Orange is the New Black Cast: Before and After

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Kate Mulgrew as Galina 'Red' Reznikov

Kate Mulgrew's sweet junior year picture couldn't prepare us for the fierce, aggressive "Red" who rules both the kitchen and the other prisoners. While she can be intimidating, Red's backstory continues to make her even more endearing. Mulgrew's no stranger to television with roles on dozens of shows including Star Trek: Voyager.

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Taylor Schilling as Piper Kerman

Taylor Schilling looks just as sweet and innocent as Piper did in her senior year picture. After a variety of TV roles and the lead in The Lucky One with Zac Efron, Schilling's turn as Piper really stood out. While at first, she's uptight, rigid and privileged, she acclimates to her prison life in unexpected and life-changing ways.

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Laura Prepon as Alex Vause

Laura Prepon was adorable as a cheerleader in eighth grade. She's since starred as Donna on That 70s Show and a fictional Chelsea Handler on Are You There, Chelsea? But she's stolen our hearts as Alex, the ex-girlfriend of Piper (Schilling) whose drug trafficking got them both in jail. But she's got charisma and those glasses...

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Taryn Manning as Tiffany 'Pennsatucky' Doggett

Shortly after her senior year of high school, Manning hit the teen scene with roles in Crazy/Beautiful and the WB series Popular. She's terrifying as 'Pennsatucky,' a Evangelical, drug addicted prisoner who has it out for Piper. And after last season's finale, we're dying to see what happened to her.

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Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset

Before Orange, Cox had bit roles in films and hosted the VH1 makeover show Transform Me which made her the first African-American transgender person to star in and produce her own show. Cox has broken our hearts telling us Sophia's story about her transition. She's recently graced the cover of Time magazine and is an outspoken advocate for transgender rights.

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Natasha Lyonne as Nicky Nichols

Lyonne was voted the Goddess of Comedy during her senior yer of high school. She didn't disappoint with that title with comedic roles in teen movies like American Pie and Slums of Beverly Hills. Lyonne provides comedic relief with dramatic gravitas as Nicky, a former addict whose trust-fund upbringing wasn't peachy.

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Danielle Brooks as Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson

Virtually unknown before Orange Danielle Brooks graduated from Juilliard and was in a lone TV movie before stealing our hearts as "Taystee." Brooks' impeccable comic timing has made her a fan-favorite but her dramatic chops have given us insight into who Taystee really is. And we're loving everything we see.

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Lea DeLaria as Big Boo

The hilarious LeaDeLaria showed up in some of our 90s favorites from the pictured The First Wives Club to The Drew Carey Show. As a stand-up (and the first openly gay one at that) DeLaria's comedic skills shine as Big Boo, who provides much needed comic relief. We're hoping to learn more about her backstory next season.

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Uzo Aduba as Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren

The positively amazing Uzo Aduba is truly great as "Crazy Eyes" who takes a liking to Piper and doesn't take it so well when Piper rebuffs her advances. As well as having roles in film and television, Aduba is a Broadway veteran.

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Matt McGorry as John Bennett

Matt McGorry's boyish good-looks certainly haven't changed! McGorry had bit parts on multiple television shows before his break on Orange. He plays John Bennett, a prison guard who falls for Daya (Dascha Polanco) and begins a secret relationship with her.

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Pablo Schreiber as George 'Pornstache' Mendez

Before he was "Pornstache" Pablo Schreiber has roles in The Wire, The Manchurian Candidate and a recurring role on Law & Order SVU. He also has hit the Broadway stage. Schreiber easily fills the sleazy shoes of "Pornstache" whose drug smuggling, sexually exploitative ways make him hardly redeemable.

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Jason Biggs as Larry Bloom

Jason Biggs nicely transitioned from teen movie stardom (American Pie, Loser and Boys and Girls) to a meaty guest role on The Good Wife. He plays Larry, Piper's fiance, who has to deal with the fallout of her imprisonment and finding out about her bisexuality.