Orange is the New Black Cast in Real Life – They Look SO Different!

orange is the new black cast

We’re used to seeing them behind bars and we can hardly imagine what they look like without their jumpsuits on. The Orange is the New Black actors are barely recognizable when they’re away from Litchfield Penitentiary. In the real world, Pennsatucky, Crazy Eyes, Daya and more look totally different from their criminal selves on the Netflix show.

With a bit of make-up, a different hairstyle and glamorous outfit, you may be surprised what the Orange is the New Black cast look like in real life…

Danielle Brooks AKA Taystee

It’s great to see Taystee don a different hairstyle for once. We guess that big, bouffant hair is strictly for the show! Did you know that Danielle Brooks starred in the Broadway production of The Color Purple? Her portrayal had her nominated for a Tony Award!

taystee real life
Lionsgate/daniebb3

Taryn Manning AKA Pennsatucky

The Orange is the New Black cast in real life will shock you – especially Taryn Manning, who’s a far cry from Tiffany! Believe it or not, she doesn’t look as awful as Pennasatucky in real life! The great actress who plays the god-loving prisoner is actually blonde in reality!

pennsatucky real life
Lionsgate/tarynmanning

Kimiko Glenn AKA Soso

We hope to see more of Soso in the seasons to come, especially after what happened at the end of season four! In real life, Kimiko Glenn looks just as sweet as her intriguing character on the show…

soso real life
Lionsgate/ohlittleasianone

Kate Mulgrew AKA Red

Well would you look at that! It’s Red without her kitchen uniform on! Her real-life look is so much more glamorous than her prison-look! Believe it or not, Kate’s acting career spans across four whooping decades! Other than OITNB, she also starred in Ryan’s Hope and Star Trek: Voyager!

red oitnb real life
Lionsgate/totallykate

Yael Stone AKA Lorna

Without her red lipstick and cute curls, Lorna Morello isn’t totally different in real life. Yael Stone is just as dainty and dear and certainly just as pretty. Fun fact? She’s Jewish-Australian and her grand-parents are Holocaust survivor parents!

lorna morello real life
Lionsgate/yaelstone

Taylor Schilling AKA Chapman

Although not too different from her character on the show, Taylor Schilling looks a whole lot more elegant than she does as Piper Chapman. Her role as Piper has led her to become the proud owner of 2013 Satellite Award for Best Actress!

chapman real life
Lionsgate/smileycyrus97

Uzo Aduba AKA Crazy Eyes

Now that’s what you call a transformation! If Uzo Aduba walked passed us on the street, we certainly wouldn’t recognize her as Suzanne from OITNB! Crazy Eyes in real life looks so different! Her incredible portrayal has rewarded her with two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards! Well-deserved!

crazy eyes real life
Lionsgate/uzoaduba

Dascha Polanco AKA Daya

We’re used to seeing Daya with a very laid-back look on the show. In real-life however, it’s rare to see Dascha Polanco not looking trendy! She’s always dressed to impress!

daya oitnb real life
Lionsgate/sheisdash

Samira Wiley AKA Poussey

Did you ever think you’d see one of your favorite inmates looking super-glam? Samira Wiley is gorgeous and probably just as cool as she is on the show! Fun fact? Samira recently married Lauren Morelli, the writer of Orange is the New Black! 

poussey real life
Lionsgate/whododatlikedat

Lea Delaria AKA Big Boo

We’re feeling those glasses, Lea Delaria! Guess what? Big Boo has more outfits in her closet other than that prison suit! Did you know that she was “the first openly gay comic to break the late-night talk-show barrier” with her 1993 appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show? Lea is a comedian and jazz musician as well as an actress!

big boo real life
Lionsgate/realleadelaria

Laverne Cox AKA Sophia

Sophia is just as sassy, stylish and fabulous in reality! She looks classy both in and out of a prison cell! Here’s a little something for you – Laverne has a twin brother who portrayed the pre-transitioning Sophia on the show. Sadly, the actress has revealed that she attempted suicide aged 11 when she was bullied at school for not acting “the way someone assigned male at birth was supposed to act”.

sophia oitnb real life
Lionsgate/lavernecox

Ruby Rose AKA Stella Carlin

Stella is still our woman crush outside the series! The stunning prisoner is just as beautiful in reality. Guess what? She’s also great at modelling!

stella oitnb real life
Lionsgate/rubyrose

Vicky Jeudy AKA Janae

If you look close enough, you might just recognize the feisty inmate Janae in this happy-looking lady! Vicky Jeudy is a lot more smiley in real life then she is in the series!

janae oitnb real life
Lionsgate/vickyjeudy

Laura Prepon AKA Alex

Seeing Alex without those thick-rimmed glasses is a breath of fresh air. The actress, Laura Prepon has dark, long locks in real life too!

alex vause real life
Lionsgate/lauraprepon

Adrienne C. Moore AKA Black Cindy

Oh em gee! Adrienne C Moore is poles apart from her character on the show! From her casual afro to a beautiful up do, it’s safe to say Adrienne looks like a whole new person outside the show!

cindy oitnb real life
Lionsgate/acmoore9

Natasha Lyonne AKA Nicky

Natasha Lyonne isn’t all that different from Nicky on the show! She probably has less attitude but she sure looks just as funny and fun! You might remember her from the classic 90’s movie, American Pie!

nicky oitnb real life
Lionsgate/emmataylor995

Elizabeth Rodriguez AKA Aleida

Let’s hope Aleida isn’t as much of a meany in real life as she is on the show. Believe it or not, Elizabeth Rodriguez, who plays Daya’s mom is only 36 years old! You might have recognized her from Fear the Walking Dead and Logan.

aleida oitnb real life
Lionsgate/theonlyelizabethrodriguez

Julie Lake AKA Angie

It’s crazy what a bit of makeup and a set of fake teeth can do! You’ll be taking a double look at Julie Lake – yes that’s the actress who plays meth-head, Angie Rice! She looks SO different when she’s not in that laundry room!

angie oitnb real life
Lionsgate/juliemotherf**kinglake

Laura Gómez AKA Blanca

Brush her hair a little, wax those eyebrows and put a smile on her face – Blanca in real life is a far cry from her character on OITNB! If only we saw Blanca smile a little more like her real-life counterpart…

blanca oitnb real life
Lionsgate/mslauragomez

Jackie Cruz AKA Flaca

We wonder if Jackie Cruz has just as much attitude as Flaca? Litchfield Prison’s most sassiest Latina doesn’t look drastically different in reality but she sure is prettier without her wild eyeliner!

flaca real life
Lionsgate/Instagram

Selenis Leyva AKA Gloria

You’ve got to love Gloria! She’s certainly one of the best prison moms! The Latina-leader is just as cool in real life. In fact, you might recognize her from Nickelodeon series, Taina as well as Law & Order!

gloria oitnb real life
Lionsgate/selenisleyvaofficial

Lori Petty AKA Lolly

The actress who plays Lolly is a stylish stunner when she’s not comprising her prison role. Lolly would certainly love a pair of those pink shades on the show! Did you know Lori Petty is a 90’s movie star? She starred in movies including Point Break, A League of Their Own and Tank Girl!

lolly oitnb real life
Lionsgate/lori_petty

Emma Myles AKA Leanne

Wow! With a bit of make-up on and by putting a little oomph into her hair, Emma Myles looks very much unlike her character on the show!

Leanne oitnb real life
Lionsgate/emmacat

Jessica Pimentel AKA Maria

What a makeover! Maria in OITNB is a treat to the eye when she’s dressed elegantly and wearing a bit of makeup! This may surprise you but Jessica Pimentel is a death-metal badass! She’s a singer for confrontational indie death-metal group Alekhine’s Gun!

maria oitnb real life
Lionsgate/thecrusher007

Diane Guerrero AKA Maritza

Pretty when she’s an inmate, pretty when she’s not. Diane Guerrero is just as cute in real life! She may look pretty much the same as Maritza but she’s certainly got a different character! Diane is a an advocate for immigration reform!

maritza oitnb real life
Lionsgate/dianeguerrero_

Annie Golden AKA Norma

Norma seems just as much the sweet lady in real life! In fact, her voice is heard a whole lot more than it is on the show. Annie Golden is a singer in real life as well as an actress! You may recall hearing her beautiful singing voice back in season one!

norma oitnb real life
Lionsgate/annieg721

Viewers are very familiar with the prison ladies from the show, but would you recognize these actors out on the street? It seems a few of the OITNB cast go through drastic transformations to embody their characters! Which inmate looks most different outside the show? Let us know in the comments below…

This article was originally published Jun 23, 2015

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Tale Teller
Angela Stephanou

Angela Stephanou

Owner and chief editor of Tell Tales. Angela has a BA in Communications and oversees the content and strategy across Tell Tales, building an audience of pop culture junkies like herself. Her social media follows have more celebrities than real-life friends, music runs through her veins and she’d much rather be glued to her TV screen, piled under an array of snacks than go out on a Friday night. Angela’s guilty pleasure is watching cheesy reality shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians, but she’s also a sucker for all things Marvel and DC - two entirely different worlds, we know.