Fans of The Testaments are eager to learn more about Commander Judd, the sinister character who featured prominently in the latest episode of the Disney+ and Hulu series. The role is played by English actor Charlie Carrick, a 39-year-old from Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Carrick discovered his passion for acting after a school production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. He later studied at Vancouver Film School, inspired by his grandfather who moved to Canada after the war. His mother was born in Canada, but the family eventually returned to Newcastle.
The actor has appeared in numerous productions, including We Were Liars, Hidden Assets, Cedar Cove, Reign, ITV's Deep Water, Sky's COBRA, and Departure. More recently, he featured in The Royal We, The Apprentice movie, and The Copenhagen Test. Upcoming projects include Call Me Queen and Stranger in Town, both in post-production.
In the series, Commander Judd shares similarities with Commander Fred Waterford from The Handmaid's Tale. In Margaret Atwood's novel, Judd is rumoured to kill his Wives and becomes engaged to Agnes, though Aunt Lydia spares her this fate. The book depicts him with five Wives, the last being Shunammite.
The TV show has diverged from the source material. In episode six, Judd's wife Penny suffers a miscarriage, leaving him distraught. Aunt Lydia suggests using a Handmaid, but Judd dismisses her. The series portrays Judd more sympathetically than the novel, though it remains unclear if he will follow the book's darker path.
