Story and audio by Hannah Yakobi

Photography by Hannah Yakobi, Jessica Miglio, Netflix, Jesse Grant, Alex Azevedo/Fabio Pugliesi and Jill Greenberg

The title of the show kept circling in my head, as I arrived at the press junket. It sounded like a fashion headline, but the real focus was something that deeply scared me – prison.

A small room was filled with 10 journalists. We comfortably assembled across the edges of a rounded table and started chatting, while waiting for the cast of Orange Is The New Black to arrive.

Some of us had already seen half of the first season, others only watched a few episodes. I read extensively about the show, watched trailers and cast interviews. I chose not to preview it on Netflix, because I wanted to assume the role of our readers, who may be reading this without knowing anything about OITNB.

The cast was incredible. They were deeply passionate about their roles in a very authentic way. The room kept roaring with laughter because of their jokes, and the show became real and personal after talking to them. In this FAJO Exclusive, we have created a highly interactive, multimedia essay on Orange Is The New Black that will provide in-depth stories about this show and its cast.

Jason Biggs and OITNB are on the cover of our September issue. Graphic design: Kalynn Friesen, FAJO Magazine. Photo credit: Jill Greenberg for Netflix.

Overview

From “Weeds” creator Jenji Kohan comes Orange is the New Black, a women’s prison drama with comedy that takes no prisoners. Based on the acclaimed memoir of the same name by Piper Kerman, the series is about engaged Brooklynite Piper Chapman, whose decade-old relationship with drug-runner Alex results in her arrest and year-long detention in a federal penitentiary.

To pay her debt to society, Piper must trade her comfortable New York life with fiancé Larry, for an orange prison jumpsuit and a baffling prison culture, where she is forced to question everything she believes about herself and the world at large. As she struggles to adjust to her new reality, she finds unexpected laughter, tears, conflict and camaraderie amidst an eccentric and outspoken group of inmates.

Cast members joke with author Piper Kerman during their Brazil press tour. They have been travelling around the world to promote the series, with a stop in Toronto this summer.

Cast

Taylor Schilling (Piper Chapman)

Jason Biggs (Larry Bloom)

Laura Prepon (Alex Vause)

Michelle Hurst (Miss Claudette)

Kate Mulgrew (Galina “Red” Reznikov)

Natasha Lyonne (Nicky Nichols)

Michael Harney (Sam Healy)

Pablo Schreiber (“Pornstache”)

Danielle Brooks (“Taystee”)

Uzo Aduba (“Crazy Eyes”)

Taryn Manning (“Pennsatucky”)

Jason Biggs

Jason Biggs poses for FAJO Magazine.

Piper Kerman (the author)

Piper Kerman poses for FAJO.

Taylor Schilling

Taylor Schilling (left) plays the role of Piper Kerman who is pictured with her at the New York Red Carpet premiere of the series.

Laura Prepon

Laura Prepon laughs during our interview.

Danielle Brooks

Danielle Brooks poses for FAJO at the press junket.