Orange is the New Black cast say emotional goodbye as series wraps
Laura Prepon and Taylor Schilling (Piper Chapman and Alex Vause) on a final day of filming Orange is the New Black. (Instagram/Laura Prepon)
The cast of Orange is the New Black are hanging up their prison uniforms and saying goodbye as they prepare for life after prison.
The Emmy award-winning show, which premiered in 2013, finished filming its seventh and final season on Tuesday (26 February).
During its six-year tenure as one of Netflix’s flagship shows, Orange is the New Black has sparked debate on topics such as racial and trans inequality within the justice system and prison reform.
Orange is the New Black cast. (Netflix)
Cast and crew of Orange is the New Black share emotional goodbye
As filming concluded, the cast and crew of OITNB have shared emotional images from the set.
Jenji Kohan, who created Orange is the New Black, has been counting down to the final day of filming.
On Tuesday, Kohan posted the final countdown, with the caption “This is it!” and picture of Danielle Brooks—who plays Taystee Jefferson—holding a sign that says “That’s a wrap!”
Taylor Schilling, who plays the role of Piper Chapman, shared a video on Instagram and said that the end of the show has left her heart “full and achey and so overflowing with gratitude.”
Natasha Lyonne said on Instagram that, “on the last shot, a guttural sound came out of me, like some wounded animal.”
View this post on Instagram
On the last shot, a guttural sound came out of me, like some wounded animal.
Alysia Reiner—who plays the formidable Natalie “Fig” Figueora—posted a picture with her co-star and character rival Beth Dover, who plays Linda.
Reiner wrote, “We may pretend to hate each other but IRL I couldn’t love u more.”
Beth Dover (who plays Linda Ferguson) wrote that “it has been such a beautiful ride and I’ll be forever grateful to have been a part of this show. Orange fam for lyfe!”
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Came through to say “Bye”and give some love. #wheresDascha #Daschawashere #oitnb #netflix
Uzo Aduba, the only actor ever to win an Emmy in both comedy and drama categories for the same role for playing Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, shared an emotional post.
She tweeted, “OITNB changed my life and the lives of so many people who worked on and watched our show. It gave us the space to just be ourselves.”
.@oitnb changed my life and the lives of so many people who worked on and watched our show. It gave us the space to just be ourselves. Thank you @ijenj for letting us play; thank you @netflix for giving us the platform. Thank you… https://t.co/ZgduOS4Y3I pic.twitter.com/UsXaCJLcwg
— Uzo Aduba (@UzoAduba) February 27, 2019
Orange is the New Black’s Twitter account shared photos from the final days on set.
We just have allergies, ok?! pic.twitter.com/a5I74KQWzq
— Orange Is the New… (@OITNB) February 27, 2019
Another tweet said:
See you later, thug life.
— Orange Is the New… (@OITNB) February 22, 2019
Orange is the New Black: the final season
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Lyonne, who plays Nicky—and now stars in her own Netflix show Russian Doll—promised a “satisfying” ending.
Brooks tweeted that the penultimate episode of the final season “f***ed” her up and warned there would be “surprises” in store.
Fam, I just read the second to last episode of our final season…
…and…
it f**ked me up. @OITNB pic.twitter.com/lEzce6zJlv— Danielle Brooks (@thedanieb) January 16, 2019
Taylor Schilling—who plays Piper Chapman—told The Hollywood Reporter that it was the right time for the show to wind down.
“I don’t feel like any stone is left unturned,” said the Netflix star.
She said Orange is the New Black “did what it came to do. And now, in the Trump era, there are new stories to tell.”
