It’s been more than three years since the final season of Orange is the New Black. Based on a memoir written by Piper Kerman, the plot of the Netflix original series focuses on women from different social and racial backgrounds as they carry out their sentences in a minimum-security federal prison. The show was one of the first originals that Netflix in fact put out into the world. As of 2016, it became both one of the most-watched and the longest-running series on the streaming platform.
Orange is the New Black tackled topics like sexism, LGBTQ+ issues, systematic racism, the flawed American prison system, and many more during its run on Netflix. The cast of diverse actors are avid supporters and spokespeople for the social issues discussed in the series. Given how much success and support the show received, let's look at where the cast is today.
Selenis Leyva
Selenis Leyva plays the character of Gloria Mendoza in Orange is the New Black, a devoted mother who ended up in prison simply because she wanted a better life for her two children Benny and Julio. She ends up taking over the kitchen duties for some time before once again preferring to have more visits from her family than having more power among her innmates. While still playing Gloria, Leyva scored herself the minor role of physics teacher Monica Warren in Spider-Man: Homecoming. 2018 saw her starring in three episodes as Patricia Lugo in the psychological dark.comedy drama Maniac, set in retro New York City. Two years later, the actress was cast as Elena's widowed lawyer mother Gabriela "Gabi" Cañero-Reed in the Disney+ series Diary of a Future President. The show was sadly canceled after two seasons. Leyva is also the co-author of My Sister: How One Sibling's Transition Changed Us Both about transitioning, family, and more.
Dascha Polanco
Dascha Polanco portrays the role of Dayanara Diaz in Orange is the New Black, a troubled young girl with a bizarre upbringing, who ends up in the same prison as her mother. When she decides to kill a guard during the prison riot, her fate takes a whole different route. In 2018, Polanco played the recurring role of Det. Lori Wieder in the true crime anthology The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Polanco also starred alongside her Orange co-star Natasha Lyonne in the comedy-drama Russian Doll, where she played the character of Beatrice in the first season. 2019 saw her starring in the crime drama When They See Us, based on the true events of the Central Park jogger case in which five Black and Latino men were falsely accused. Polanco plays the new wife Elena of one of the accused. The actress also starred in the musical drama In The Heights as Cuca, a Dominican-American reaching for her "little" dreams. As of recently, Polanco plays superhero Samaritan in the 2022 movie of the same name.
Kate Mulgrew
As for Kate Mulgrew, the actress plays the tough Russian character of "Red" Reznikov in Orange is the New Black, who landed in prison to pay a debt to a Russian mafia boss, for whom she and her husband helped hide dead bodies in their restaurant freezer. The actress had been widely known as Captain Kathryn Janeway in the Star Trek franchise before officially joining the Orange is the New Black family. She reprised her role of the Captain by voicing Protostar's Emergency Training Holographic Advisor in the 2021 Star Trek: Prodigy animated series. In 2022, she starred as lawyer and strategist Susan Sher in the anthology drama series The First Lady. The same year also saw her star as Drew Finch in the science-fiction TV series The Man Who Fell to Earth, about an alien who has to save the Earth.
Natasha Lyonne
Both star and producer of Orange is the New Black, Natasha Lyonne plays heroin addict Nicky Nichols, whose defense mechanism tends to be dark humor. The actress was already widely known, mainly for her lead role in the LGBTQ+ comedy But, I'm A Cheerleader, before joining the cast of inmates. Lyonne went on to have a more successful career after the Netflix series ended, playing Nadia Vulvokov in the critically acclaimed Netflix original Russian Doll. Already in its second season, the plot revolves around a software engineer who dies, wakes up in a time loop, and is forced to solve the mystery of her death. In Irresistible, about a Democrat strategist trying to help win the local elections, Lyonne plays the character of Tina De Tessant. The biographical drama The United States vs. Billie Holiday saw the actress star as American actress Tallulah Bankhead. Lyonne is also the executive producer for the comedy series Loot and will produce and star in the upcoming series called Poker Face. The actress will also voice Nurse Tup in the upcoming The Hospital.
Danielle Brooks
It's safe to say that everyone likes the character Danielle Brooks plays on Orange is the New Black — and that is Tasha Jefferson, a quirky and funny person who always lights up the room. She's one of the most intelligent people on the show as she takes on the role of the frontman for the fight for social justice during the riot. Brooks went on to play the daughter of A.R.G.U.S. leader Leota Adebayo in the DC series Peacemaker. The actress also starred in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple as Sofia, and, per PEOPLE, is said to reprise her role in the upcoming musical movie adaptation. She both stars in and serves as an executive producer of the drama Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, about the influential titular gospel singer. As for her future projects, Brooks will star in Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork The Piano Lesson on Broadway.
Uzo Aduba
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Uzo Aduba plays the character of Suzanne, also known as "Crazy Eyes", in Orange is the New Black, an intelligent but easily agitated woman who suffers from mental health problems. In 2020, Aduba played the character of Shirley Chisholm in Mrs.America, a politician, educator, and the first Black candidate for a major political party in the U.S. Miss Virginia saw her playing a struggling inner-city mother, based on a true story. This year, Aduba voiced Alisha Hawthorne in the animated Walt Disney Pictures film Lightyear. The actress is also no stranger to Broadway as she played the lead role in the 2021 Clyde's. As for her future projects, she is set to star opposite Lupita Nyong'o in the HBO drama series Americanah. She will also play the lead role as a therapist in the fourth season of In Treatment.
Laura Prepon
As for Laura Prepon, who plays the titular character named Alex, Piper's main love interest, she isn't as prominent in the film industry since the Netflix series ended. Back in 2016, Prepon played a small role in the psychological thriller The Girl on the Train, as Cathy, the lead character's college friend and landlord. A year later, she starred in an American comedy-drama The Hero as Charlotte Dylan. The movie deals with an aging movie star who has to deal with his terminal illness. The actress is said to make a guest appearance on That 90s Show revival.
Taylor Schilling
Last but not least, we have Orange is the New Black's lead character Piper Kerman, played by none other than Taylor Schilling. The character is convicted of a decade-old crime that she committed with her ex-lover Alex. Schilling has recently appeared in the Hulu biographical drama miniseries Pam & Tommy, playing the character of Erica Gauthier. In 2019, we saw her star as Sarah Blume in the horror movie The Prodigy. She has also played the character of Lily Leithauser in the TV series The Bite.