Meet the New Characters on Season 3 of ‘Orange Is the New Black’ (PHOTOS)
STELLA CARLIN (played by Ruby Rose)
CHARACTER: Stella Carlin, a self-identified genderqueer and Buddhist inmate, is something of a sexpot, finagling her way into a love triangle with Alex and Piper.
ACTRESS: A relative unknown stateside, Ruby Rose is an accomplished model Down Under, where she also worked as a VJ on MTV AUSTRALIA. Rose also told ROLLING STONE that she shares similarities with Stella, in both androgyny and mannerisms.
CHARACTER: Sadly Pornstache (Pablo Schreiber) won't be around this season given his misdeeds, but Ladystache (aka. his mom, Delia Powell) will pop up. Schreiber told VULTURE that George Mendez's mother is getting her own plotline.
ACTRESS: Mary Steenburgen won an Oscar for her role in 1980's MELVIN AND HOWARD, but she's no stranger to TV, with roles on JUSTIFIED, JOAN OF ARCADIA, and INK. Most recently, she appeared as a sex-hungry cougar on THE LAST MAN ON EARTH.
CHARACTER: Danny Pearson is a new Director of Human Activities at MCC concerned with the numbers, who may or may not stick around.
ACTOR: A contributor to THIS AMERICAN LIFE, Mike Birbiglia is a stand-up comic perhaps most recognizable for his memoir SLEEPWALK WITH ME and its film adaptation of the same name, in which he starred. He's since had roles in movies like HOT PURSUIT and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS and in TV episodes of INSIDE AMY SCHUMER and GIRLS.
BERDIE ROGERS (played by Marsha Stephanie Blake)
CHARACTER: Berdie Rogers will be a new Litchfield counselor and corrections officer who runs into some career issues.
ACTRESS: Marsha Stephanie Blake, an up-and-coming actress, has made many a guest appearance on TV shows, including THE BIG C, ELEMENTARY, and GIRLS. She also appears on Showtime’s HAPPYISH.
Blair Brown (Judy King)
CHARACTER: Keep your eyes peeled for Judy King, a Martha Stewart-esque former cooking-show host who’s at Litchfield for tax evasion charges.
ACTRESS: FRINGE fans are well aware of Blair Brown, who starred as Nina Sharp on the cult series. However, according to VANITY FAIR, OITNB showrunner Jenji Kohan cast the TV vet in part because of her love for the actress’s late ’80s show, THE DAYS AND NIGHTS OF MOLLY TODD.
CHARACTER: Maureen appeared briefly in the background during a previous season; in Season 3, her obsession with Crazy Eyes' self-published erotica stories develops into a crush on the author.
ACTRESS: In the past, Emily Althaus appeared on BLUE BLOODS and LAW & ORDER: SVU, and also acted alongside Jim Parsons in the Broadway play HARVEY.
CHARACTER: As a Litchfield Penitentiary Correction Officer, Charlie "Donuts" Coates becomes close with Pennsatuckey. The two form a friendship that escalates into an abusive relationship.
ACTOR: In addition to OITNB, James McMenamin can be currently seen on Showtime's NURSE JACKIE. McMenamin's also had small character roles on THE GOOD WIFE, OLIVE KITTERIDGE, PERSON OF INTEREST, and INSIDE AMY SCHUMER. He was also in the Broadway play OF MICE AND MEN alongside James Franco and Chris O'Dowd.
Bingers rejoice! It’s time to head back to Litchfield Penitentiary for the third season of Orange is the New Black, now available on Netflix. Most of your favorite inmates are back—from whiny Piper to steely Red—but the new season also brings new blood to the series. Here are five freshmen to look out for in each episode.
More Orange Is the New Black Features:
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services