Gilead’s numbers continue to grow.

Girl Meets World star Rowan Blanchard has joined the cast of The Testaments, the Handmaid’s Tale sequel that’s in development at Hulu. Our sister site Deadline first reported the casting.

Blanchard will take on the series-regular role of Shunammite, who is described as “a pampered teen from a prominent Gilead family whose status affords her a certain level of respect and power amongst her peers.”

The potential series, which Hulu confirmed in 2022 was in “active development” and which more recently has been reported as close to getting an order, is based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name and picks up a decade-and-a-half after the events of the original show.

In the new series, Ann Dowd is expected to reprise her role of Aunt Lydia, a part for which she took home the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Emmy in 2017. Dowd reportedly will be joined by Chase Infiniti (Presumed Innocent), who will play Agnes, and newcomer Lucy Halliday, who will play Daisy. The novel focuses on Lydia, Agnes and Daisy, all of whose stories eventually merge as the book tells the story of ongoing resistance in Gilead.

Bruce Miller, an executive producer who oversaw The Handmaid’s Tale for Seasons 1 through 5, stepped away for the Hulu series’ swan song in order to focus on developing The Testaments. Per Deadline, Miller will executive-produce the sequel alongside his Handmaid’s EP Warren Littlefield; Amazon MGM Studios will produce.

Meanwhile, The Handmaid’s Tale will return to Hulu for its final season on Tuesday, April 8.

In addition to leading the cast of Girl Meets World, Blanchard’s TV resumé includes The Goldbergs, Poker Face and Snowpiercer.

Thoughts on The Testaments‘ latest casting? Hit the comments with your thoughts!