‘We Were the Lucky Ones’ Finale: Moran Rosenblatt Reflects on the Powerful & ‘Bittersweet’ Ending
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for We Were the Lucky Ones finale.]
The power of love prevails in We Were the Lucky Ones. The series finale of the Hulu limited series, based on Georgia Hunter’s book of the same name, aired on May 2. After years of being separated during World War II, the Kurc family is finally reunited. Herta (Moran Rosenblatt), Genek (Henry Lloyd-Hughes), their son, and the Kurcs have a tearful reunion in the final episode.
Rosenblatt tells TV Insider that the Kurc family’s reunion was “amazing” to film. “First of all, the setup was incredible. It was like hundreds of extras, all dressed or with a suitcase,” she says of the pivotal train station scene.
The actress continues, “This scene was really heartbreaking, especially when I think about Genek and his father and Mila being reunited with her husband. I watched from the side, and I’m getting chills thinking about it now.”
This is the moment when Nechuma (Robin Weigert), Sol (Lior Ashkenazi), and more members of the Kurc family meet Herta and Genek’s son, Jozef, for the first time. Herta gave birth while imprisoned with Genek in a Siberian work camp during the war. Herta was the picture of strength for her growing family amid the brutal conditions.
“First of all, I think seeing Genek becoming weak when they went there, she knew she had to be the stronger one,” Rosenblatt says of Herta. “When you’re pregnant, you can do anything to protect your baby inside of you. I just experienced that also. I think when you’re in the moment, all the powers inside of you are arising in wanting to survive.”
Herta and Genek’s love endures amid all the chaos, which is a testament to Rosenblatt and Lloyd-Hughes’ chemistry. “Me and Henry immediately bonded,” she recalls. “It was like magic. It never happened to me before. I’m a very judgy person. First I hate, then I love. But Henry, luckily, I loved at the beginning.”
She adds, “We immediately fought also a lot like a married couple. We were together, and we would keep fighting. Everybody would laugh that we are exactly like our characters. It was really a good match done by everybody that did the casting. It was amazing to play with him. I really think he’s an amazing, incredible actor. We felt so comfortable going 100 percent together.”
After giving birth to her first child two months ago, Rosenblatt now fully understands Genek and Herta’s bond. “I think I played it [this role] and didn’t 100 percent know the meaning of being fully committed to your spouse,” Rosenblatt says. “I understand it only now completely. I think you feel it until you feel it, this commitment and endless love that makes you fully committed to your family and your partner.”
The series ends just like it started: with the family united at their Passover Seder. Rosenblatt explains Herta’s complicated feelings at this point in her life.
“The strongest feeling I felt was relief, but it was bittersweet as well,” Rosenblatt says. “My character experienced the loss of her family. There’s a jealousy of seeing my partner’s family complete when my whole family was killed. For all of shooting, I thought about my family. My father’s family was in the Holocaust. It was hard to think about, and also you couldn’t avoid thinking about it all the time. It was very bittersweet.”
We Were the Lucky Ones, All Episodes Streaming Now, Hulu
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services