I thought she basically was playing herself for Rory.
Well, she basically played Rory for Traveling Pants and Bride and Prejudice, so how were you to know any different? I'm glad she's able to prove her skill now, though.
ETA: My history with The Handmaid's Tale is first seeing the movie with Natasha Richardson and Faye Dunaway on late night tv. It intrigued me so I tracked down the book, which horrified me enough to become part of the tools with which I assess and evaluate world events. I used it as a reference for a fic I wrote, partly for my own catharsis and processing, partly as a wakeup call for some readers. It continues to generate comments and discussion.
I haven't seen the new series, but I've read a lot about it. And while I'm really very glad that it's generating interest and discussion about real-world events, I agree with Glam. For me, the new series seems like torture porn, and I'm not there for that.
I do have an urge to track down the movie and watch it again. I don't know if I can sustain a fourth or fifth reading of the book, though.