Alexis Bledel’s departure from The Handmaid’s Tale was a surprising one. In fact, an entire storyline had been built around her character ahead of season 5 before she opted to walk away.

At the time, Bledel said in a statement shared with Variety that she "felt [she] had to step away from The Handmaid’s Tale" ahead of season 5, but she didn't elaborate further on why.

Alexis Bledel made a shocking return to Gilead in the series finale of The Handmaid's Tale. The actress, 43, starred in the series for its first four seasons as Emily/Ofglen and made waves with ...