Lucy Halliday Takes Center Stage as Daisy in Hulu’s The Testaments
Lucy Halliday has stepped into the spotlight with her first leading role in Hulu’s The Testaments, a sequel to the acclaimed series The Handmaid’s Tale. In this new series, Halliday portrays Daisy, a Toronto teenager who becomes an undercover agent at a Gilead girls’ finishing school. This marks only her third acting job, but she credits two significant influences that guided her through this pivotal moment in her career.
Influences on Halliday’s Performance
One of the primary influences on Halliday’s portrayal of Daisy is the character herself. Halliday describes Daisy as “a gutsy person,” emphasizing her efforts to embody that strength. The second influential figure in her journey is James McAvoy, a celebrated actor and director from her hometown of Paisley, Scotland. Halliday recently completed work on McAvoy’s directorial debut, California Schemin’, which follows two Scottish friends who reinvent themselves as a California rap duo.
Halliday acknowledges that McAvoy’s guidance during filming—his notes, character insights, and professional demeanor—shaped her development as both an actor and an individual. She expressed gratitude for his support, stating that she would not have been able to navigate The Testaments without the experience gained from working with him.
Early Aspirations and Career Shift
Halliday’s journey into acting began at an early age. Her parents enrolled her in youth theater when she was eight, following her prolific writing of short stories. Initially, she resisted the idea of pursuing acting as a career, opting instead for medical school, influenced by her mother’s background as a nurse. However, she soon found herself regretting this decision and yearning for a creative outlet.
After her first medical school classes, Halliday encountered an open call for auditions for an independent drama titled Blue Jean. Despite lacking representation and not fitting the casting criteria, she sent a bold email expressing her interest. Halliday believed she could learn to play soccer and adopt a British accent, ultimately landing the role.
The Audition Process for The Testaments
Halliday’s path to The Testaments followed a more conventional route, involving an agent, audition requests, and a Zoom callback. The audition sides were intentionally vague, using different character names to maintain secrecy. However, Halliday, a fan of Margaret Atwood’s novels, quickly recognized that she was auditioning for Daisy. In her final meeting with showrunner Bruce Miller, she articulated her vision for the character, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Daisy’s tenacity despite the oppressive environment of Gilead.
Navigating a Larger Production
The Testaments presents a more extensive production than Halliday had previously experienced. She found support from her co-star Chase Infiniti, who plays Agnes, the daughter of June Osborne. Infiniti’s experience in larger productions provided Halliday with insights on self-advocacy and the importance of speaking up in a professional environment.
Alongside fellow young actors Mattea Conforti and Rowan Blanchard, Halliday formed a close-knit community in Toronto, often gathering for dinners to decompress from the intense scenes they were filming. Despite the darker themes of The Testaments, the cast found moments of levity, such as singing Wicked‘s “For Good” between takes during particularly challenging scenes.
Future Aspirations
As The Testaments prepares for its premiere on April 8, Halliday and her co-stars are hopeful for a second-season renewal. Halliday has expressed her eagerness to continue in the role and has ambitions beyond the series, including a return to theater and a desire to portray Merida in a live-action adaptation of Brave.
Halliday remains open to future opportunities, expressing a willingness to collaborate with a diverse range of talent in her career.
As reported by www.hollywoodreporter.com.
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Published on 2026-04-08 21:30:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk
