{"id":67183,"date":"2013-10-22T08:18:34","date_gmt":"2013-10-22T08:18:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2013\/10\/22\/exclusive-samira-wiley-talks-orange-is-the-new-black\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T08:51:41","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T08:51:41","slug":"exclusive-samira-wiley-talks-orange-is-the-new-black","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/exclusive-samira-wiley-talks-orange-is-the-new-black\/","title":{"rendered":"Exclusive: Catching Up With Orange is the New Black’s Samira Wiley"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exclusive: Samira Wiley talks Orange is the New Black<\/strong>By Wilson Morales<\/p>\n

October 22, 2013<\/p>\n

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One of the highlights on television this past summer was the breakout success of Netflix\u2019s latest series, the comedy drama \u2018Orange is the New Black.\u2019 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Based on Piper Kerman’s memoir \u2018Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison,\u2019 <\/strong>the series stars Laura Prepon, Jason Biggs, Taylor Schilling, Kate Mulgrew, Michael Harney, Michelle Hurst, Matt McGorry, Natasha Lyonne<\/strong>, and Pablo Schreiber<\/strong>. Among the many African American actresses on the show are Danielle Brooks, Samira Wiley, Adrienne C. Moore, Vicky Jeudy, Michelle Hurst, Laverne Cox, Uzo Aduba<\/strong>, and Lolita Foster<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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The series revolves around Piper Chapman (Schilling), a New York woman, who is sent to a women’s federal prison for possessing a suitcase full of drug money for Alex Vause (Prepon), an international drug smuggler and Chapman’s one-time lover. Sentenced to serve a fifteen-month sentence, Chapman must survive the hardships of prison life, as she may have to be a different person to do so.<\/p>\n

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Wiley, who was also seen opposite Jonah Hill<\/strong> in \u2018The Sitter<\/strong>,\u2019 plays Poussey Washington, an inmate who has four years left from a six year sentence. The show has given the Juilliard grad an opportunity to not only showcase her talent, but work with one of her closest friends, Danielle Brooks<\/strong>, who plays Taystee.<\/p>\n

Blackfilm.com caught up with Wiley recently as she talks about her character and working with the cast.<\/p>\n

How would you describe the character that you are playing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Samira Wiley:<\/strong> I would say that my character is the fun one. She keeps it real and is pretty down-to-earth. Although we’re in prison, which is not a funny place, she believes she’s a funny person, but there are always funny people everywhere regardless of the situation.<\/p>\n

How did you get the role?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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SW:<\/strong> I got an audition like every other audition, although there was some special interest for me. I have a couple of friends who write for the show. My good friend Marco Ramirez, who also went to Juilliard, told me about the show before they started auditions. He told me that I would be perfect for the show. He kept me posted when auditions were happening. Then I found out that my best friend Danielle (Brooks) was cast in it. When I found out I had an audition, my lines were with her character. How often do you get an audition where you go over your lines and rehearse with the person playing opposite you? I called Danielle up and said, “I got this audition for this show you booked. I’d love it if you came over and work the lines with me.” I really wanted to be part of this project. I did everything in my power to make sure that my audition went well.<\/p>\n

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Are there any similarities between Poussey Washington and youself?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SW: <\/strong>Yes. One thing that the character and I have is how real and down-to-earth and loving we both are. I\u2019m always asked on twitter what\u2019s most like about Pousey and I say her smile. Yes, it\u2019s the same smile because it\u2019s me playing the character. I love to smile all the time and so does she.<\/p>\n

You had done ‘The Sitter’ with Jonah Hill prior to this. Were you hesitant to doing a TV show?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SW:<\/strong> I guess for me and what I’m doing, whether it’s theater, film, or TV, I don’t really mind what medium it is. I just want it to be good work. I want to work with good writers, good artists, and like-minded people; people who are doing innovative things.<\/p>\n

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The good thing about the show is that everyone on it is benefiting because it\u2019s an ensemble and not just focusing on one individual. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>SW:<\/strong> It\u2019s wonderful. It mirrors how it is on set because it is an ensemble. It feels like a family. When I go to work, I feel safe. Everyone is on my side and we\u2019re all there working towards one common goal. It\u2019s wonderful that the response has reflected the energy and the environment that we have with each other.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the most fun part on working on the show?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SW: <\/strong>I really love making jokes in between while we\u2019re taping. We\u2019re joking, making up songs, making up dances, and I do push-ups. The cast will tell you. It\u2019s a very active set.<\/p>\n

Lorraine Toussaint will be a new addition for season 2. Have you had a chance to work with her yet?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>SW:<\/strong> Lorraine is amazing. She is fast becoming one of my favorite people. She\u2019s really a powerhouse and immensely talented. I look up to her in another way because she\u2019s also a graduate of Juilliard. Back in the day when she came out, there weren\u2019t that many women of color from there and I haven\u2019t asked her yet, but I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if she was the only woman of color from her class. Being able to see that and being able to work with her is a blessing in more ways than one. In the same was as Kate Mulgrew, I just try to look up to them and observe them when they are working and gain what I can from them.<\/p>\n

All of a sudden, there are a lot of black actresses from Juilliard making strides when it comes to you and Nicole Beharie, who\u2019s on Fox\u2019s Sleepy Hollow. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>SW: <\/strong>Nicole is a good friend as well. She\u2019s amazing. I\u2019m so happy for her and all the success she\u2019s getting from Sleepy Hollow. They\u2019ve been renewed for a second season and that\u2019s awesome. We were in school together as well.<\/p>\n

What do you do when you\u2019re not working on the show?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>SW: <\/strong>I like to do other things like box. I like to run. Sometimes, my friends and I would play outside games like Ultimate Frisbee in the park, but I also like to go out a lot. I found myself not going out as much these days because of the show, but when I\u2019m home, I\u2019m reading a lot as well.<\/p>\n

What are to we look forward in Season 2?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SW:<\/strong> I think in the second season, we\u2019ll still be in prison with everyone and we\u2019re going to see more of everyone\u2019s story. You may not see everyone\u2019s back-story, but you\u2019ll see a lot. People will be satisfied what they see of Pousey. They\u2019ll find out who she is and what her morals are and who she is as a woman.<\/p>\n

Do you have any other projects coming up?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SW:<\/strong> In between the show, I shot an independent film called \u2018Rob the Mob\u2019 with Andy Garcia, Ray Romano, and Griffin Dunne. That should be out next year I think.<\/p>\n

Season 2 will air in 2014. You can follow Samira at<\/strong> @samirawiley<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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