Madeline Brewer is a die-hard You fan. She’s observed each season (ranging from its humble starting on Lifetime) and is aware of the entire lore. If there have been a You minutiae sport available in the market, she would surely dominate. So it is not utterly unexpected to listen to the actress has low-key been plotting—or let’s say manifesting—her approach onto the Netflix display because it first aired. It could be a six-year wait, however happily for Brewer, the showrunners had simply the nature in thoughts for her for the display’s epic 5th and ultimate season. Enter Bronte.
We meet Brewer’s Bronte, an as it should be named aspiring playwright and bibliophile, the place the tale of You started: Mooney’s bookshop in New York City. The mysterious younger lady catches the attention of our murderous antihero Joe (Penn Badgley) following a clumsy late-night run-in whilst she used to be stealing (or, in her protection, borrowing) books from Mooney’s. Hiding some secrets and techniques of her personal, Bronte is completely interesting to Joe, however can she in reality be relied on? What hand will she play in Joe’s eventual dying? Those are the large questions this season.
In addition to her pivotal position in You, Brewer is announcing bye to her longest-running personality Janine as The Handmaid’s Tale takes its ultimate bow this month. She may well be in her “final season” generation, however as they are saying, when one door closes, some other opens, and Brewer has large plans for what is subsequent.
You get a decision a few phase in season 5 of You—what are your first ideas?
I’ve been telling my agent about me short of to be in this display because the display used to be on Lifetime as a result of my agent represents Penn [Badgley]. I’ve been an enormous fan of the display since season one and feature gently instructed to her 12 months after 12 months, “If there’s anything available, I would love to be on that show.” So this 12 months in any case, there used to be a really perfect spot for me.
You manifested this from the very starting.
I imply, my agent is a little bit of a witch. She’s very robust.
As a fan since day one, what do you in reality love in regards to the display?
It’s subversive. The problems [they cover] proper from the get-go… Season one, to me, is an ideal season of tv. It is amazingly relaxing to look at. It’s bingeable, if you’ll, and it is attractive. The 2d the season’s over, you are like, “Whoa, who was that man? Why did he do the things that he did?”
They were given the Gossip Girl man, and individuals are gonna fall head over heels in love with him, and it forces you to invite your self why. Am I simply in love with a phenomenal face? Is it that simple? Is it that straightforward? What will I permit any individual to escape with simply because they are handsome or fascinating or charismatic? What does that say about me? What does that say about society? What does it additionally say about the truth that he is a handsome white guy residing in New York? Where is the bar for courting? I feel it is the apologies that we make for gorgeous white other folks and wonderful white males, the apologies we are prepared to make for them and make allowance them to escape with sure issues that simply would not fly in different demographics. I feel it does a in reality nice activity of unveiling that reflect to us, to society, that that is an bad factor. Penn has executed the sort of stunning activity, and it is so thoughtful and so accountable of him to take in this position and to grasp who this guy is and that he is no longer a heartthrob. He’s a perilous individual. He’s a literal assassin. I simply suppose it is so good, and I really like that.
Let’s speak about your girl Bronte. What in reality excited you about this personality?
When I did my first assembly with the showrunners Michael [Foley] and Justin [W. Lo], they gave me a little bit of a lowdown about her and the vibe that they had been atmosphere for the season. They had been atmosphere the degree for it, and actually, I’d have performed any one. I’d have simply walked by means of within the background. But I used to be so fortunate that that they had this personality that they have get a hold of—this interesting, bad, ordinary, courageous lady. That’s how she struck me to begin with. I used to be like, “What a brave, strange person.” The extra I were given to be told about her, the extra I assumed she used to be simply out of her thoughts. But that is additionally the joys stuff.
What had been one of the vital references you had for locating this personality?
A large a part of the storyline is the fiction fantasy-romance style. This is in reality a really perfect personality for me as a result of she’s a bookworm, and so am I, even supposing now we have very other tastes. I’m no longer such a lot a fiction, delusion, attractive more or less girl. But I picked up that very large sequence and dove proper into it as a result of that is the sort of large a part of her existence. I feel it is a in reality necessary a part of her escapism, in order that used to be an access level for me—studying some attractive fairy smut, as she known as it.
Do you might have a non-public favourite creator or ebook in that style?
In the style, usually, I really like Anaïs Nin, who Bronte could be very accustomed to. I do not know. The factor about this style is the edging. Anaïs will get in there, and she or he’s like, “He grabbed my wet sex,” and I’m like, “Okay girl, go for it.” But within the fiction, delusion stuff, the fairy smut, they only edge you for like 200 pages, and I simply can’t. I do not need time. Get to it. I will’t stand it.
Season 5 brings the display again to the place all of it started—to New York City and to Mooney’s, Joe’s bookshop. How used to be it so that you can step into that global having been the sort of fan all of those years?
It used to be best possible. I’m so thankful that, of all seasons, this used to be the season as it used to be a homecoming to New York. … I dangle up [season one] as one in every of my favourite seasons of tv, so going again to Mooney’s, getting to stroll round in the ones units, getting to peer throughout the bookshop and out of doors of Mooney’s, to shoot the outside stuff and simply to peer issues that I’ve observed on TV, I really like that. I’m a fan. I hate to sound so commonplace about it, however it used to be freaking neat. And clearly taking pictures in New York. I’ve simply moved again to New York within the ultimate 12 months, and that is the primary time most likely in years the place I used to be in a position to visit paintings after which come house and sleep in my very own mattress, which is insane. We had the sort of nice time. It used to be summer time in New York. The forged in reality was beautiful tight. Penn would by no means pop out with us as a result of he is an previous guy, and he’ll let you know that himself, however we simply had a good time. It used to be like camp.
Let’s speak about Badgley. There’s numerous sexual pressure brewing between Joe and Bronte. How used to be it creating that with him? Did you already know every different ahead of this?
I hadn’t met Penn ahead of. I did two chemistry reads with him ahead of I were given the activity. What I had identified about him used to be in reality simply thru my agent and thru other folks I’ve met who’ve stated, “Oh yeah, he’s fun. He’s a great guy.” He’s been doing this display for 5 seasons now. I’ve additionally executed relatively a little bit of nudity or simulated intercourse scenes, all of that, and Penn and I, which used to be best possible, are each very at ease announcing what we predict and the way we really feel in the ones moments. Especially because the lead of the display for this lengthy and being primary at the name sheet, he used to be in reality beneficiant together with his time and made me really feel very at ease and secure. Penn is an in an instant likable, easy-to-get-along-with individual, in order that in reality is helping. I love to suppose I’m too. We additionally had conversations facilitated by means of our intimacy coordinator, who used to be superb, but additionally, Penn and I each had been in most of these areas for a long time and are in a position to recommend for ourselves and ensure what we are getting is the most productive scene conceivable.
You had been dedicated to this display for 5 seasons now. Are you happy with how the display wraps up?
I feel they do it in reality, in reality fantastically. Michael and Justin simply in reality knocked it out of the park, for the reason that finishing of this sequence is both he is useless or he is in jail. There’s no longer in reality another approach. If he runs to some other town, that is some other season. So there used to be one in every of two choices. I’m in reality pleased with Bronte’s participation in the best way the season and the sequence involves an finish. I additionally suppose that the finale episode is likely one of the best possible issues I’ve ever been part of. I’m so pleased with it. Our director, Lee [Toland Krieger], simply knocked it out of the park, actually. I stay the usage of “knocked it out of the park.” Please, select one thing else. Lee shot the pilot, which, to me, used to be so necessary as a result of I really like that first season. [We’re] simply in reality bringing it house to what the display is all about, and it is about bringing justice to those ladies who’re sufferers of interpartner violence. It is so not unusual, and it is so frightening, and I love to suppose that the display does a in reality stunning activity honoring [them]. Especially coming again to the storyline with Beck in season 5, I feel it in reality honors the place now we have been.
In addition to You, you might have the overall season of The Handmaid’s Tale, which has been a large a part of your existence.
This June might be 9 years since I auditioned. Is that nuts?
Wow, that is a large portion of any individual’s existence and profession. How does it really feel to be ultimate the sort of large bankruptcy and announcing good-bye to Janine?
Honestly, it is nice. I’m so pleased with Janine. I’m pleased with the tale. I’m pleased with what now we have given every different over the process six seasons. Everything’s were given to finish, proper? I don’t believe some other season would have in reality executed her justice. I used to be able to mention good-bye to Gilead, evidently, and I feel that this ultimate season is so inspiring. It’s so a lot more inspiring, in reality, than different seasons had been as a result of we needed to give the ladies time to damage out. We needed to give those ladies time to uproot themselves from the oppression that they have been residing underneath. I’m in reality pleased with the best way we finish it.
What have an effect on has Janine had on you individually?
I began the display when I used to be 24. I grew up with Janine. She’s part of who I’m now in the sort of approach. In numerous techniques, as a result of her, I’m a greater buddy, and I’m a greater daughter, and I’m a greater individual. Just for instance, I generally tend to catastrophize all the dangerous issues that might be able to occur, and Janine has given me the facility to carry directly to the silver lining of items and to be a little bit extra positive. It’s tough to be any individual in 2025 who exists on the web and sees the horrors going on day by day on the planet and to nonetheless attempt to consider within the innate goodness of other folks, and Janine has taught me stay searching for that.
Did you get to stay your pink get dressed?
Oh, I positive did. I did not even put it again at the hanger after I shot my ultimate evening. It simply went immediately into my backpack. I did not precisely ask. I most likely will have to have requested. They did not ask for it again but, so like, what are you gonna do with it? I’ve my caplet, my eye patch, and my get dressed. It’s a work of historical past, you already know.
You’ve checked off a bucket-list profession merchandise by means of starring in You, and now that Handmaid’s is finished, what are you shopping to subsequent?
That’s the sort of tricky query as a result of I need to do all of it. I moved again to New York so I may just do theater extra regularly. I really like theater. It’s what I went to college for, and it is the place I in reality love to be, and I do know numerous actors are the similar. I do need to take a look at my hand at directing, particularly staring at Lizzie [Moss] in reality blossom into the sort of gifted, passionate director. She’s simply the sort of professional now. It’s so cool. I need to do one thing very similar to that. I additionally in reality have my eyes on enjoying a real-life individual. So a lot of making a personality is inventing numerous issues, and I really like that procedure, however I’m able for an excessively other problem. I’m able to tackle a task this is extra of an uncovering reasonably than a growing.
Photographer: James Bee
Stylist: Sachiko Clyde
Hairstylist: Yuhi Kim
Makeup Artist: Sasha Borax
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