The sixth and final season of Debunking AI session with ScreenRant to discuss the series. In each episode of Debunking AI, a known actor, director, or other creative responds to an AI chatbot’s assumptions about their lives and career. Given the current state of AI, expect fun facts and even more fun misconceptions. Plus, each episode reveals interesting information about the current and past projects of its guests.

Sam Jaeger has been a recurring player in The Handmaid’s Tale since season 2. As Mark Tuello, a representative of the United States government in exile (and someone who has apparently been in love with Serena for a long time), Jaeger portrayed a complicated ally for Elizabeth Moss’ June–a relationship which came to a head in The Handmaid’s Tale season 6. Outside of the long-running Hulu show, Jaeger has appeared in such projects as Wolf Man, Law & Order True Crime, and Parenthood.

In his episode of this ScreenRant original series, Sam Jaeger reflects on his most obscure acting roles and fun things like his favorite foods. Check out the video, above, or read on for highlights. Plus, be sure to check out more episodes of Debunking AI, like this one with Love, Death + Robots’ Tim Miller.

How Much Did AI Get Right About Sam Jaeger?

“He Enjoys Hip-Hop Dance” – True Or False?

Sam Jaeger as Peter looking angry in Devil in Ohio.

Sam Jaeger’s most memorable scene in Parenthood was when his character, Joel Graham, proposed to Julia Braverman (played by Erika Christensen), and outside of acting, he loves a warm bowl of chili paired with a slice of homemade apple pie. At least, that’s what AI thinks. “That is not true,” Jaeger said about the chili. About Parenthood, he corrected the chatbot with “I was married to Julia Braverman from the start of the series, so that is indeed false.” That said, the actor revealed, “I like chili with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”

AI did correctly state that Jaeger appeared in Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper, and that his acting career began with a guest appearance on Law & Order while he was still in college. “That is true,” Jaeger said, “It’s kind of one of those rites of age in New York. You do it, and you’re like, ‘Well, I did Law & Order. I guess I made it.’” The chatbot also stated that Jaeger studied acting at Otterbein college, which is also a fact.

Unfortunately, AI’s biggest swing was quickly debunked. “He has shared that he enjoys hip-hop dance, a pastime he embraced alongside the cast of The Handmaid’s Tale,” Jaeger read from the chatbot, replying, “That is not true … I’m willing to humiliate myself in a myriad of ways–it’s not my go-to for free time, though.”

Sam Jaeger Reflects On His Handmaid’s Tale Journey

Plus, Could He Return In The Testaments Spinoff?

AI said Jaeger ed The Handmaid’s Tale as a guest in season 2 and became a series regular in season 3, to which the actor responded, “Close. I became a series regular in season 4.” The actor then relayed a story in which he told The Handmaid’s Tale team that he was slightly less available than they may have expected–“And I think they got nervous and were like, ‘We’ve got to make this guy a series regular.’”

“The moral of the story is: Lie.”

Interestingly, the chatbot got it right when it stated that Jaeger’s character Mark Tuello was originally slated to be in just one scene of the series. Jaeger was hired only as a guest star, but, in his words, “It was a great scene with Yvonne Strahovski, the matriarch of The Handmaid’s Tale, and I guess we hit it off well enough, and the scene was different enough from the tone of the show that they were like, ‘I think we can bring this character back.’”

Jaeger also revealed he’s surprised his character lasted as long as he has in The Handmaid’s Tale: “I always felt like, at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale… I assumed I was a goner. I got on the phone with the showrunners and I was like, ‘How long do I last? When do I get killed on this?’ and they were like, ‘You make it through the end of the series.’ I was like, ‘That is crazy.’”

Before g off, Jaeger read the AI chatbot’s assumption that he may appear in the The Handmaid’s Tale spinoff series The Testaments. “This is exciting, because this determines how employed I am in the coming years,” he said. In the words of the chatbot, “It’s quite possible that Mark Tuello could appear in The Testaments, given his key role as the US government liaison in The Handmaid’s Tale. His character could provide an important link between the original series and the new storyline.”

Jaeger’s response? “Say, AI, I think you’ve got a future as a writer. But please don’t write, because I’ve read what you’ve got so far, and it is garbage.”

For more about The Handmaid’s Tale and Sam Jaeger, check out the full episode of Debunking AI.

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The Handmaid's Tale
Release Date
2017 - 2025-00-00
Network
Hulu
Showrunner
Bruce Miller
  • Headshot Of Elisabeth Moss
    Elisabeth Moss
    June Osborne / Offred / Ofjoseph
  • Headshot Of Yvonne Strahovski In The Los Angeles premiere of 'Scrambled' at AMC Westfield Century City
    Serena Joy Waterford

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

The Handmaid's Tale is a television adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel, released in 2017. It is set in a dystopian future where a woman is compelled to live as a concubine under a strict fundamentalist theocracy.

Directors
Mike Barker, Kari Skogland, Daina Reid, Reed Morano, Floria Sigismondi, Jeremy Podeswa, Kate Dennis, Richard Shepard, Amma Asante, Christina Choe, Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Bradley Whitford, Dearbhla Walsh, Liz Garbus
Writers
Kira Snyder, Eric Tuchman, Yahlin Chang, John Herrera, Jacey Heldrich, Dorothy Fortenberry, Marissa Jo Cerar, Lynn Renee Maxcy
Main Genre
Drama
Creator(s)
Bruce Miller
Producers
Elisabeth Moss, Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, Daniel Wilson
Seasons
6
Story By
Margaret Atwood
Streaming Service(s)
Hulu