‘OITNB’ Star Taylor Schilling Goes To Prison

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“Orange is the New Black” star Taylor Schilling recently ditched the show’s signature beige jumpsuit to star in the summer comedy “The Overnight.”  In it, Schilling plays one half of a couple who move to LA and end up having an overnight adventure with another couple who wants them to take part in some group sexual antics.

It’s a far cry from what she does on “OITNB,” but even when she’s doing something completely different, it’s hard to get away from talking about Piper. We spent some time with Schilling at the press day for the film where she talked about staying the night in prison. Ok, she hasn’t actually stayed overnight in a prison, but Schilling did tell us about her experience visiting a prison and a little more about what’s to come with “OITNB.”

When do you begin filming “Orange is the Black?”
Taylor Schilling: Middle of June, I think. As of now, we go back for the 4th season. I just- I’m really excited to see everybody spreading their wings. I think Jenji [Kohan] is just so brilliant, and just keeps pushing all these characters to their whits end.

The book “Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison” was just the one year in prison, so the show has gone way beyond that.

Schilling: I think the book really- I mean, sort of almost mid way through the first season, the book played its part. And it really just- the mind of Jenji and the writers…

Did you ever sleep overnight at a prison?
Schilling: No, I’ve visited. Before we started the first season, I made a decision to not go to any prisons.  Then, before shooting the second season-  around the time I think we finished our movie [“The Overnight”], I spent some time at Rikers with Piper [Kerman].

Where did Piper serve?
Schilling: She was in Connecticut at Danbury with Martha Stewart. I don’t think they actually overlapped. Yeah, it’s very powerful. The interesting thing about the time that I spent in the prison- and I’ve spent some time with the Women’s [Prison] Association now- and they just do such magnificent work. But the parallels between what our show is doing and what’s really happening even aesthetically, like being in Rikers, and the women’s camp- is so spot on and its bone chillingly accurate. It’s exciting work.

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