Janine From The Handmaid's Tale Is Gorgeous In Real Life

Fans of the six seasons of "The Handmaid's Tale" know that Janine has it rough, enduring humiliation and disappointment constantly. But this feisty character is also one of the favorites from the series, as she's known for her grit and resilience. Beautifully portrayed by Madeline Brewer, who got her first big break in 2013 as a recurring actor on "Orange Is the New Black," Janine is one of those characters that makes you ache and hope at the same time.

As Janine, we only catch rare glimpses of Brewer's true beauty. In Season 1, Janine is punished by having her eye cut out, so she has a stitched-up socket that she covers with an eye patch. Like the others, she has to wear red, and she must cover her body and wear a bonnet to show modesty and subservience. Well, Brewer couldn't be further from this buttoned-up servant — not that dissimilar to Teeter from "Yellowstone," who is also gorgeous in real life. Not only does Brewer clean up well, but she's also absolutely stunning when she hits the red carpet with her signature thick, red locks. Though she has naturally blond hair, Brewer is one of the many women who have agreed with the research that shows that red hair can transform your life.

You read that right. Madeline Brewer, who played Janine in "The Handmaid's Tale," has actually had to defend her looks. Why, you may ask, when she is clearly gorgeous in real life? It stemmed from her role as Brontë on "You," who viewers didn't take a liking to, which resulted in online trolling about her looks. As she told People in June 2025, "I didn't expect people to like Brontë, but I didn't expect them to call me ugly, because I'm not. I get that I'm not everybody's cup of tea, but I'm not ugly."

If her red-carpet appearances are anything to go by, this actor is more than just not ugly; she's absolutely gorgeous. She's also not afraid to flaunt her good looks. She enlists celebrity super-stylist Elizabeth Saltzman (who's worked with fashionable celebs like Saoirse Ronan, Jodie Comer, and Julia Garner) to aid in her red-carpet dressing, which floats between sexy and playful. Just consider her "You" premiere look, which saw her in a black outfit with a daring cutout in the chest and midriff area. It matched the tone of the show and highlighted her figure beautifully. Brewer also chooses up-and-coming designers, which further concretes her as a trendsetter and individual thinker — quite different from Janine, in fact. 

Janine may not be allowed to wear makeup in "The Handmaid's Tale," but thankfully, Madeline Brewer doesn't live in the fictional world of Gilead and has graced many red carpets. In an April 2025 TikTok shared by Allure, Brewer showed off her stunning, makeup-free face as she got ready for the Season 5 premiere of "You." As she sat in the makeup chair, the actor told the camera, "So the vibe we're doing tonight is, like, new-Old Hollywood glam." The final result showed Brewer with her long, red hair in loose waves, classic red lips, and fluffy eyebrows that made us oh-so envious.

Brewer wasn't always big on getting glam, telling Into the Gloss in March 2025, "I've been making an effort to wear more makeup, which has been great for my mental health. Before, I used to save things for important moments, but now I feel like every day is worth dressing up for, and makeup is a part of that." Now, she's a bit of a beauty expert and adds purple liner to enhance her blue eyes. The "Orange Is the New Black" star also shared, "Sometimes I'll put blush on my eyelids for a monochromatic look, but usually I just place it from the apples of my cheeks up to the bottom of my eyes because one time I went out running and noticed that my natural flush sat there." 

Brewer may have a distinct face, but she's definitely a chameleon when it comes to her makeup. And whether she goes for a bold red lip or a soft palette, she's always gorgeous. Feeling inspired by Brewer's fiery locks now? Here are tips for switching from blond to red hair.