Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
There are a lot of things you expect to see at D23, Disney’s three-day fan-fest extravaganza in Anaheim. Couples dressed up like steampunk Belle and the Beast, Ghostbuster Belle and the Beast, Star Wars Belle and the Beast–seriously a lot of people like riffing on Beauty and the Beast! But there’s nothing surprising about that, or all the Marvel cosplay or antique Disney paraphernalia or waves of people in variations of Mickey ears. What is surprising to see at D23, is a handmaid.
Yeah, I’m talking about a handmaiden from Hulu’s Emmy-winning dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale. But, much to my surprise, there one was, prominently displayed on the show floor across from Disney’s publishing booth and just behind the family friendly Disney+ booth! A legit handmaiden getup, one worn by series lead Elisabeth Moss herself.
While it’s definitely jarring to see the costume worn by a character who is essentially a slave kept alive for breeding purposes in a hellishly theocratic America of an alternate future at a bright and cheery event like D23, it makes sense. The display is part of Hulu’s convention presence, and Hulu’s there because Disney gained “full operational control” of the streaming service following their acquisition of Fox back in May.
There were plenty of other costumes on display in the booth, too, including plenty of dresses and wedding gowns from the new Four Weddings and a Funeral, one of Mandy Moore’s dresses from This Is Us, props from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a bike from the upcoming series Little Fires Everywhere, and George Clooney’s uniform from Catch-22.
But on the “I can’t believe this is actually at D23” end of the spectrum, is the terrifying monster get-up from the Into the Dark anthology episode “Pooka!”
Parents of kids at D23: don’t let your kid watch this! It is exactly as off-putting as that furry suit implies!
So while it’s weird seeing a handmaid at D23, it makes sense. Just please, people, please don’t make the joke that Offred is your favorite Disney princess now.
