Red woman

From Orange Is The New Black to The Handmaid’s Tale, SAformer bartender M Samira IWiley R is front and A’ centre S on two of the biggest TV shows of recent years. She talks to Jen Crothers about her journey to fame ‘I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A amira Wiley is on the phone from her apartment Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress, losing out to RESPONSIBILITY in Toronto, where filming for the second series her Handmaid’s co-star Ann Dowd). Producer and lead of The Handmaid’sTA Tale is wrapping up after six Lstar Elisabeth Moss, E who Wiley calls, ‘a dream of an TO KNOCK IT months. The first season of the show – based on actor, producer and friend’ also scooped a Golden Globe Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian novel – was and an Emmy for her performance as Offred. OUT OF THE Slauded for its shocking portrayal of a totalitarian society Yet before The Handmaid’s Tale, Wiley had already where women have just one purpose: to procreate for the found her way into homes and hearts playing the big- PARK AGAIN’ men in power and their barren wives – but then heroes hearted and fearless Poussey in Orange Is The New Black, like Moira (played by Wiley) come along, fighting the the hit series set in a women’s prison. It was here she met patriarchy and rebelling for the greater good. her wife, and Wiley reveals she’s the ultimate sounding Season two, which is coming soon to Channel 4, is, board for her career choices, too. ‘When I read the script for quite literally, another story. It’s uncharted territory. Handmaid’s, even though I loved it, I was still apprehensive There’s no precedent, no blueprint for the return to the about the fact Moira was gay. I know that’s who I am, but oppressive confines of Gilead – but Atwood is on board, I wanted to be seen as an actor and not just a gay actor. collaborating with the show’s writers for the second So I had a little struggle with that, and then my wife told chapter. Wiley, 31, laughs as she admits she had never me I was crazy and that I should shut up and take the role!’ read any of Atwood’s novels, but was blown away by Wiley’s serious about what she sees as her the script. ‘I remember feeling, “This is awesome!” responsibility as a black actor, too. She says that, growing I mentioned it to my wife [Orange Is The New Black up, Angela Bassett was the woman who gave her the writer Lauren Morelli, who she married last year], and confidence to pursue her passion. ‘It’s really hard to I had no idea that Margaret Atwood is one of Lauren’s dream if you don’t see someone like you having done it favourite authors. She couldn’t believe that I had no idea before,’ she admits. ‘To know I’m on the other side and who she was. I think she was a little disappointed in me!’ am able to give young girls hope, I love being here for The show has won eight Emmys, two Golden Globes the cause. I think visibility is of the utmost importance and 25 other accolades (Wiley was nominated for an and I think that having so many diverse characters in this

60 REDONLINE.CO.UK JUNE 2018 62 62 REDONLINE.CO.UK go out on a Friday night, and have us let loose alittle.’ have let loose us and night, go aFriday out on to troops the rally to ‘I going, tried it heavy found cast the it’s even in,’ alot take says Wiley,think to admitting I – binge-watches anyone don’t ‘Ithat definitely suggest hinterland toxic of murkier, the delvesThe into Colonies. plot the have as got even darker, things around, time bubble.’ personal your unspoken etiquette that respect you and space have alittle of sort some be to seems there and LA in celebrities many so are ‘There around. wafting people famous volume of the to a‘muchis liveable more thanks city’ follow me home.’ says she which Wiley now LA, lives in New York in people having to anonymity complete having ‘It’ssince. of day my Iwent life. single from every been hasn’t stopped attention the and pharmacy, local her at viewer by a recognised Wiley was Netflix, hitting drama prison of the hours –within changed year, everything didn’t air’). Yet 11 on episodes the when afterwards embarrassed feltand pretty show this on be to going Iwas that ground (‘I toldthe get off everyone didn’t that aseries with experience previous bad a after season, first show’s the shooting while quit’ to York. It ‘scared ajob was was she New in abartender as working on role her landed she when Wiley’s 2013, In life. have transformed love people.’ radically responsibility to it my make to I want hate. and fear from comes message this like itlove, feels because with countered be necessity. to It has areal It feels like ‘Absolutely.outspoken? more her ‘other’ made has deemed anything or Moira.’ alot Iget from of and that LGBTof community, the of more achampion myself and with open more become I’ve few past the years in out my but journey, figuring ‘I’m aplatform,’ explains. she with still aperson as ‘She’sfor my responsibility herself. meunderstand helped out carve to role of even aware wants she the more become like.’ world looks actual our what movies reflect our televisionand our media, our means age and day While season one of one season While few years past The identity Trump’s if I wonder colour, on sexual stance playing In OITNB JUNE 2018 JUNE , Wiley was , Wiley was The Handmaid’sThe Tale

th July that that July Handmaid’s Tale ’s Wiley has Moira, RESPONSIBILITY RESPONSIBILITY was bleak, second second bleak, was TO RADICALLY LOVE PEOPLE’ LOVE Season two of The Handmaid’s Tale Tale Handmaid’s The of two Season MAKE IT MY ‘I WANT‘I TO is coming soon to Channel 4 Channel to soon coming is Red

woman Lesbian Mardi Gras with her co-stars Danielle Brooks Brooks Danielle co-stars her with Gras Mardi Lesbian and Gay for Sydney the to trip a72-hour from returned contests.’ have push-up randomly and tables on Iwouldn’tthat now! do We’d stand down, and up jump things some –Iprobably on did going know was what didn’t and I job really It my first was takes. between in other each at food throwing ‘I reveals. she remember set,’ crazy, goof-off,playing-pranks-on-people a fun, of experience career-defining the to again. It’s really good to have that. It makes mefeel It’s alive.’ It makes haveagain. to that. good really it out park of the knock to Ihavefeel aresponsibility like ‘I asuccess. be to series for the feels she pressure admits but received, be will new episodes the how think they haven’t they acast, as discussed Wiley says that season. this in doesn’t of abating show realism signs any that – and show to that.’ felt aresponsibility writers The of America. streets the in killed getting were people and black that we’rein, time living the reflect to wanted job. our We did we really means honestly, just this Ithink, it and with haven’tPeople still terms to come between. noin was anger. There all-consuming or disbelief, and sadness –deep emotions two were There this. like be Ididn’t to but gosh, going it was know people, it to would ashock ‘I be knew channels. Wiley’s on comments of media the many social fills still for amuch-loved grief character that And She says the cast became her best friends (she just has friends best her became cast She says the thanks Wiley’s is partly loose setting, default Letting Handmaid’s Tale holds up that mirror to society, too society, to too mirror that holds up it but Ihaven’t able yet.’ to been to back come to Iplanned hard. really was nolonger– is aperson, of me extension an is sometimes –who Ithink Poussey where ashow watch to and there, my life of of friends some I met my best on my Imet wife death. it Poussey’s revolves around Fans took Poussey’s Fans took hard. death episodes [after the the [after episodes two first I saw the my My life. everything. ago. ‘It years two was around off killed was Poussey, character, her when hard extremely it so speak), was we when [Lorna] Yael[Boo] and Stone [Taystee], DeLaria Lea I’m not in that season, I’m season, that not in ‘Even though admits. watch,’for meto she hard it was death] and OITNB . ‘It such was Orange

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