Cherry Jones has been a fan favourite on The Handmaid’s Tale since she first appeared in season two as Holly Maddox – but what do we know about the woman who plays June’s mum?

Cherry Jones, a renowned and esteemed actress, is once again gracing our screens in The Handmaid’s Tale. She made her debut in the Hulu series in its second season, playing the role of June’s mother, Holly Maddox. However, after it was revealed that Holly had been captured and sent to the colonies, viewers were left in the dark about her fate.

Thankfully, fans finally have some answers as Holly reappeared in the dystopian series in the first episode of season six, revealing she had managed to flee the colonies and had found refuge in Alaska. Now working as a doctor assisting refugees arriving in Alaska, Holly has at last been reunited with June and her new granddaughter, Nichole.

But what do we know about Cherry Jones, the actress who brings Holly Maddox to life?

Cherry Jones first appeared in the Hulu series back in season two as June’s mom, Holly Maddox (Image: Hulu)

Childhood

Born in Tennessee to a teacher and a flower shop owner, Cherry was encouraged by her parents to pursue her interest in theatre, attending a local drama school during her formative years.

Her passion for acting only grew from there, leading her to graduate from the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.

Career

Cherry Jones is a well-known and respected actor who is once again back on screens in The Handmaid’s Tale (Image: undefined)SUBSCRIBE

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Post-graduation, Cherry’s career took off as she starred in a plethora of films, shows, and theatre productions. Her performances in The Heiress and Doubt earned her two Tony Awards for Best Actress.

the small screen, Cherry is perhaps best known for her breakthrough roles in The West Wing as Barbara Layton, and in 24 as President Allison Taylor.

She has also showcased her talent in Transparent, Succession, Black Mirror, and American Crime.

Her debut on the big screen was in Light of Day as Cindy Montgomery, and she has since graced the silver screen in films such as Ocean’s Twelve, Wine Country, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and more recently, The Sky is Everywhere.

Famous exes

Sarah Paulson and Cherry Jones dated before separating in 2009 (Image: Getty)

Cherry previously shared an 18-year relationship with Mary O’Connor, but following their separation, she started a romance with Sarah Paulson. Cherry expressed her gratitude to Sarah, also an actress, during her acceptance speech at the Tony Awards in 2005, where she won Best Actress. Their relationship lasted until they parted ways in 2009.

In 2015, Cherry tied the knot with filmmaker Sophie Huber, and the couple has since celebrated a decade of marriage.

The Handmaid’s Tale role

Viewers learned Holly had been captured and sent to the colonies (Image: Hulu)

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Cherry made her first appearance in the Hulu series in season two, episode three, through flashback scenes. Elisabeth Moss, who stars as June Osborne and serves as the leading actress, was thrilled to have Cherry join the cast.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2018, Moss revealed: “Cherry was my fantasy choice.”

Bruce Miller, the showrunner, also emphasized that Holly was destined to be a pivotal character from the outset. “We’ve been thinking about her a lot. June’s mother is a big character in the book and representative of an interesting kind of feminism that was seemingly more of that time,” he commented.