8 ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Stars That Look Completely Different In Real Life

Orange is the New Black has received an incredible amount of praise throughout its five-season run on Netflix, and much of that praise falls squarely on the shoulders of the show’s performers.

The cast of the series has been nominated for seven Emmy Awards over the course of the first four seasons, winning two of them, and the recognition is for good reason.

Many of the actresses on the show go above and beyond to ensure that they truly become their characters on-screen. For a lot of these performers, that means undergoing some sort of physical transformation as well.

Stars like Taylor Schilling (Piper) and Laura Prepon (Alex) look exactly the same in real life. However, some of the actors who play wilder characters on the show are almost unrecognizable when walking the streets.

It’s unbelievable how different these actresses look when put next to their on-screen personas.

Francesca Curran (Helen)

When it comes to being unrecognizable off-screen, no one comes close to Francesca Curran. 

The 23-year-old actress plays Skinhead Helen on the series, a bald inmate who is covered in tattoos. However, in her normal life, Curran can be as colorful as they come. 

“In real life, I’m so feminine. I’m so girly. I love my makeup, I love my jewelry, and all that,” she said during an interview with Insider. “So to really be stripped of all that…the first time I was like, okay, wow. I found myself in the mirror and was like, this is a striking…what a difference.’

 

Danielle Brooks (Taystee)

Taystee has been a fan-favorite character on Orange is the New Black since season one, and that means actress Danielle Brooks has stepped out into the spotlight.

While you can definitely tell that Brooks plays Taystee on the series, she still has a very different look outside of the show. 

The frizzled hair Taystee sports has become somewhat of a signature for the character. Brooks however, is always sporting stylish hair, a complete departure from her look on the show.

 

Natasha Lyonne (Nicky)

The addition of Natasha Lyonne to Orange is the New Black was welcomed news for fans who grew up with the American Pie franchise. The actress had a memorable role in the films, but hadn’t been seen much since.

Now, with the success of OITNB, Lyonne is back in the spotlight. She’s always had a bit of a wild style, but the actress is nothing like her on-screen counterpart. 

When she’s not on set, Lyonne trades in her prison attire for a killer set of bangs, and SNL alum boyfriend Fred Armisen.

 

Julie Lake (Angie)

Many will recognize Angie as the character on Orange is the New Black that has the nasty teeth. Years and years of drug abuse will do that to you.

However, actress Julie Lake looks nothing like her on-screen counterpart, and her teeth represent the biggest shift. 

Lake’s smile, coupled with the complete change in hair, is enough to keep people in the dark about which role she plays.

 

Kate Mulgrew (Red)

Red is one of the most normal-looking characters on Orange is the New Black, as the veteran inmate has several perks available to her that others may not.

Because of the style of the character, Kate Mulgrew isn’t quite as unrecognizable as some of the other stars of the series.

That being said, Red’s iconic hair disappears when the cameras stop rolling, and Mulgrew trades it in for an incredible style that’s all her own.

 

Laura Gomez (Blanca)

In addition to Francesca Curran, Laura Gomez is the other person on this list that Orange is the New Black fans would have trouble picking out of a crowd.

The actress plays Blanca on the series, the character with the frizzy hair, unibrow, and crazy look in her eyes. Gomez, on the other hand, looks completely different in every single way.

It’s almost shocking to see the two side-by-side.

 

Lea DeLaria (Boo)

Like Mulgrew, Lea DeLaria is another actress who fans will easily recognize in real life. She plays Boo on OITNB, and she looks very similar when seen out and about.

That being said, DeLaria has way more style than Boo, and that’s enough to set the two apart.

Sleek blue suits and awesome aviator sunglasses are definitely a major upgrade from that Litchfield-issued outfit audiences are used to.

 

Uzo Aduba (Suzanne)

Remember those Emmy Awards we mentioned earlier? Uzo Aduba won two of them for her portrayal of Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren.

The character appears out of her own mind most of the time, but Aduba’s real appearance is exactly the opposite.

The actress is composed and stylish in real life, and the transition into her on-screen persona is mind-blowing.