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

When a film or TV show's costume department does its job properly, the characters come to life so well that we forget there are actors behind them. That's definitely the case with Rita from "The Handmaid's Tale," a character that begins in a supporting role in the first season before becoming a key player in later seasons. The actor bringing Rita to life is Canadian Amanda Brugel, who's not only perfect for the role but was also extremely prepared going in. "I immediately fell in love with 'The Handmaid's Tale' when I was 14 in a class for Canadian literature," she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2025, adding that to get into her university's writing program, she wrote a thesis on the Margaret Atwood novel with a special focus on Rita, which landed her a scholarship in 1996. Brugel has mastered this character to the point where we're surprised to see her outside her Rita costume, particularly because she looks so different away from Gilead. Janine from "The Handmaid's Tale" is gorgeous in real life, and this just in: Brugel is, too.

Credit where it's due, the show's costume designer, Ane Crabtree, spared no expense in creating the most immersive and convincing wardrobes for the cast. "The colors, that fit, the attention to detail that Ane put into the costumes is a masterpiece in costuming and will go down for years and years," Brugel confirmed in the aforementioned interview, noting that the character looks ended up carrying more "dark, heavy, masculine vibes" than what she'd imagined when reading the book. She admitted that she took her Martha costume with her when filming wrapped, plus a few other wardrobe pieces and shoes. And just as well that she had something to remember her time as Rita by because away from set, Brugel unsurprisingly looks like a completely different person. 

Amanda Brugel's style is drastically different from Rita's, although that's not saying much given poor Rita lives in a dystopian world. One of the biggest features that differentiates character from actor is Brugel's hair, which she's often experimenting with. She has the confidence to rock a blond pixie just as boldly as thick bangs and long layers. Though a person's skin undertone affects how well a hair color suits them, Brugel seems to have a magical ability to suit everything from platinum blond to deep brunette.

While the Marthas' makeup game isn't that strong in Gilead, Brugel opts for earthy palettes, shimmery eyeshadow, and lashes for days, occasionally going for a bold lip. "Speaking of empowerment, beauty has the ability to not only transform how you look aesthetically, but also how you feel," she confirmed to Eva Longoria in a 2021 feature the pair did for The Kit. Her go-to tips for glowing from the inside out? "Drink more water, wear sunscreen, laugh more and try not to be so so so serious about life and actually sleep ... and party" (via New You). 

We've already seen that Aunt Lydia from "The Handmaid's Tale" is gorgeous in real life, partly because of her refreshing fashion choices, and Brugel's real-life wardrobe similarly goes a long way in building her image. If you're looking for tips to infuse more color into your wardrobe, she has you covered. After all, there's a reason she was a resident judge on "Canada's Drag Race." 

We can't dissect Amanda Brugel's look without talking about her fashion, which launches her to a different planet from "The Handmaid's Tale." Her red-carpet looks show an affinity for bold colors. Red seems to be her shade, though she can just as easily slip into a preppy pastel set. When she goes for saturated color, she often pairs it with a subtle lip to avoid overwhelming her look. Even though she turns heads in dresses of all styles, she seems to be even more comfortable power-dressing in pantsuits, particularly in fashion-forward silhouettes, whether baggy or pinstriped. It's no wonder that one of her favorite brands is Canadian-based UNTTLD, which mixes and matches feminine and masculine details. "I love their idea behind creating silhouettes for a powerful woman as well as a sexy woman — they can be the same thing, they can be synonymous," she told fashion writer Melina Morry in a 2018 interview with Chloe Magazine. 

Her stylist, Victor Blanco, revealed in a 2018 interview with Elle Canada that Brugel's sense of style is innate. "Amanda loves fashion, she loves very well done things," he said. "Even before I was working with her she was wearing amazing brands like Zimmermann. And speaking to her I realized she wanted to be in the fashion world, like all the big actresses who are wearing the big fashion brands." While she knows how to play it safe with 'fits that are trendy and guaranteed to please, she also has fun on the red carpet, bravely rocking experimental designs and daring cuts. She's already proven herself as a talented actor, but with each red-carpet season, Amanda Brugel cements herself further as a fashionista.