Thefourth season of Netflixs smash dramedyOrange Isthe NewBlack, released last week,has already made seismic pop-cultural shockwaves across the Internet with its new depths of dark realism and shocking twists. But when star Kate MulgrewjoinedRolling Stonefor an exclusive interview, she had bigger matters on her mind than series plot spoilers.
In the video above, Mulgrew discusses her character, the fiery Russian H.B.I.C. of the kitchen nicknamed Red, but also speaks to the real-world political significance of the deplorableconditions in Litchfield Penitentiary.The prison system is not only corrupt, but its direly overcrowded, Mulgrew says. We have far too many men, particularly African-American men, in prison. We dont seem to be able to change the system on any kind of fundamental level, I dont know why. But Jenji [Kohan]s doing that slowly, using Orangeas her device. Im very proud to be a part of that.
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Though shefirst rose to prominence for her roleas Capt. JanewayonStar Trek: Voyager,she confided that doing right byOrange Is the New Blacks subject materialwas a challenge she hadnt previously encountered in her prolific career.It makes me think I might be like that myself, if I was behind bars, Mulgrew says. She found meaning in the position of kitchen tsar, creating a sense of purpose from otherwise menial work: Thats the only way to lift it up. Its too, in a sense, not fantasize it, but make whatever your job is as rich as you possibly can, as important as you possibly can, as central to the well-being of your girls as you possibly can.
And in the bonus interview below, Mulgrew dug a little deeper on her methods as a performer. As she tells it, she got the chance to internalize this character in a way unlike many of her past roles:I have a darkness. Kate Mulgrew has a very serious darkness. I dont let many people see that, but its always an undercurrent in everything I do.
At the end of the day, its all about her craft. (I live for the process, she explains, I dont live for the endgame. I really want to swim in the process.) She expressesthe affectingsynergy between actor and character with one simple, powerful phrase:Its a magical thing, when the character youre inhabiting inhabits you.