‘The Handmaid’s Tale’: Elisabeth Moss’ Listened to Billie Eilish’s ‘Bury a Friend’ ‘a Lot’ While Making the Show
Billie Eilish’s “Bury a Friend” plays out the final episode of The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5. The haunting song comes on as Serena Joy, and June stand face to face on a train, holding their babies and running for their lives. It’s an interesting choice to close out the season finale. However, The Handmaid’s Tale star and director Elisabeth Moss hoped to use it for some time.
[SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers ahead for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 finale.]
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 5 ends on a cliffhanger
Throughout The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, Luke and June slowly realize that Toronto is no longer safe. After a Gilead sympathizer hits June with a truck, they decide to take Nichole and run. However, the police are looking for Luke to charge him with the death of June’s attacker. He instructs his wife to flee without him in a heartbreaking phone call.
As June walks through the train alone, and fans wipe their tears away, she spots a familiar face. Serena Joy stands at the back, holding baby Noah. The scene’s emotional music switches to Billie Eilish’s “Bury a Friend” as Serena Joy asks, “You got a diaper?” and June smirks and quirks an eyebrow.
“It’s actually a pretty positive ending for the show and the season, which we don’t usually do,” showrunner Bruce Miller told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s a cliffhanger, but there’s something positive about it. Of course, of all the people that would be on the train is this person who is her other half, the other half of this experience.”
Why Elisabeth Moss chose Billie Eilish’s ‘Bury a Friend’ to close out ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 5
Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows in The Handmaid’s Tale just because June spied a familiar face. June understandably never forgives Serena for what she did to her in Gilead. Yet there is a sense of relief that both these women won’t be moving forward alone.
Perhaps that influenced Elisabeth Moss, who directed the season 5 finale, to choose Billie Eilish’s dark yet upbeat “Bury a Friend” to play the season out. “I wanted something that gave the audience a little moment to breathe,” she told THR.
“It’s such a moment they are experiencing when June and Serena are looking at each other; those last 15 minutes of the episode are so emotional, and I wanted to give the audience a little bit of a smile and a wink. I was texting Bruce [Miller] after I picked the song, reciting the lyrics to him, saying it could not be more perfect.”
“I went through several choices,” Moss continued. “That’s a song that I’ve loved since it came out; I listened to it a lot while making the show, so it’s always been in the back of my mind to use at some point.”
What is ‘Bury a Friend’ about?
Billie Eilish’s own words about “Bury a Friend” only make it more fitting for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 finale. “‘Bury a Friend’ is literally from the perspective of the monster under my bed. If you put yourself in that mindset, what is this creature doing or feeling?” Eilish said while speaking to the Alternative Press in 2019.
“I also confess that I’m this monster because I’m my own worst enemy,” Eilish continued. “I might be the monster under your bed too.”
All episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale are currently streaming on Hulu.
