Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale" was published in 1985, but Hulu's television adaptation of the book, which just completed its fourth season, shows that it's still remarkably timely. Actress Yvonne Strahovsy earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Serena Joy Waterford.

In an interview for "LA Times Today," she joined host Lisa McRee to talk about it all. 

What You Need To Know

  • Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale" was published in 1985, but HULU's television adaptation of the book, which just completed its 4th season, is still remarkably timely

  • Hulu’s hour-long drama, created by Bruce Miller and based on Atwood’s novel of the same name, once painted a frighteningly plausible picture of America after a second civil war

  • Actress Yvonne Strahovsy earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Serena Joy Waterford

  • Season 5 of “The Handmaid’s Tale” may drop sometime in 2022

From red cloaks to white bonnets, Strahovsy said, "The Handmaid's Tale" is relevant to the recent political climate.

"At the time, it was all happening so fast, you know, being on this incredible show. And I think before it came out, I remember being in the scenes, just thinking how great everyone was on the show, and I thought people are really going to like this," Strahovsy said. "But, as the show shifted into becoming a political symbol, I was a little surprised at the time. Now, in hindsight, I'm so used to it. It makes so much sense. And it's great to be part of a show that's made such a huge impact, and that is such a big relevant conversation starter." 

When it comes to the future of Strahovsy's character Serena Joy Waterford, she's excited to see what's in store for season five.

"I definitely would always call our showrunner, Bruce Miller, before each season as they were in the writer's room. So once they were starting to sort of map out the season, I would always call, and he would always tell me what we're thinking for every season. So, you know, I'm due to do that now because I know they're in the writer's room for season five," Strahovsy said.

"The Handmaid's Tale" is shot in Canada, and Strahovsy said the weather can sometimes cause a seasonal affective disorder.

"When you go to a place that is drab and gray for a long period, I really struggle with that. I ended up getting one of those happy lights at one point, which ended up just giving me anxiety in the end because it reminded me of the dark times," she said.  

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Strahovsy recently took on the role of an action hero in the film "The Tomorrow War." And even though it's a different character than Serena Joy Waterford, she says she enjoyed it.

"It was fantastic to get back into something action-packed. I came from that world with a lot of action and stunts, so it had been a while. But, it was so much fun, and it was such a fun movie with all the drama in it. So I still got to do that part of it," she said.

Season five of "The Handmaid's Tale" will likely drop sometime in 2022, and some fans wonder if this will be the show's last season.

"I mean, potentially it could be the last season with maybe another bonus half-season or something; I'm not sure. It really depends on where they take it. It does feel like the scope of the world we've created is endless. I mean, you could take it in so many different directions. But I don't know; it's never that healthy for a show, I think, to go on and on and on. You know, there needs to be a nice cut-off point," Strahovsy said.

Watch "LA Times Today" at 7 and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News app.