Samira Wiley was apparently outed by an OITNB castmate, and that’s 100% not okay
In an October 8th episode of WNYC Studios’ podcast “Nancy,” Samira Wiley revealed that she was accidentally outed by an Orange Is the New Black costar. The Handmaid’s Tale actress said she wasn’t openly gay during the first season of OITNB, which premiered on Netflix in 2013.
"First season I wasn’t out at all," Wiley disclosed on "Nancy." She continued, "In the beginning, I was playing a gay character, or I had always thought of her in that way. Someone from my cast, actually, [they] were doing an interview [and they] were talking about out gay actors in the cast and they mentioned my name."
Wiley said she saw the interview in print and broke down. “I cried a lot,” she said. The actress even attempted to try and get the interview rescinded. She admitted that, at the time, she wasn’t an openly gay woman and was incredibly disappointed that her coming out experience had been taken from her.
"Everyone's journey is their own. You should be able to come out on your own terms," Wiley said.
However, Wiley also noted that she believes the characters she has chosen to play have come into her life for specific reasons.
"I wasn’t out in the beginning [of OITNB] and I think falling in love with Poussey, which is a real thing that happened to me, helped me fall in love with myself as well," Wiley said.
Wiley is currently married to television writer Lauren Morelli, who she met on the set of OITNB.
We’re sad to hear that such an important moment was taken from Wiley, but are glad to know everything seemed to work out—and that she’s currently crushing it at life.
