Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale, this one is for you. The Testaments, the sequel based on Margaret Atwood’s book set after the events of the original story, is arriving on Hulu on April 8, and I can assure you it’s just as chilling and powerful! Starring fresh faces Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another‘s budding breakout) and Lucy Halliday, the dystopian drama follows two teens, Agnes and Daisy, who—in the halls of Gilead’s elite preparatory school where the focus is teaching its young girls how to be submissive wives—form a bond that will change the course of their lives.
Following stops in Paris and London, the show culminated its global press tour in Los Angeles with a lavish premiere complete with purple carpet and students of Aunt Lydia’s school. Before the festivities kicked off, series regular Mabel Li—who plays Aunt Vidala, one of the school’s literate and brutal authority figures who train the girls to accept Gilead’s oppressive dogma—invited Who What Wear into her getting-ready suite for an exclusive peek at her simply glamorous Givenchy look.
Firstly, what was the vision/mood you and your stylist Enrique Melendez had for The Testaments’ Los Angeles premiere?
My mood board was very high femme, romantic shapes, and lots of color. I felt like I had done a lot of black recently on the red carpet, but [the] joke’s on me! When we tried this beautiful, elegant Givenchy dress and it fit like a glove, we both knew it was irresistibly the right choice. It exudes effortless glamour. I just love wearing black—what can I say?
Tell us about the look you ultimately chose. What made it a standout among other options?
We chose this Givenchy gown which had such a great balance of clean lines [and] an elegant silhouette but also a little bit sexy with the open back. The silky fabric of the dress and the way the dress is cut is so flattering on the body, and it was also light and comfortable to wear, which is definitely a plus.
How did it make you feel when you first put it on?
The fact that it was already fitting so perfectly to my body before any tailoring was such a sure sign that this was the right move! I felt like me but elevated.
Any favorite details to note?
I love the fitted top half of the dress and the beautiful, simple draping on the bottom half. And then you have that open back that just adds a bit of sexiness. Givenchy did classic timelessness to perfection.
What’s your red carpet–dressing philosophy?
I like to have fun and play around with femininity and masculinity and androgyny. It really depends on my mood. I’ve done high-femme looks, and I’ve also done suited, punky, androgynous looks. I find that I really gravitate toward having a little bit of edge in whatever look I do for a red carpet, but who knows? One day, I might do a really soft, whimsical number.
What was the direction for your glam look? Did you and your team look at any specific references?
Rena Calhoun and Pircilla Pae, my hair and makeup artists, are both so incredibly talented and detail oriented at what they do. I knew that I wanted to do hair down, and I had a vision of playing with and exaggerating and highlighting the volume and length of my hair to give the overall look another texture since my natural hair is straight and silky, kind of like the dress. Rena and I looked at “’90s supermodel blowout” references and were like, “Let’s go va-va-voom!” Pircilla and I were definitely looking at a lot of K-beauty references, which we’re obsessed with. They just do red carpet glam so well. Fresh, luminous skin and then landed on this edgy but refined eyeliner.
What’s your essential red carpet beauty product?
Mints! And lip balm.
Tell us about being a part of a show like The Testaments. What did it mean to you?
I’m so incredibly proud to be a part of The Testaments. It is such an honor to be joining the legacy of incredible storytelling that is in the Margaret Atwood universe and also following the exceptional TV show, The Handmaid’s Tale, which I was a huge fan of. Our show is another perspective on Gilead, and it feels really fresh and powerful.
What really struck you about the character you play, Aunt Vidala?
Aunt Vidala is a very hardened, authoritarian figure in the school, second in command to Aunt Lydia. I think she is doing what she needs to do to survive in a world like Gilead. But I think what is incredible about playing her is her multifacetedness and her expert flexibility in balancing all the power structures in the world. The writers could’ve easily just written a one-dimensional kind of villain character, but there are all of these layers and contradictions to her that are revealed throughout the season. Without spoiling anything, I hope we really get to understand how she came to be the way she is today.
The L.A. premiere is a cast and crew reunion of sorts. Who are you most excited to see/run into tonight?
This is such a dream cast and crew. Walking on to set every day was walking into love and passion. I’m so excited to see Chase and catch up on the incredible journey of her past six months. I can’t wait to have a little boogie with Zarrin [Darnell-Martin] and Eva [Foote], who also play aunts in the show. I’m so stoked to see Ann Dowd. That woman has my heart!
What did the end of your night look like?
Funnily enough, Chase, Brad [Alexander], and I were the last ones on the dance floor chatting away, which I didn’t expect because I’m definitely an early bedtime kind of gal. I was still in my heels, which was a slay for me. They were actually the most comfortable heels. Thank you, Givenchy. When I got back to the hotel, I had a cookie. Perfect end.
The Testaments premieres on Hulu on April 8.
Photographer: Andie Jane
Stylist: Enrique Melendez
Hairstylist: Rena Calhoun
Makeup Artist: Pircilla Pae