Orange Is the New Black’s Taylor Schilling felt like a ‘space-holder’ by series end
"I think Piper held the projection of a lot of white privilege for the collective that was invested in the show."
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Netflix
Taylor Schilling has discussed feeling like a “space-holder” on hit TV show Orange Is the New Black.
The Netflix drama, which ran from 2013 to 2019, starred Schilling as a middle-class white woman who undertakes a jail sentence, named Piper. Many of her fellow inmates were LGBTQ women of colour.
The show co-starred the likes of Laverne Cox, Natasha Lyonne and Samira Wiley.
“A steady middle so that other people could really shine”
Speaking to The Independent in a recent interview, Schilling said: “We had to follow a Waspy white lady into prison in order to shine a light on these women of colour.
“In some ways, that was really hard,” she added of the animosity held towards her character. “I felt really hurt. I took it personally and I felt like I was no longer a part of the pack. I think Piper held the projection of a lot of white privilege for the collective that was invested in the show. That’s a vital theme to discuss, but it’s also not the easiest thing to hold…
“It was so wonderful to be a part of, of course, then it was an interesting experience to observe the change from when we started. It really changed.”
The 37-year-old added: “I definitely observed that feeling of celebration shifting into resentment of Piper. It’s a difficult thing to not personalise that. I started to feel like my job in that show was just as a space-holder, to provide a steady middle so that other people could really shine.”
Schilling’s other screen roles include Pammy and Tom and The Titan.