OITNB returns: Attitude meets Taryn Manning and Yael Stone

As the UK sets itself up for a weekend of binge-watching in bed as the eagerly-anticipated third season of Orange is the New Black lands on Netflix, we’re sharing our interviews with some of the cast from last summer to refresh our minds and find of what to expect from the ladies of Litchfield Penitentiary.

The apex of season 1 might have sees the show’s primary antagonist Tiffany ‘Pennsatucky’ Dogget – played by former co-star of actual real life Britney Spears in Crossroads, Taryn Manning – bludgeoned by Piper in a fit of rage following a vendetta against Piper and Alex’s lesbian prison affair, but for the psychopathic Jesus-loving former meth-head, Regina Spektor’s now-immortal theme tune chant of “everything is different the second time around” has never been so fitting. Coming into the season 2 unsure as to whether she’d met a brutal end, viewers eventually saw Pennsatucky return a new woman: less villainous and oddly, wholeheartedly adorable – maybe it’s that new federally-funded dental work…

Attitude: Your character changed a lot in season two, is it nice to be playing less of a villain?
Taryn Manning: Yeah, it is definitely nice to be playing less of a villain… actually I think what’s nice is creating and executing the arc of a truly complex character.

It must feel good to have replaced those meth-riddled teeth you sported through the first season?
People seem pretty intrigued about the process of my character’s teeth. I simply enter the hair and makeup trailer, sit down, close my eyes and let the magic happen. But Pennsatucky does seem quite happy about the new set, huh? I think they even gave her some free mouth wash at the dentist.

Do you have a favourite Pennsatucky moment?
It’s hard to say, there have been so many great scenes, but season 2 episode 2 in the van, when she’s on her way to get new teeth and she’s overjoyed that all of her scheming and antics worked in her favour to get herself a new grill. I enjoyed playing that scene very much because it was rewarding as an actor and honestly, for me as well – I could selfishly feel kinda pretty again.

How did you prepare for playing such a crazy character?
I don’t know, maybe I didn’t prepare at all and that’s what drove me crazy [laughs].

Do you feel like you’ve been typecast as a crack head? (8 Mile, Hustle and Flow, A Lot Like Love)
No not at all. I’ve gotten to play so many colourful characters. I’ve had so much fun with my career.

In the first series your character was intolerant of her fellow lesbian inmates, but towards the end of series two we see an unlikely friendship form between her and alpha-lesbian Big Boo – do you think this is a change for good?
Well I guess you’re just going to have to watch season three and find out!

Can you see your character turning? At the end of the series you get a ‘lesbian makeover’…
Oh… so you’re saying having a short haircut and being a lesbian automatically go together? [laughs] I don’t know about that…

Do you think men go through the same kinds of issues in prison?
I don’t know, it depends on how they wear their hair.

You famously played Mimi in Crossroads with Britney Spears – how do you think Britney would fare in the Litchfield prison?
I think Britney would rule the roost. I love her.

Which popstar would you love to see make a cameo?
Hmm, Janet Jackson.

Which of the cast members looks best in prison overalls?
That’s the beauty of our show; no matter what shape or size you are, no one looks good in those ugly potato sacks.

Next we speak to Aussie actress Yael Stone about her popular turn as delightfully lovesick Lorna Morello. From the off, her character’s obsession with her fiancé Christopher and their upcoming nuptialsease had already shown hints of fabrication, but by the end of the second season it was clear the perky Italian-American was one of the most troubled inmates of all. However, enlivened by Yael take on her character, she manages to maintain her status as the show’s most universally adored character; her disturbing and delusional backstory not even leaving a dent in her likability. In fact, you sort of love her more for it…

Attitude: So Yael, do you see any of yourself in Morello?
Yael Stone: I’ve thought about this before and I think our biggest similarity is that we both love movies – she lives in a bit of a fantasy land. I think I really share that idea of completely escaping into different stories.

What would be the last film you watched if you were going to prison?
Oh that’s a really good question. Hmm, I’m teetering between saying something really tough like 25th Hour, something to get me ready, or something sweet and innocent; something to hang on to, like The Princess Bride or Grease. I always loved Guys and Dolls, I’m a sucker for those kinds of films.

Is the accent a quirk you brought to the role or was it scripted?
It was very much an invention of the audition process. Nowadays when I get the script I notice they do write for her accent – things like leave off an ‘ING’ from the end of a word.

Do you find it switches off as the cameras turn off or does it stick with you?
In the first season I kept it for the whole time. It wasn’t as much convincing myself I can do it as not letting other people get distracted by my Australian accent. As I’ve become more comfortable with it, I tend to go between Australian and Lorna a little more. The reason – I think – is because I know the people I work with now. Before I could pretend to be Lorna all the time but as time goes on you sort of start to feel like a bit of a fraud [laughs].

What do you think it is about your character that even after her backstory is told, she’s still such a fan favourite?
That’s very sweet of you to say. I think it’s a great tribute to Jenji, the creator of the show, that though they’ve made some shitty decisions, the characters are incredibly loveable. We feel for them, i think we’re allowed to understand them from the inside out, we don’t judge them for their crimes. I guess with characters like Crazy Eyes and Lorna there is a genuine instability and they actually may be suffering from mental health issues. I think Lorna could definitely do with some counselling right now and do with some support that she may not be getting in prison or even out of prison, and perhaps that’s the reason why she ended up in there.

What was your reaction to finding out her backstory? Had you speculated about it before?
I had speculated, but I hadn’t asked too many questions because I didn’t want to get fired [laughs]. I had no idea really, I was completely shocked. You do get a sense, playing a character like that, all that over-friendliness and over-positivity all the time, that there must be something going on underneath. I was really surprised at the length that Lorna had followed this obsession of hers. I felt really bad for her that she was in so much pain. That’s another reason why people empathise with her. I think most of us have felt that unquenchable pain when you’re in love with somebody and they just don’t want to have anything to do with you. A lot of us can identify with that.

In spite of all that, your character falls into the gay-for-the-stay category, why do you think that is?
I think that on the Kinsey scale Lorna is probably somewhere in the middle. Her lifestyle before prison didn’t allow her to explore that at all. I think the other thing is, be it male or female, she enjoys and seeks connection and comfort as we all do. I appreciate that being in this strange circumstance, she found herself making a connection that she otherwise wouldn’t have made with a person she would have never met. When we’re not trying to label ourselves as something there’s a whole realm of possibility for human connection and I think the story explores that. I think the show documents that well, be it a situation of romantic love, protection, or just needing a release of that animal urge. It’s something that definitely happens.

Who in the cast would you most likely go gay for?
Well, that question presupposes that I haven’t already! [laughs] Gosh, there are so many beautiful women, that’s a really hard question. Do I have to choose just one? In terms of character I think Nicky is a wise choice. She’s very experienced; she calls herself the queen of multiple orgasms soooo… She also gives very good advice, you’re kind of getting two for the price of one with Nicky. So I’d probably make the same choice as Lorna made and allow myself to be swayed by the Nichols charm.

What has it been like being back on set?
Well we kind of just started. At the moment I feel like I’m doing a lot of talking about the show but I’m not sure I can remember how to act! But there’s a general sense of real joy on set. It’s so rare to be part of something so successful and so embraced, and at the same time, we’re unusual. We go beyond token characters; we have a whole cast of people of colour, of different ages and sizes and shapes – we’re not the standard shiny TV show. It’s a special feeling.

WORDS: AARON TOUMAZOU

Orange is the New Black Season 3 is available to watch in full on Netflix now.

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