The seventh and final season of Orange Is the New Black premiered in July 2019, and it seems like aeons have passed since then. A range of fascinating characters were introduced in the well-liked comedy-drama that explored the lives of numerous people in a minimum-security jail and captured the attention of both spectators and critics.
The show garnered praise from critics and got numerous nominations and awards during its run. It addressed various important subjects, such as ethnicity, sexuality, and religion, and featured a diverse cast of characters. It also revealed the more human side of many prisoners and prison staff personnel.
There are far too many cast members in the programme to list them all, however here are some of the key characters’ current exploits.
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Danielle Brooks
Orange Is the New Black’s humorous and emotive Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson may have catapulted Danielle Brooks to fame, but the actress excels in all of her other roles. By portraying Mahalia Jackson in the biopic Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia and Leota Adebayo in the popular superhero series Peacemaker with John Cena, she has garnered a tonne of new admirers. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance as Sofia in the stage production of The Color Purple, and she will reprise the role in the upcoming movie, The Color Purple, which will be released in December 2023 and star Fantasia, Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, H.E.R., Ciara, Halle Bailey, and others.
Diane Guerrero
Diane Guerrero, a steadfast supporter of immigration reform, is another well-known name who has kept getting fantastic roles after playing prisoner Maritza Ramos in Orange Is the New Black. In the Country We Love: My Family Divided, her autobiography, which she wrote, describes her story of growing up separated from her deported parents. She voiced the character of Isabela Madrigal in the acclaimed Disney animated feature Encanto as part of an ensemble cast, and she presently plays Jane in the HBO Max superhero series Doom Patrol.
Kate Mulgrew
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While most people are familiar with Kate Mulgrew as “Red,” the domineering and passionate Russian mother figure in the series, she is also a former Star Trek cast member as Captain Kathryn Janeway. Mulgrew has acted in several series since Orange Is the New Black ended, including The First Lady, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Dogs in Space, and Infinity Train. In Star Trek: Prodigy, she played Captain Janeway once more. Mulgrew is actively in the National Advisory Council of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Laverne Cox
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Laverne Cox, a powerful figure in the transgender movement, made history as Sophia Burset, the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy. Cox is one of the series’ most well-liked stars, and her career has continued to grow. She was a series regular in the popular Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna and starred in the blockbuster movies Promising Young Woman, Jolt, and Bad Hair. Cox is revered as an icon in the LGBTQ+ community and continues to utilise her platform to draw attention to the problems that transgender people face.
Laura Prepon
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Since her success as Donna Pinciotti in the sitcom That ’70s Show, the well-known actress is no stranger to the spotlight. She played Piper’s “prison wife” Alex Vause in Orange Is the New Black. Together with dietitian Elizabeth Troy, she co-wrote a wellness book named The Stash Plan in 2016. Since the book’s release, she has developed her cooking career by producing material for online sales of her PrepOn cookware brand and instructional videos. Prepon is scheduled to make a cameo appearance in the planned That ’90s Show spin-off in 2023.
Lea Delaria
Lea Delaria, who is amazing, performed the part of Big Boo, who was also a fan favourite. She took a sabbatical from Broadway, but made a comeback in the comedy play POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive in 2022. For this role, she received praise from the critics. She also provided the voice of Molly Yarnchopper in the acclaimed animated film Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.
Natasha Lyonne
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Natasha Lyonne portrayed Nicky Nichols, a struggling addict from a wealthy upbringing, in Orange Is the New Black. She has acted in a number of well-known films, such as Honey Boy, Ad Astra, Irresistible, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, DC League of Super-Pets, and others. She presently plays the title role of Nadia Vulvokov in the well-liked Netflix drama Russian Doll, which she also serves as executive producer of. Following an eight-year relationship, Lyonne confirmed her breakup with her partner, actor Fred Armisen, in the early months of 2022.
Samira Wiley
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Samira Wiley, one of the series’ fan favourites, played Poussey Washington, a role that had an impact that went well beyond the confines of the screen. The Orange Is the New Black writer Lauren Morelli and the actress got married in 2017; their daughter was born in April 2021. Wiley was cast in the well-known Hulu dystopian thriller The Handmaid’s Tale after leaving the programme due to her character’s passing in the fourth season, and in 2018 she received the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She has also contributed her voice to a number of noteworthy projects, including the Netflix nature documentary Night on Earth and the animated series Blade Runner: Black Lotus, in which she voices Alani Davis.
Selenis Leyva
Selenis portrayed Gloria Mendosa, a character who served as many of the prisoners’ protective companion and mother figure. Since then, she has had significant roles in movies including Shadows, Breaking, and Creed III. The comedy-drama series Diary of a Future President, which debuted in January 2021 and was cancelled after two seasons, had her in the cast on television.
Taylor Schilling
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Taylor Schilling rose to national prominence for her key part as Piper Chapman, but she has subsequently kept a low profile and appeared in a small number of films. She played Erica Boyer in the mini-series Pam & Tommy, which debuted in February of this year, and she will soon co-star as Aunt Lacey in the upcoming Apple TV Plus drama Dear Edward with Colin O’Brien and Connie Britton. She made her relationship with musician Emily Ritz public in 2020.
Uzo Aduba
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After receiving a lot of praise for her portrayal as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, for which she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014 and the Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, Uzo has been pretty busy. In 2019, she was chosen to play Shirley Chisolm in the historical miniseries Mrs. America, for which she won yet another Emmy Award—this time for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series. In addition, she appeared in a number of TV shows and movies, such as Beats, Miss Virginia, In Treatment, Lightyear, and others. She received a Tony Award nomination for her work in the Broadway production of Clyde’s. In addition to her work as an actor, Uzo is a small investor in the National Women’s Soccer League team Angel’s City FC.
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