plenty to talk about on various topics – culture, politics, and personal matters. However, he admits he’s not his usual self; he’s agitated and frustrated. “You see, misogyny is deeply rooted in the primitive part of these right-wing Christian white nationalists,” he shares, voice filled with rage. “It’s retaliatory. And honestly, I’m furious at all those I work for. I just want them to speak up,” he exclaims.

He picks up a white mug of black coffee. It hangs there in his hand.

In other words, if I were the head of Disney, which is now where I find myself, I’ve heard them say, ‘We truly value you and want to ensure you have healthcare.’ But let me make it clear, they need to be more explicit about it! This time, loud and clear, so everyone, even in the noise, can hear.

“And Jeff Bezos,” he continues, “fucking speak up!”

I enquire from Whitford whether he’d ever express anything to those he’s employed by, should he encounter them, to which he gestures towards the recording device and remarks, “Well, of course, I don’t mind saying it with you around.

Continuing, he says: “I’m not trying to be confrontational, but I’d genuinely like to know from Jeff Bezos – who, during my time on ‘Transparent,’ was emphasizing the significance of aiding this vulnerable community that’s been made into a pawn in politics – ‘What on earth is going on here?'”

“He continues by expressing: ‘I don’t want to come off as aggressive, but I’d truly appreciate it if Jeff Bezos – who, while working on ‘Transparent,’ stressed the value of helping this marginalized community that’s been used in political games – could enlighten me about what’s happening here?’

However, Whitford is fully aware of the situation at hand. “A year ago,” he explains, “there were approximately 65,000 pregnant rape victims lacking access to abortion care.” He continues, “Today, that number has significantly increased. This isn’t a simulation or a fictional tale – it’s real life. Margaret Atwood almost abandoned her book on several occasions due to its perceived implausibility. In retrospect, she appears to have been overly optimistic.

Bradley Whitford hails from Madison, Wisconsin, born in 1959. His father, an insurance professional who later headed the Dane County chapter of Planned Parenthood, was significantly older than him. His mother, a harpist and published poet, identified as an atheist and joined the Quaker faith out of opposition to religious figures dictating what is sacred. She requested that her obituary reflect this atheist identity.

During his childhood, Whitford believes, there was a frequent event that deeply ingrained in him the entire spectrum of human emotions, possibly inspiring him to become an actor.

Growing up, my nights were often filled with an unsettling silence as my dad suffered from terrifying nightmares, forcing him to retire early. Yet, our home was brimming with love, thanks to the soothing melodies of my mother’s enchanting harp serenades that echoed through the house every evening. My father, though tormented in his sleep, lay just down the hall. As I casually pluck a berry from a nearby bowl, its juicy roundness nestled between my slender fingers, I can’t help but reflect on those unique and somewhat eerie memories that have become an integral part of my childhood reminiscences.

Whitford has often struggled with self-doubt regarding his acting abilities and finds it difficult to trust confident actors, yet he’s always shown courage. Following his graduation from Wesleyan and Juilliard, his debut role in New York theater was in a 1985 Off Broadway production of Sam Shepard’s “Curse of the Starving Class.” During this performance, he had to assume an awkward position onstage, squatting naked and handling a live lamb. On one occasion, he contracted salmonella poisoning, which could have potentially ended his career if he had soiled himself in front of Kathy Bates during a performance at the Promenade. “It would have been the only thing people remembered about me,” he reflects. “Like, ‘Wow, he had an accident onstage in front of Kathy Bates!’

However, despite needing to relieve himself during the performance, he didn’t soil himself. In fact, this incident seemed to have a positive impact on his career, as it not only survived but also prospered significantly.

Two years after portraying Waspy douche in “Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise” with a sweater on his shoulders, he encountered fellow theater enthusiast Timothy Busfield. They attended one-acts together. In 1989, Busfield was cast in Aaron Sorkin’s play “A Few Good Men,” and he advocated for Whitford to join the cast. Sorkin initially hired Whitford as an understudy, later giving him the lead when the production transferred to the Music Box. This marked Whitford’s Broadway debut.

He remarks that his dressing room was larger than the entire apartment he lives in. It even came with a 24-hour doorman. He relocated his dog, Luke, there and resided in this spacious setting, having an extraordinary experience. I believe Aaron had faith in me. We seemed to understand each other on some level. I could recognize his unique voice.

Sorkin specifically wrote the role of Josh on “The West Wing” for Whitford, as he had initially intended to cast him as Sam Seaborn. However, due to complications in negotiating Rob Lowe’s contract, this didn’t happen. When presented with the alternative part, Whitford, showing some audacity, declined it and said, “Aaron, I’m not the guy with the hookers!

Aaron Sorkin has consistently sought to involve Brad in his projects, stating that he possesses two qualities which are difficult for actors to feign: intelligence and humor. Additionally, Brad is a fantastic collaborator. Unlike some actors who isolate themselves during filming, Brad makes the set feel like a celebration.

On the set of “The West Wing,” where Janney portrayed press secretary C.J. Cregg, she’d often arrive to find the crew chuckling. Thinking, “‘Brad must have said something amusing. What was it Brad did?’ She recounts, for Brad has a knack for being naturally funny. He could stretch a joke out all day.

Before the interview for this article, Janney sought advice from her ongoing “West Wing” group chat about describing Whitford. One person responded affectionately, “All love.” Others praised him as courageous, generous, brilliant, hilarious, dedicated, passionate, moral, and a tireless champion for justice. While Richard Schiff, currently working on a play, jokingly commented, “I’m in tech rehearsals and just glad Brad isn’t stealing the show from me.

On “The West Wing,” Richard Whitford encountered Elizabeth Moss, who was 17 years old and portrayed President Bartlet’s daughter, Zoey, back then. Later, around two decades later, she would become famous for her role in “The Handmaid’s Tale.

Moss shared that he was incredibly anxious when working alongside Whitford back then. At such a young age, he felt uncomfortable and unable to establish a friendly relationship with him. He also admitted that he didn’t feel casual or jovial enough in his presence, using the term ‘josh’ as a humorous reference.

During the period when Whitford was wedded to Jane Kaczmarek, who is famously known for her role in “Malcolm in the Middle,” and is currently married to Amy Landecker, whom he met on the set of “Transparent,” Whitford noticed that Moss exhibited an unusual grace and self-assuredness, as well as a strong sense of comfort within herself.

He notes how Moss transformed into a driving force behind the Golden Age of television dramas, citing her award-winning performances in ‘Mad Men’ and ‘Top of the Lake.’ It was partly because of Moss that Whitford took on a guest role in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ during its second season. Now, he’s working with her again, and it feels almost like parental pride, something he wasn’t expecting. Despite having three grown children, he admits to cherishing Moss, but hadn’t anticipated feeling this sense of pride about her.

Working alongside Moss in “The Handmaid’s Tale” flipped Whitford’s sense of parental pride upside down, as he discovered just how powerful she was, and how her power transformed his own life.

Actors, as per Whitford’s perspective, often resemble “pieces on a chessboard” – they tend to be passive, compliant, and without a voice in many instances, much like the handmaids do.

For June Osborne, portrayed by Moss, losing control over her own actions left her huddled on a closet floor, yearning for the end of existence. However, being described as someone with an “unyielding resistance to defeat” (according to Whitford), June managed to rise again and sparked a rebellion.

As I stood there, captivated by the scene unfolding before me on set, I marveled at how Jennifer Moss seamlessly blended into her role as both star and director of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Her dedication was relentless, engrossing herself in every aspect of production around the clock – from casting decisions to collaborating with writers. It felt akin to watching Meryl Streep not only star in but also direct ‘Sophie’s Choice,’ such was her unwavering commitment and immersion in the project.

It became apparent that Whitford’s affectionate fatherly feelings toward such a powerful woman were slightly overstepping the boundaries of appropriateness.

Whitford expresses that he felt a fatherly pride towards her, but there was also a hint of patronization in his feelings. He acknowledges a certain sense of ‘I’m the more experienced one, and look how impressive it is that I’m so proud of her.’

In the early stages of their partnership on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” whatever Whitford and Moss had going between them seemed beneficial for the show: The stern affection Commander Lawrence displayed could easily be seen as paternal pride masking misogynistic contempt, given that he is a sinister character who, in Miller’s words, “shows interest in humanity but not in people.

June remained strong despite Lawrence’s patronizing behavior, and as Moss and Whitford’s friendship flourished, so did the bond between the handmaid and her commander. This relationship was being developed as the series progressed, eventually leading June and Lawrence to become allies.

Or:

June didn’t wilt under Lawrence’s patronizing attitude, and as Moss and Whitford’s friendship grew, so did the connection between the handmaid and the commander. This bond was being shaped as the show unfolded, eventually turning June and Lawrence into partners in their shared struggle.

Whitford expresses that June had ignited the ember of Lawrence’s redemption, and he felt deeply moved by this. He exclaimed, ‘Wow, amazing! She’s guiding me!’

As a movie reviewer, let me share my thoughts on a particularly harrowing scene. In this sequence, Commander Lawrence is forced by the oppressive regime of Gilead to sexually assault June, a woman he’s never before interacted with. The consequences are chilling: if they fail to provide evidence of consummation that night, all three—Lawrence, June, and his fragile wife Eleanor—face certain death.

The scene is intense, as Lawrence, visibly distraught, sits on his bed, while Eleanor weeps hidden behind a curtain. June, in an act of compassion, guides him through the ordeal, explaining the steps he must take mentally to endure this horrific act.

After this particular scene, Whitford found his collaboration with Moss to be among the most fruitful partnerships he’s experienced throughout his entire career.

Moss concurs, expressing, “We became quite close.” She explains, “The bond between June and Lawrence wouldn’t be as strong if not built upon the friendship shared by Brad and me. When you hold such deep respect and admiration for someone, as I do for him, and perform a scene together, there’s no denying that it adds depth.

Moss hesitates before saying, “I’ll send him a message, ‘You’ve just been turned into a veritable deity.’

Today at a café situated on the Lower East Side, Bradley Whitford can be seen embodying June Osborne’s approach. He is prioritizing the nation over his personal life by exposing the hypocrisy exhibited by influential figures in media and entertainment.

In my perspective as a movie reviewer, the protagonist of June embodies an empowering message: she underscores that our agency is not handed to us; instead, we must seize it. This film stirs feelings of despair in viewers due to the portrayal of powerlessness in our nation, but it also serves as a call-to-action for each of us to claim the strength within ourselves. The character’s determination to inspire action among her peers makes June a truly captivating watch.

After a brief pause, he appears exhausted, and then declares, “I don’t mind if it sounds politically charged. I just wish Jeff Bezos would express some political views.

Then he says to no one in particular, and to everyone, “Speak the fuck up.”

2025-04-08 18:20

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