It is safe to say that Orange is the New Black, with its frank discussions about gay and transgender issues, as well as shining a light on women and the prison system, is breaking entertainment industry barriers.
“We’ve revolutionised television,” transgender actress Laverne Cox told Rolling Stone for their July issue which is dedicated to the hit show.
And she is not wrong, Laverne Cox broke the glass ceiling with her role as a transgendered prisoner, which allowed her to quit a restaurant job just three years ago to became an actress and activist.
Taylor Schilling plays Piper, the lead character who gets sent to prison after being involved in a drug ring almost a decade ago
The former Mercy star tells the magazine she never expected the show’s success: “There was a moment though, while shooting the first season… where I thought, ‘this feels very special and the writing feels very special.’”
In the interview, Laura Prepon who plays no-nonsense Alex Vause added: “We all really took a leap of faith because the material was so good, we all just jumped in because we knew it was something special and different.”
Natasha Lyonne plays troubled and overtly sexual prisoner Nicky Nichols on the show, she had been in the industry since age six and made headlines for a slew of bad behaviours and drug addictions, after reading the script the 36-year-old quickly phoned the creators to tell them: “Listen, all this junkie business, I know all this stuff. This is my language, guys.”
The cast of Orange is the New Black with co-creator Jenji Kohan centre.
Orange is the New Black is based on Piper Kerman’s memoir from her time in a women’s prison, and along with co-creator Jenji Kohan, the pair turned their irreverent show into a form of activism.
“Our prison-industrial complex is out of control,” Jenji says. “It’s something that needs to get talked about, and I’d love to start that conversation. But I can’t be didactic about it. I’m here to entertain. This is my activism.”
Season three of Orange is the New Black airs on Netflix June 12.
