Tag Archives: Samira Wiley

Samira Wiley Touts Ellen as the ‘Lord of the Lesbians’

Samira Wiley was on The Ellen Degeneres Show for the first time.

However, Wiley revealed that she’d had a previous encounter with the host.

“I met you, like, really briefly one time. I know you don’t remember it because you’re Ellen, but it meant a lot to me because you’re lord of the lesbians.”

When DeGeneres pressed her as to where they’d crossed paths, Wiley ― who recently celebrated her one-year wedding anniversary with wife Lauren Morelli at Disneyland ― quipped,

“Probably at a lesbian event. I go to those sometimes. I see you at those.”

Later in the interview, Wiley touched on the cultural relevance of The Handmaid’s Tale, which returns for its second season this April.

Noting that the show’s iconic red costumes have been used in women’s rights demonstrations across the country, Wiley said,

“You see how much it permeates the culture that we’re living in right now. It’s everywhere.”

Watch the interview below:

Samira Wiley Releases Stunning Picture Of Her Wedding

Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli tied the knot in March last year.

However, to celebrate the passing of the New Year, Wiley shared a beautiful and candid shot of their wedding, which took place in Palm Springs, California.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BddxqHZny4q

The wedding was intimate with the couple’s closest family and friends there. Wiley’s parents, who are co-pastors of Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ in Washington D.C, officiated the ceremony.

The couple were together for three years by the time Morelli proposed.

Here Are The Queerest Moments From This Year’s Emmys

Among the biggest winners at the 2017 Emmy Awards: LGBTQ stories and storytellers.

We’ve put together the top rainbow moments of the 2017 Emmys just for you:

Lena Whaithe made her-story

This year’s Emmy Awards were full of historical moments, including Lena Waithe’s incredible and well-deserved win.

At the award show, the Master of None actress became the first black woman to win an award for comedy writing for the show’s Thanksgiving episode, which she cowrote with Aziz Ansari.

Black Mirror’s San Junipero proved queer stories do work

San Junipero broke with Black Mirror’s usually-bleak depiction of technology and the future, with a notably upbeat and heart-warming love story between two women.

The acclaimed episode, which was near-universally acclaimed, picked up an Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.

Charlie Brooker, who wrote the episode himself, also picked up the award for Outstanding Writing for a TV Movie.

The episode starred Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis as lovers Kelly and Yorkie.

Kate McKinnon showed the world she’s a comedy goddess

Kate McKinnon was one of the early winners of the evening Sunday, beating a field that included some of her Saturday Night Live colleagues to take home the award for supporting actress in a comedy series.

The first openly lesbian cast member of the sketch comedy show, McKinnon made her mark this season with portrayals of Hillary Clinton, Jeff Sessions, Kellyanne Conway, Betsy DeVos and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

‘Gender traitor’ Alexis Bledel is recognized

Picking up her award at last week’s pre-show Emmy’s, Alexis Bledel won the outstanding guest actress in a drama series for her haunting performance as Ofglen, in the dystopian The Handmaid’s Tale.

It was her first Emmy win.

RuPaul played a living Emmy statue

During the telecast, host Stephen Colbert sat down for an interview with the Emmy statue herself, a golden-winged woman played by RuPaul, TV’s most famous drag queen.
RuPaul was a winner this year too, nabbing the award for host of a reality or reality-competition series for the second consecutive year at the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend.

Samira Wiley looked way to cute with her wife, Lauren Morelli

Wiley and her wife, Orange is the New Black writer, Lauren Morelli stole everyone’s hearts with how cute they were on the red carpet and during the ceremony.

Wiley was nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for her work on The Handmaid’s Tale.

But she was pipped at the post by her co-star, Ann Dowd.

The Cast of 9 to 5 Reunited at the Emmys to Blast Donald Trump

Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda reunited to present at the award ceremony, and used it as an opportunity to tear down Donald Trump

Queer Female Stars Push For Further Visibility At This Years Emmys

The Emmys are almost upon us, but before Sunday, Sept. 17 rolls around, we wanted to take a look at the female queer stars who we think deserves to win.

This years nominations include, Samira Wiley who is nominated for the first time for her riveting performance in the disturbingly brilliant Hulu adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s  The Handmaid’s Tale.

Lily Tomlin, is up for best lead actress in a comedy series for Grace and Frankie.

Evan Rachel Wood scored a nod for her performance in the series Westworld, a role for which also saw her take home the Critics’ Choice Award. 

Kate McKinnon is up for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for SNL, an award she also won the previous year, which should make her a frontrunner.

Ellen Page‘s Gaycation With Ellen Page is nominated for best unstructured reality series.

Laverne Cox and Shannon Purser (of Stranger Things) are both up for Best Guest Actress in a Drama.

Jamie Babbit is up for outstanding director in a comedy series for her episode of Silicon Valley. 

Jane Lynch got a nod for best actress in a short form for Dropping the Soap.

Wanda Sykes is up for Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for the show “Black-ish”.

And Lena Waithe scored a writing nomination for her “Thanksgiving” episode of Master of None.

There are also a number TV shows with queer characters were up for nomination too.

Master of NoneModern FamilyVeepThe Handmaid’s TaleRuPaul’s Drag RacePortlandiaSNL, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, House of Cards, How to Get Away with Murder, Ray Donovan, Transparent, Orange Is the New Black. Brown GirlsOne Day at a Time.

Even Black Mirror‘s ‘San Junipero’got a nomination for best TV movie.

I don’t know about you, but we’re thrilled that queer women are finally being recognised as actual talent by the mainstream media tycoons.

Stephen Colbert will host the Emmys on Sunday, Sept. 17 on CBS.

Samira Wiley On Her Emmy Nomination

Samira Wiley has scored her first Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actress for her role as Moira in The Handmaid’s Tale.

But, in a recent conversation with People, the actress recalled receiving rejection letters from all of the acting schools she applied to over a decade ago

I remember being so sad and downtrodden after hearing that I couldn’t even go to an arts school. And now this Emmy thing is happening. I feel like Cinderella.”

The out actress also went on to reveal that her wife, Lauren Morrelli, was the first person she called after hearing about her Emmy nomination.

We’re not both actors, which I like. There’s no competition there, but also she works in this industry so she understands it so much more. I just feel so blessed to be able to have her on my team.”

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As for what fans can expect from The Handmaid’s Tale season 2, Wiley admits,

I do not know much. The last thing that we saw was Moira overwhelmed from getting her health insurance card, all the money she got from the nation, and we’ll be able to pick up there and see what their journey is like,” the actress explains of Luke (O-T Fagbenle) and Moira’s futures in Canada. “And hopefully see — this is just my speculation — how they’re going to get the rest of their family back.”

Here’s to Wiley snagging an Emmy on Sept. 17!

Netflix Have Dropped This Amazing Poussey And Taystee ‘Black Mirror’ Crossover

So you know that Black Mirror episode set in the ’80s? Well, here it is with Poussey (Samira Wiley) and Taystee (Danielle Brooks) from Orange Is The New Black.

(Spoilers for Orange is the New Black Season 4 below!)

The short skit titled Orange is the New Black Mirror, mirrors the plot of Black Mirror’s beloved gay love story San Junipero.

The clip features fan favourite Taystee reunited with her dead friend Poussey.

At the end of the last season, Poussey was dramatically killed, sparking a riot inside the prison.

But in the clip Taystee dreams of seeing her one more time in Black Mirror’s virtual afterlife, San Junipero.

The pair reconcile and dance, but a few moments later Taystee is sent back to the land of the living – waking inside the prison.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCmGiiinH1M

Although we’re struggling to accept that this is the last time we’ll ever see Poussey back with a Litchfield inmate, we’re still excited to see how the prison has changed following her tragic death.

Season 5 promises to be an explosive one, with the show left on on a cliffhanger as the pregnant Daya points a gun at prison officer Humphrey – and a gunshot is heard.

The Netflix show will be back on our laptop and TV screens on June 9, picking up exactly where it left off.

The Handmaid’s Tale Paints A Grim Future For Queer Women

In a world where women are tortured and harvested, LGBT women get the worst treatment.

Enter the realistic torture chamber that is Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, based on the horrifying Margaret Atwood novel of the same name.

In this women, women are stripped of their identities and assigned to men for procreating. Their very existence revolves around heterosexual reproduction.

So what happens to queer women?

In Atwood’s book, the government immediately hanged all lesbian, bisexual and queer women, but the TV show decides to explore their predicaments a bit more in-depth. Two queer women help anchor the narrative.

First, there is Ofglen (Alexis Bledel). She’s a headstrong lesbian who refuses to bend to the establishment.

Bledel says,

In playing her, I certainly felt that she had more at stake than some of the other handmaids because she would be deemed a gender traitor. She’s a lesbian, and they don’t approve of her sexual orientation, so she’s really vulnerable.”

Add that vulnerability to the fact that she’s a major player in the resistance movement, and Ofglen is a walking target.

But the most heartbreaking narrative is that of Moira, played by Samira Wiley, who recently faced a horrifying death in Orange is the New Black – she can’t get a break. A few episodes in, the audience is told that she has been killed.

The only reason that the government allows queer women to live is because their ovaries are functional. Before the fascist revolution that led to the enslavement of women occurred, there was a major environmental disaster that sterilized many women.

The queer ones who were unable to have children were shipped to colonies and left to die.

In the third episode, Ofglen is publically declared a gender traitor. In what is the most heartrending moment of the series, she is forced to undergo physical and emotional torture, humiliation and mutilation.

Of course, all of this torture is carried out in a way that will prevent Ofglen from ever experiencing any type of sexual pleasure in the future, but will still allow her to have children.

Why tell such a horrifying story? And why now?

With a President that seems hellbent on stripping away the rights of women and LGBT people, these types of stories are more pertinent than ever. They’re a warning: Fight for your rights before it’s too late.

Watch The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Daily Juice: Miley Cyrus Has Said She Is Gender-Neutral, Brandi Carlile Teams Up With Adele For New Benefit Album

The pansexual singer, Miley Cyrus has referred to herself as “a gender-neutral, ­sexually fluid person” in an interview with Billboard magazine.

Speaking about her appearance as a judge on The Voice right after the US presidential election, she said she had wanted to change people’s minds about gender. (Pink News)

Cyrus explained that she doesn’t feel like a girl or a boy:

I’m a little bit boyish. But I can also be super femme and dress as a bunny rabbit. Who I’m with has nothing to do with sex – I’m super open, pansexual, that’s just me.”

Singer-songwriter, Brandi Carlile, is enlisting Adele, Dolly Parton, The Indigo Girls, The Avett Brothers, and Pearl Jam to help her raise money for charity.

Carlile’s new album, titled Cover Stories, will feature fourteen different singers covering the queer musician’s original songs. Album sales will benefit War Child UK, whose mission is “to protect, educate and stand up for the rights of children caught up in war.” (Pride)

Newlyweds, Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli, opened up to ET about their lives as a married couple and reflect on filming Wiley’s shocking ‘Orange Is the New Black’ demise.

We went to Italy and stayed there for a little while and gazed into each other’s eyes and had a good time,”

Cara Delevingne took to Instagram for a little self-effacing fun after the MTV Movie & TV Awards show. Amid the glamorous red carpet selfies, the model-turned-actress posted two pictures of herself making goofy faces from the MTV Awards and showed us that she can be an inspiration, even when she’s poking fun at herself (Teen Vogue).

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Caitlyn Jenner has responded to criticisms that she doesn’t reflect the experience of most trans people. Asked if she experiences male privilege, Jenner responded “Yeah! I would agree with that.” (Guardian)

Some of the criticism that my community has had is that I’m white, I’ve got money, I’m privileged and all that kind of stuff. I get that. OK? Can’t do much about being white. Kind of born that way.  Privileged? Yeah. I’ve worked hard all my life. I’ve tried to be as smart as I can and yeah, I’ve been successful from that standpoint. And I’m not going to apologise for that.”

A grade one teacher has gone on TV to tell a story about lesbians and cannibals, and it is incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-UrvBwGMaE

Daily Juice: Kristen Stewart’s Short Film To Premiere At Sundance London Festival; Bella Thorne Slams Slut-Shamers

The Sundance London Film Festival has unveiled its 2017 programme and it includes UK premieres of Kristen Stewart’s short film, Come Swim (Metro)

Bella Thorne sounds off against her Twitter trolls.

Take a look at Kate McKinnon new poster for the all-female Hangover-esque film Rough Night which also stars Scarlett JohanssonZoe KravitzJillian Bell, and Ilana Glazer. (EW)

Be sure to also catch the trailer below.

Netflix is honouring the fan-favourite Poussey (played by Samira Wiley) with a series of murals in multiple cities around the world. (Bustle)

While being interviewed for PEOPLE’s annual World’s Most Beautiful issue, Amandla Stenberg talked about the constraints of the gender binary and the fluidity of gender identity.

I tend to believe that gender as we’ve set it up in current-day society doesn’t actually exist. I’ve said before that I’m comfortable with using the pronouns ‘they’ or ‘them’ alongside ‘she’ and ‘her’ just because that’s a conversation that’s important to me. I don’t necessarily always subscribe to female pronouns just because I don’t think that pronouns are necessarily very meaningful.”

Ruby Rose has also been honoured, and she embraces her sexuality in the issue.

I’m very confident and in tune with my sexuality. I feel very blessed for that, because in different places around the world, people can’t be.”

Wall Street isn’t necessarily known for being gay-friendly. Yet Goldman Sachs is now asking prospective employees to come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender right when they apply for the job.

Anilu Vazquez-Ubarri, Goldman’s chief diversity officer and global head of talent, says

We ask for this data because we want to keep ourselves accountable,”

In other words, she says, the bank wants to make sure it is not unfairly discriminating against LGBT applicants. (Fortune)

 

It’s Official: Samira Wiley And Lauren Morelli Are Married!

This weekend, Orange Is the New Black star, Samira Wiley, tied the knot with her longtime partner, Lauren Morelli, in an intimate Palm Springs, California, ceremony surrounded by family and friends.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSGsAsqg3SH/

The brides met while working on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black. 

It was while writing for the hit show that Morelli, who was then married to a man, realised she was gay.

Their wedding took place in Palm Springs, California, and Wiley’s parents officiated.

Wiley and Morelli shared a picture, originally published by Martha Stewart Weddings, of them in their wedding outfits. Morelli captioned it “Wifey for Lifey”.

The wedding had a confetti theme, according to the wedding website, and the pair entered their reception to the strains of Justin Bieber’s Baby.

After the couple’s nuptials, Wiley shared an adorable photo of the newlyweds on her Instagram, captioning it simply “#wifed.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSHSGwcAvWl/

Samira Wiley And Lauren Morelli Tell Their Love Story

Most of us know the general tale of Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli falling in love on the set of Orange is the New Black. That Wiley was an actress on the show and Morelli a writer who realized she was gay while working on the Netflix series and subsequently divorced her husband to be with Wiley.

But those particulars don’t touch on the emotions the women went through as they fell in love with one another and discovered things they never knew about themselves as they went from friends to girlfriends to fiancées.

Now, in an interview with Out, the two have revealed how the magic happened.

Wiley explained;

We spent four days in a row working together. Honestly, I thought she was gay the first time I met her.”

Wiley has been out for several years, a proud lesbian in a religious family. Her parents are pastors of the first black Baptist church to perform same-sex union ceremonies in Washington, D.C.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLCCA6VA-cH/

Morelli says in the interview

I’d already seen Samira’s audition tape and immediately had a crush on her — the complication being that I was married to a man at the time. I came to New York to shoot my first episode. I was on set, sitting in front of the monitors, and she and Lea DeLaria, who plays Big Boo, walked up to me. Our set is like a lesbian utopia, and I remember thinking, They’re flirting with me.”

Morelli also speaks openly about the shift in her sexual attraction,

I had started questioning my sexuality as a result of being in the writers’ room and talking about all the themes on the show. I was very open with my husband and told him. That turned into a year of going to couples therapy.

I had a few queer women around me, but not many I could talk to about such a huge, vulnerable thing. Samira became my outlet, and through that process I fell in love with her. Being with her felt too good to be true.”

Morelli separated from her husband and began dating Wiley.

After working together, vacationing together and learning about each other’s strengths and weaknesses, faults and virtues, Morelli took Wiley away to Palm Springs in to pop the question.

Before heading out, Wiley said she couldn’t help but notice her girlfriend was acting odd.

She got home and was just not ready to go, and I was confused. She asked me to sit next to her. Then she got me up, and we started dancing together, and she pulled a ring from behind the couch. Lauren has been married before, so I wanted her to tell me she was ready, her to be the one to propose. I didn’t know she was as ready as she was. I was completely shocked. I was crying uncontrollably and kept backing away from her. I asked her after, “Who knows about this?” and she said, “Oh, everyone. Your parents know.” We didn’t tell anyone else for a few days. That was really important to us — to have some time where it was just ours.”

Morelli added;

I was so nervous and terrified she knew it was coming, but she was so shocked that I couldn’t get her to stop crying. She was hyperventilating. I thought, Oh, this is not good. This has gone too far. She was very clear she’d wait for me to be ready, so to give her something I knew she wanted so much was incredible. It was the most magical day of my life.”

Then they each posted the news on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLJayyeDrw4/

Wiley says

There’s this Sara Bareilles song we love called ‘I Choose You.’ For so long in our relationship, I wasn’t ‘the one.’ I was just waiting and being supportive of Lauren’s journey. To see her embrace her sexual orientation the way she has is like that song: ‘I choose this life as a gay woman, and we choose to spend this life together.’ I think — I know — I would not be where I am without Lauren. When I was first being thrust into the public eye, I wouldn’t talk about my orientation. Being with Lauren taught me self-love.”

Samira Wiley Is a Conflicted Mother In New Kitty Genovese Movie ’37’

Samira Wiley may have exited Orange Is the New Black this season, but the actress – who played fan favourite Poussey Washington – is moving on to a new challenge.

Wiley’s new film 37 is a powerful drama and a fictional account of the 1964 rape and murder of Kitty Genovese, and the 37 people who “did nothing” as it happened.

Directed by Danish actress and filmmaker, Puk Gratsen, the film’s retelling is told entirely from the perspectives of her apathetic neighbours.

Wiley plays Joyce Smith who, with her husband and son, fled the race riots in Harlem and have just moved into the Queens neighbourhood.

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Talking about the movie to Hollywood Life, Wiley said

As an actor, I want to do a lot of different roles and different from the things people know me for. So that was the first thing that definitely attracted me to the role.

The Kitty Genovese story, which I actually wasn’t familiar with before this film. Researching and figuring out the particulars of what happened that night was definitely — I felt like — a story that needed to be told. To be able to have the opportunity to not only tell that story but also working with such an amazing cast and especially Michael Potts, I just felt like I learned so much to better myself as an actor.

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She added

Honestly, I really do think something like that is possible in happening today. I think people are so afraid of speaking up because I think there’s this notion of: “If I’m the first one to say something, then I’m going to be the first person that suspicion is cast on.”

Yes! Samira Wiley Just Got Engaged To ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Writer Lauren Morelli

Samira Wiley may have recently checked out of Litchfield, but Orange Is the New Black will still play a central role in her life, as the actress is now engaged to series writer Lauren Morelli, who she had been dating since 2014.

The pair announced the happy news on Instagram, posting a gorgeous photo of the happy couple smiling from ear to ear and Wiley sporting a shiny engagement ring.

Samira captioned the image with a simple, “Yes”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLJay2-At9T/

The pair fell in love on the set of the Netflix hit after Lauren split amicably from her husband of two years Steve Basilone.

Lauren says she realised she was gay on the set of OINTB after being peppered with questions from cast members about her marriage.

I was finally forced to consider a question that had never, ever occurred to me before: ‘Holy s–t, am I gay?’” she said.

We wish them all the happiness in the world!

OITNB’s Samira Wiley And Laverne Cox Set to Slay On ‘Lip Sync Battle’

Fans of Orange is the New Black, get ready, because your world is about to be rocked. Two of our favourites, Samira Wiley (aka: Poussey Washington) and Laverne Cox (aka: Sophia Burset) will be taking the stage on Spike TV’s Lip Sync Battle in the very near future.

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A few days ago, Cox tagged Wiley in a delightful Instagram post, playfully taunting her friend for the battle to come.

I hope you’re ready @whododatlikedat. Just had an amazing rehearsal with the incredible dancers of @spikelsb. You better bring it. The battle is on.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BI6Fr9ygZ6-/

Samira, of course, is nothing but good vibes and enthusiasm. She’s clearly going to bring the major musical skills she showed time and time again in OITNB, and on her snapchat.

See you soon @lavernecox!!!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BI-82oKAltw/

If we’re being totally honest, we think that Laverne Cox probably has the edge as she’s been working on her sweet sweet moves for the Rocky Horror Picture Showreboot.

In comparison, Wiley is set to appear in an arc on FXX comedy You’re the Worst as a therapist. Acting as a therapist probably has not prepared Wiley for the rigours of a heated lip sync battle nearly as much as the acrobatic antics of Dr. Frankenfurter have prepared Cox.

Whatever the outcome, this promises to be the absolute best Lip Sync Battle of all time.

Not only because these are two talented performers on our screens, but it’s also just great to see trans and queer women represented like this.

Because, yes, queer and trans people of colour deserve to see themselves in mainstream media, and not just when we’re telling important, but sad, stories.

In Her Own Words ‘Orange is the New Black’ Star Samira Wiley On Why We Love Poussey Washington

This story discusses plot points from the current season of “Orange is the New Black” that’s now on Netflix.


Yes, we’re still reeling after the gut-wrenching end of the show’s fourth season.

(Last chance to stop reading if you’re not caught up!)

Throughout the fourth season, we’re reminded of Poussey Washington’s potential as her relationship with Soso blossoms and she makes friends with her idol, celebrity chef Judy King.

Orange Is The New Black S4

But at the end of the season, things take a very sad turn.

Washington, played by Samira Wiley, is suffocated by a prison guard — one of “the good ones” — during a peaceful protest.

Now that the episode has aired, Wiley is discussing the tough issues that the finale scene forces into light, such as race, violence, and incarceration.

I just see so much potential in Poussey Washington. I root for her. I want to see her outside of prison, making it.”

The season’s final episode was penned by the actor’s real life girlfriend Lauren Morelli.

Wiley, who’s currently filming her next role, playing a therapist on the upcoming third season of FXX’s dramedyYou’re the Worst, sums up why everyone loves Poussey, and why her death will continue to resonate into Season 5 and beyond.

She’s honest, she’s funny, she puts a smile on your face. I’m so, so, so happy to have the opportunity to give life to someone like Poussey.”

Cast of OITNB Choose Which Inmate They’d Want as Their RL Prison Wife

The cast of Orange Is the New Black where given the opportunity by VH1, to choose who would be their real-life Litchfield prison wife.


Taylor Schilling’s wife would be Red.

I feel like if I could get Red on my side, I’d be OK. I would want [her] as my backup, I’d want her as my prison wife.”

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Laura Prepon’s wife would be Nicky Nichols.

Nichols is rad, she says what’s on her mind and she tells it like it is and she’s funny, you know? And I love to laugh.”

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Selenis Leyva’s wife would be Poussey.

This is my booski.”

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Uzo Aduba’s wife would be Piper.

I’m still gonna go with Piper. She’s amazing. I think she doesn’t know what she doesn’t know and until she knows it and does learn, she does try her very best to fix something. She doesn’t find the language always, but she tries her best to make things right.”

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Laverne Cox’s wife would be Stella.

Ruby Rose. Everybody wants Ruby Rose. Stella is just a really cool chick. And she looks great naked. I have a feeling a lot of people would be coming to me to get to her.”

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‘Orange Is the New Black’ Actresses Drop Spoilers on Season 4

Laura Prepon‘s character Alex Vause is returning to the Netflix series next season, and at a New York screening of the season finale, Prepon said

We can’t really say too much. She’s dealing with a lot this year.”

The drug-dealing Litchfield Penitentiary inmate and complicated lover of the show’s lead character Piper Chapman (played by Taylor Schilling), is last seen facing down a drug business associate in the third season’s finale.

It’s unknown whether Vause will make it out alive or if she is going to portray herself in the prison show’s many flashbacks.

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Prepon, who dropped an earlier hint that Vause would be back in a June Instagram post, said Vause being paranoid and emotional during the third season allowed fans to see another side of her.

Alex will always be very, very cool. It’s just always nice when you can see that side to a person.”

Prepon said the Emmy Award-winning show helped her grow as an actress, and she praised writer Jenji Kohan.

The (writers) really push us out of our comfort zones. When there is this awesome scene that you have to be raw and you have to be vulnerable . I know that my amazing co-stars are going to be there to support me, and it really is this incredible sisterhood.”

Fans have also been anticipating a romance between inmates Poussey Washington and Brook Soso.

In an interview with Bustle, Samira Wiley, who plays Poussey, teased,

Well, I hope there’s a potential romance going on between Poussey and someone. I’m not sure exactly who that person is or if that will be a thing, but I’m definitely in the corner of wanting her to find some love.”

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Asked if it is possible romance would develop between Poussey and Soso, the actress replied,

Oh, absolutely. I think coming off of where we ended Season 3, they are both so lonely and they’re both delving into some self-destructive behavior because of it.”

It was seen at the conclusion of season three of the Netflix hit show the sweet image of Poussey and Soso holding hands while floating in the water.

Orange is the New Black season 4 is expected to debut on June 2016.

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13 Women Who Dare To Challenge Gender Stereotypes in the Media

From Miley Cyrus to Ruby Rose, stars are shedding a light on a different kind of gender identity.

These women refuse to adhere to dated, oppressive standards set on gender and beauty. They are changing the game and using their fame to help level the playing field for the women of tomorrow.


1. Ruby Rose

The 29-year-old stars as inmate Stella Carlin on season 3 of the show and thanks to her performance, her gorgeous androgynous looks and her openness about her gender fluidity, the model-now-actress is making waves when it comes gender perceptions in the media.

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We’re all really breaking down the whole gender binary system. It’s like hold on, I don’t identify as this and I don’t identify as that, I’m kind of somewhere in the middle and what does that mean? And society is being more supportive than ever before.”


2. Lena Dunham

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Despite Lena Dunham being an enormously successful writer, actress, and producer, she has been the subject of harsh criticism regarding her appearance. In an interview with Gothamist , Lena explained her body ‘Zen’ philosophy:

We’re one weight one day, we’re one weight another day, and some day our body just doesn’t even exist at all! It’s just a vessel I’ve been given to move through this life. I think about my body as a tool to do the stuff I need to do, but not the be all and end all of my existence.”


3. Samira Wiley

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Samira Wiley breakout role came playing Poussey Washington in the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black. Wiley’s androgynous beauty is ever present in the show. However, even though her character is always dressed in khaki slacks and a baggy sweatshirt, she does like to mix things up in real life.

Over the past few years since my own public image has increased tenfold, I have been overwhelmed to witness the profound ways that I am able to make a difference simply by living my life openly, and with love.”


4. Lea Delaria

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Actress, comedienne, jazz musician, Lea Delaria has gained media traction with her recurring character on Orange is the New Black. However, before then she was the first openly gay comic to break the late-night talk-show barrier with her appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1993.

DeLaria has performed stand-up comedy for more than 25 years and is a prominent figure in the world of LGBT comedy. She began her career billing herself as “That [expletive] Dyke,” explaining that when she walked down the street, people would yell that at her.

I think the most basic prerequisite of being a woman is that you must WANT me. if you don’t want me, then your not a woman.”


5. Gwendolyn Christie

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Christie knew that having traditional aspects of feminity (long hair, heels, make-up) stripped away would be important for her work and in terms of her own development. “I would be confronting elements of myself that I didn’t want to confront.”


6. Ellen Degeneres

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Ellen Degeneres’s career was all but lost when she came out of the closet in 1997. Now she has a successful daytime talk show and has reclaimed not only her career, but has blazed a new path for people of the LGBT community who seek careers in the entertainment industry. She is an advocate for being true to oneself, and shows how beautiful honesty can be.


7. Rebel Wilson

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Actress and comedian Rebel Wilson knows the pressure on women in Hollywood to have skinny bodies, but she doesn’t let that get to her. Instead, she focuses on what her body can do, and how to take care of it.


8. Kristen Stewart

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Kristen Stewart has made it clear time and time again that she has never been much of a girly girl. So stepping out make-up free is the norm, and just look at how well she wears androgyny, hair short and tousled, a bare face, and rolled up sleeves.

The strangest part about being famous is you don’t get to give first impressions anymore. Everyone already has an impression of you before you meet them.”


9. Ellen Page

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At the Human Right’s Campaign inaugural Time To Thrive conference, Ellen Page memorably came out as a lesbian in a speech that grabbed headlines across the country. After calling E! News out for calling her gym style that of a “massive man,” Ellen articulated the suffocating burden of sexism and stereotypes in the mainstream media flawlessly.

There are pervasive stereotypes about masculinity and femininity that define how we’re all supposed to act, dress, and speak, and they serve no one. Anyone who defies these so called norms becomes worthy of comment and scrutiny, and the LGBT community knows this all too well.”


10. Mindy Kaling

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Writer, actress, producer, and all-around-amazing entertainer Mindy Kaling set the record straight about how some people in the media address her appearance. She’s not white or rail thin, yet she’s comfortable in her own skin, and is proud of the way she looks, regardless of how it compares to mainstream standards. Now THAT is real beauty.


11. Melissa McCarthy

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Comic powerhouse Melissa McCarthy has been the subject of harsh criticism regarding her weight, but she rarely acknowledges any of it. By opting out of a discussion about her weight, she’s creating a better world for her daughters as she explains on Anderson Cooper.

I want them to be confident, strong, healthy, happy women. And I want them to define themselves by their actions…and by how they treat other people…and I know everyone else is going to get all caught up in it, but my job is to always bring it back to what do you do, and how do you live, and what do you say to other people.”


12. Laverne Cox

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Laverne Cox, an actress on the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black, is the first transgender woman of colour to play such a role on a scripted television show. She’s also an activist for the transgender community. During her interview with Katie Couric, she was asked about her genitalia. Instead of getting mad about such an invasive question, she answered with authority and grace about what is truly happening when she’s asked such things:

The preoccupation with transition and with surgery objectifies trans people and then we don’t get to really deal with the real lived experiences. The reality of trans people’s lives is that so often we’re targets of violence and discrimination disproportionately to the rest of the community.”


13. Miley Cyrus

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With the help of famous photographer Terry Richardson, Miley Cyrus set fire to the cute and innocent image of Hannah Montana back in 2013 with the iconic topless photo shoot. Since then, Cyrus has continued to test the limits. In recent months, the Grammy nominee has been vocal with her support for LGBT homeless youth and showed her disgust for the rich and powerful.

 

‘Orange is the New Black’ Response to Sexist Interviewer Deserves a Standing Ovation (Video)

In an ideal world, reporters would stop objectifying actresses altogether. But alas, it is an age-old problem in we witness every day.

This week, Orange is the New Black stars Uzo Aduba, Natasha Lyonne and Samira Wiley, shut down Brazilian reporter Rafael Cortez when he asked a series of bizarre questions.

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Lyonne and Wiley were asked whether as beautiful women, it’s hard to act.

Wiley responded:

I think there are some stereotypes maybe, that women are, you know, very catty on set with each other, but that doesn’t really happen on our set.”

While Lyonne said:

I feel like it’s accidentally maybe a little bit misogynistic, because it’s like “You’re so beautiful! What’s it like having to do all that acting?” I can’t tell if that’s the question, but if it is it’s insane.

Despite the great beauty on the show, everybody is, you know, professional and talented and very capable so I don’t think that anybody’s thinking about anything as meaningless as their beauty when they’re at work, or certainly at this show.”

Watch the interview below:

Reboot: The ladies of ‘Orange Is the New Black’ meet ‘Reservoir Dogs’ in ‘Reservoir Bitches’ (Video)

You’ve likely seen ads for USA’s Red Nose Day, involving the talents of popular entertainers.

But here’s a new one, that should really entertain you – Reservoir Bitches, featuring the ladies of Orange Is the New Black, who reimagine the naming scene from Quentin Tarantino’s classic crime-drama.

Reservoir Bitches sees the Litchfield inmates masterminding their own heist – but they seem to be a bit hung up on their code names.

This is one of several comedy sketches produced by Funny or Die for NBC’s three-hour primetime fundraiser.

The cast of Game of Thrones are also getting in on the action with their own musical parody written by Coldplay.

The biennial Red Nose Day telethon is being brought from the UK to the US for the first time by Sir Richard Curtis to raise money for 12 charities working with children and young adults in the US and Africa.

Red Nose Day was created to raise money to help children and communities around the world living in poverty. NBC’s star-studded lineup for the three-hour telethon includes Matt LeBlanc, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Pine, Julianne Moore, Sam Smith, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

 

 

OITNB’s Yael Stone Talks Season 3 and Which Cast Member is the Best to Party With

Yael Stone plays Lorna Morello in Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black, which returns next month.

In hit show, she has a strong accent – a mix of Brooklyn and Boston – but in real life, Yael Stone is an Aussie.

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Talking recently in an interview she opened up about the up-coming season.

We finished shooting last November so it’s been a while, but it felt good and exciting. The stories are getting richer. For the third series we’re exploring this issue of faith and what people put their faith in.”

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Whilst she stayed quiet on how much of Morello we’ll be seeing in the third series she hinted there would be new inmates joining the already huge cast list.

In a loose way, there’s always joy in finding new faces in and outside the prison and we still delight in the older characters.”

Also read: Prep for ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 3 With This New Teaser and These Amazing Pictures

The show was nominated for the International award at this year’s Baftas but lost out to True Detective.

I like our status as rebels. You can’t deny there’s an impact Netflix has made. The original content is world class and it’s a real force. It’s making things people are hungry for and we’re proud to be part of it.”

Anyone who follows the cast on Instagram or Twitter will know they like hanging out socially and for a wild night, Stone says there are a few members you need to tag along with.

I mean Samira Wiley (who plays Poussey Washington) and Dascha Polanco (who plays Dayanara “Daya” Diaz) are the ones who want to dance with. But then you’re going to have fun if you go out with Laverne Cox or Lea DeLaria (who play Sophia and Big Boo) too.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLyUlTu4KbI

The Writers of ‘Orange is the New Black’ Talk Sex Scenes – Watch Now!

Out writers Lauren Morelli and Sara Hess have spoken recently about the realistic sex scenes in Orange is the New Black.

Sex and sexuality is a huge part of the story. Everyone is thinking about it (yearn for it it) and looking to connect, so its very important to get those stories right.

Get More:
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Also read:

Also watch the below clip form back in the day. Where the whole cast and crew including executive producer Jenji Kohan and author of the original memoir Piper Kerman talked about the importance of race and sexuality in relation to prison life. Race is a really big organising principle in prison especially initially says Piper. If you re a new fish and you’re white then the white women will come forward and get you what you need and, if you re black then the black women… and the Latino women.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3CCJb-HpMI

Prep for ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 3 With This New Teaser and These Amazing Pictures

Did we tell you that Orange Is The New Black is back! So watch this new trailer now for more insight into season 3 of the Netflix show, which returns on June 12.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLyUlTu4KbI

All your favourite characters, including Piper, Red and Crazy Eyes, are back for more hi-jinks in the clink. Not only have Netflix blessed us with another look at the new season, there are 9 brand-spanking new images to tide you over until the premiere.

Also read: The Real-Life ‘Alex Vause’, Discusses Piper and Lesbian Sex in Prison

The OITNB Drinking Game (for the Ultimate Binge Watching Fan)

With Season 3 fast approaching, lez/bi women everywhere are settling in for a marathon re-run of Seasons 1 & 2. And how to make it even more interesting? Well, alcohol, of course…

Piper and Alex share fleeting or furious glances– All Players Drink

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Sophia is Sassy – All Players Drink

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Alex Vause’s Eyewear – (When Vause insists on removing or readjusting her glasses, either to really accentuate that glare, or just reveal those over-plucked eyebrows) – All Players Drink

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Pennsatucky Mentions Jesus (or is seen with a Bible) – All Players Drink 

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Mr Healy Scowls About Lesbianism – All Players Drink

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You want to be friends with Poussey so much it makes you want to cry – Finish Your Drink

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Janae is unnecessarily rude or defensive – All Players Drink

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Hot Blonde Extra – (Respect must be paid to Hot Blonde Extra. Although she gets hardly annylines, she can be seen in the background of many an episode, brightening our screens and distracting us from the main action) – First Player To Spot “HBE” Nominates One Person To Drink

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Nikki Swears – Each player must repeat the swear word loudly. Last Player To Shout Drinks

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Morello Mentions Christopher – All Players Drink

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Piper experiences #WhiteGirlProblems – All Players Drink

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The theme tune gets a little much – Shots All Round

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Behind the scenes….

‘Orange Is the New Black’ Gets Season 4 Renewal From Netflix, And We Get Another Sneak Peak of the Next Season

Watch another clip from season 3 of Orange Is the New Black, and it looks like Suzanne has some Vee feelings to deal with.

In the below clip from the coming season, Crazy Eyes (Uzo Aduba) and Poussey (Samira Wiley) nearly rumble in the cafeteria over whether Vee (Lorraine Toussaint) became roadkill or not at the end of Season 2.

So what else do we know about the new season…

Its been confirmed that the ladies of Litchfield Correctional Institution just got their sentences extended: Netflix has renewed the show for a fourth season.

Laura Prepon is back playing Alex Vause, and she’s back inside Litchfield, which, as the trailer teases, means she’s back in some drama with Piper (Taylor Schilling). Plus, new felon Stella (Ruby Rose) enters the fray.

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Also read: It’s out – ‘Orange is the New Black’ Season 3 Trailer is HERE

Oscar and Golden Globe winner Mary Steenburgen, who just finished a great stint on Justified, will be a guest star in Season 3, and looks to be cast as Pornstache mom… yes, the woman who spawned Pornstache.

Several cast members were promoted from recurring to regular cast status for Season 3, which likely means more storyline — and, with any luck, more of those trademark backstories — for their characters, including Selenis Leyva (who plays Gloria Mendoza),Adrienne C. Moore (“Black Cindy”), Dascha Polanco (Daya), Nick Sandow (Caputo), Yael Stone (Morello), and Samira Wiley as Poussey. In fact, buzz is that we get more Poussey flashbacks in the season premiere. Lori Petty, who was on Piper’s plane to Chicago in the Season 2 premiere, also returns as Lolly.

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OITNB Writer Lauren Morelli Dishes the Dirt on the New Season and Ruby Rose

In an interview with Liz Feldman on her YouTube chat show This Just Out with Liz Feldman, OITNB writer Lauren Morelli opened up about what life is like behind the scenes on Orange Is The New Black and what we can expect from the new season, which hits Netflix in June.

Morelli, who realised she was gay while writing on the first season of OITNB, came out in a touching personal piece, entitled ‘While Writing for ‘Orange Is the New Black,’ I Realized I Am Gay‘.

While talking with Feldman, she talked about how difficult the coming out process was and revealed why she decided to come out publicly. She is now dating Samira Wiley, who plays Poussay on the show.

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I hear that there’s a new lesbian character on the show, played by Ruby Rose… Is she as hot as she seems like she would be in person, is she gonna have sex on other women in the show and what can lesbians look forward to?”

Morelli responded

Yes, she’s as hot, yes… she definitely has sex on other people… Now I’m gonna get fired! Of course she’s having sex! I mean, she’s Ruby Rose! You don’t hire Ruby Rose and not have her have sex. That’s crazy!”

She also opened up about her relationship with Samira Wiley, who plays Poussay.

Feldman catches up with Uh Huh Her. You can watch more episodes of This Just Out with Liz Feldman on KitschMix.tv

‘Orange is the New Black’ Writer Lauren Morelli Speaks at Crossroads Conference

If you’re a fan of hit Netflix drama Orange is the New Black then you likely saw the OITNB story that made headlines everywhere last year.

No, not the headlines saying that season two was hilarious and brilliant (although it was, very much so) but that one of the show’s writers, Lauren Morelli, had discovered her sexuality whilst working on the show and so she divorced her husband and came out as gay instead.

With OITNB’s many queer pairings and the way that LGBT women are featured as real, relatable people instead of one dimensional tokens it was little surprise that the show had helped someone discover their identity.

Also: Our Wish List For Season 3 of ‘Orange Is the New Black’

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Now, Morelli is making headlines for having spoken at the Crossroads women’s conference in Pittsburgh. The event, which took place on the 10th of March, aimed to empower and uplift women by featuring relatable speakers who can talk about their stories.

Morelli says that women often choose to go it alone and feel as though they are the only ones in the world with that problem but “the idea of focusing a conference on navigating a crossroads is so interesting, because it’s an idea that’s so universal. I learned so much about that the last couple of years and what a difference it can make to just tell your story, to start sharing it.”

Heather Arnet, CEO of the Women and Girls’ Foundation (one of the event’s sponsors) stresses that the Crossroads’ timing was intentional. The event took place slap bang in the middle of Women’s History Month (International Women’s Day was on March 8th), a month that has already been used to bring to light the inequalities that women in this world face.

Arnet explains:

“We have a wonderful leadership program called Girl Gov for young girls, and we wondered, ‘Why don’t we have something like this for women? This conference is set up for pretty much any woman to attend, because we’ll be focused on the ways personal and professional lives of women intersect.”

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As part of that focus, the event addressed topics such as gender, sexuality and mental health as well as more business-like themes, for those looking to get ahead in their careers. Few conferences address this at all and so it’s no wonder that Tara Simmons, the Women and Girls’ Foundation’s vice president says that although “It’s a one-day conference” it’s certainly not just “a one-day thing”.

HRC Awards Out ‘Orange is the New Black’ Actress Samira Wiley With Visibility Award

The Human Rights Campaign awarded openly Orange is the New Black actress Samira Wiley with its Visibility Award last weekend during HRC’s 2015 North Carolina Gala. Known for her role as inmate Poussey Washington, Wiley reflected on her public image and coming out experience at the gala.

“I believe that being visible truly is a huge part of the battle. Some days it isn’t about moving mountains, but rather about waking up every day and choosing to live my truth as authentically as I am able. It is about holding my girlfriend’s hand when I walk down the street. It’s about doing something as small as posting a picture on Instagram that might teach a queer teenage girl in a small town that she’s going to have a beautiful life too. That it’s possible, that anything is possible. It’s about emanating pride and love rather than shame, and hate.”

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More: Samira Wiley Discusses ‘Orange is the New Black’ Season 3 And Coming Out To Family

Samira Wiley Discusses ‘Orange is the New Black’ Season 3 And Coming Out To Family

Samira Wiley made her way into our lives playing inmate Poussey Washington, the moral compass among the inmates of Orange is the New Black.

In a recent interview with Fox she touched base on Season 3 of Orange is the New Black, kissing co-star Danielle Brooks, and coming out to her parents.

More: Spoiler Alert | More ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 3 News

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Wiley can also be seen playing Agent Annie Bell in ‘Rob the Mob’. The film is an American crime drama directed by Raymond De Felitta. She was seen in the films ‘Being Flynn’ and ‘The Sitter’.