‘Orange Is the New Black’ Star Beth Dover Talks Show’s Rumored Sequel: ‘It Would Be Cool to See’

The end of Orange Is the New Black is almost here, could the Netflix show already be planning a return? Actress Beth Dover, who plays the controversial Linda Ferguson on the popular dramedy, said she has no idea if the plans for a sequel series are true, but she would love to see the series continue some day.

In a conversation with PopCulture.com, Dover spoke about saying goodbye to her character and the groundbreaking show in Season 7, which remains one of the streaming giant’s most beloved series.

“I think Jenji always wanted seven seasons,” Dover told PopCulture.com of the series ending this year. “You wrap it up in seven, and as much as I’d love to keep doing this forever and ever, it just felt like the right time to do it. It’s absolutely bittersweet… and hopefully we’ll all get to work together in some capacity again. You never know.”

Despite the show coming to an end, reports have surfaced ahead of the premiere that Lionsgate is eyeing the possibility of creating a sequel series for the popular prison dramedy.

“We’re really proud of the long run that Orange Is the New Black had,” Lionsgate TV Group chairman Kevin Beggs told The Hollywood Reporter in November. “It remains one of Netflix’s most-watched shows. We’re ending on a high note. Keep in mind we own that series and will be distributing it for years to come. We’re already in discussions and, when the timing is right, we’ll talk further with Jenji about a potential sequel.”

Dover said revisiting the characters from the show in the future would be a great, though as an actor she has not heard of official plans of a revival or reboot.

“It really would be great to see… because the show isn’t going to be tied up in a nice little bow,” Dover said, teasing the end of the series. “It’s just like life. Life will continue. These women, some will be in prison, some will get out. Their lives will continue.”

“It would be cool to see where people are 10 years from now, or five years from now, or whatever,” she added. “So, yeah, I think it would be a really awesome thing to do. I just don’t know if they’re doing it or not. I have no idea.”

Dover gained prominence playing the role of “villain” Linda, who ended Season 6 announcing PolyCon, the company that owns the prison the inmates are imprisoned in, would be diving into the immigration detention center business, promising a grim Season 7 for some fan-favorite characters.

Looking past the finale, Dover said she hopes her character will finally find empathy and questions her actions during the series.

“My dream for Linda is to gain a little empathy for humanity, and maybe go into therapy,” Dover said with a laugh. “Give back a little bit. Serve food at a food bank… Meditate. That would be my dream for Linda. I don’t know if that’s her dream. I think her dream is to be President of PolyCon.”

How will the groundbreaking series come to an end? Orange Is the New Black Season 7 will premiere Friday, July 26 on Netflix.