Trump Era’s Terrifying TV Villain Reveals Her True Self

Obsessed: The Podcast

The Daily Beast

Tv & Film

4.5 • 686 Ratings

🗓️ 30 April 2026

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Emmy-winning actress, Ann Dowd joins Matt Wilstein for a fascinating, funny, and revealing conversation about returning as Aunt Lydia in The Testaments, the highly anticipated sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. She opens up about finally learning Lydia’s backstory, why she never sees the character as a villain, and what it’s been like playing one of television’s most unforgettable roles for nearly a decade. Dowd also reflects on the eerie real-world parallels between The Handmaid’s Tale and today’s politics, winning the Emmy for her iconic performance, and stepping back into Gilead so soon after the original series ended. Plus, she shares behind-the-scenes memories from beloved projects like The Leftovers, Freaks and Geeks, Girls, Hacks, and more, making this a must-watch interview with one of the most talented actresses working today. Follow Kevin Fallon on Instagram ⁠@kpfallon⁠ Follow Matt Wilstein on Instagram ⁠@mattjwilstein⁠ New episodes every Thursday, and Saturday; ⁠early drops on YouTube⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hader, it's your big McDonald's hunger calling.
0:03.0	And it's not just any kind of hunger.
0:05.0	It's the kind that calls for big arch.
0:07.0	Start with juicy beef, cheddar cheese and big arch sauce.
0:10.0	Oh, and don't forget those crispy onions.
0:12.0	Hungry? You are now.
0:15.0	Served from 11 a.m. subject to availability.
0:18.0	Price and participation may vary.
0:20.0	I'm Rachel and I have a new show, Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch. Saved from 11am, subject to availability. Price and participation may vary.
0:24.8	I'm Rachel, and I have a new show, Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch.
0:29.5	It's an otherworldly comedy podcast where I, along with my co-host Irene Bremis,
0:33.8	talk to my funny friends about their own experiences with the eerie and the unknown.
0:39.8	Psychics, spirits, astro projection, check, check and check. You may think we live in a world where there's a logical explanation for anything out of the ordinary, but after you spend some time
0:44.2	with me and my pals, you might have your doubts and find that you too are woo-woo.
0:49.2	So when the lobsters come for us, when our lobster overlords come. You heard it here first.
0:56.2	Join me for a podcast that turns the mysterious tales of my funny friends into a spirited conversation.
1:02.6	Search for Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch, wherever you're listening now.
1:10.8	I wonder if people are scared to approach you because of those two characters. One woman came up to me. I was in the airport. And she was so intense. And she said, I know you. I know you. And I know where this was going. I thought, well, I'll just help her. I'll just say, yeah, the handmaids take. But she didn't seem to want anybody coming close to her. So I thought, okay, let's just stay clear. Next thing, you know, we're on the escalator together, and she's facing me. In other words, going down backwards. Then she said, I know who you are. I know. She got down to the bottom of the escalator, and she ran. And I thought, that is hysterical.
1:45.8	I'm more of a softy, I would say.
1:48.0	I don't have any desire to scare the bejesus out of anybody.
1:54.4	Hello and welcome to Obsessed the podcast.
1:58.0	I'm Matt Wilstein from The Daily Beast, and today on the show, I could not be more thrilled
	...

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