Taylor Schilling, the lead of Orange is the New Black, covers the new issue of Elle Canada (as if you couldn’t tell this was Canadian by the Canadian tuxedo). What I always find interesting about Taylor and OITNB is that even though she’s the lead and even though her work on the show is solid-to-good, she’s pretty much the least interesting person on the show. Her character is the least interesting and Taylor herself is the least interesting, at least compared to Laverne Cox, Kate Mulgrew, Uzo Aduba, Lorraine Toussaint, etc. It’s not that Taylor/Piper doesn’t register, it’s that everyone else POPS so hard. Anyway, I went into this interview not really knowing anything about Taylor and I came out of it thinking that she’s sort of harmlessly pretentious. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
Celebrities in real life: “I’m still relatively new to the business – I started just five years ago – but I can see how the pressure becomes internalized. And knowing how powerful it can be, I can’t even imagine being outside of this industry looking in. I love meeting the people I admire and seeing they’re all human – they have bags under their eyes and are dealing with their own insecurities and struggles. I think it’s so vital to keep that context in the forefront.”
Who we are online: “It takes a lot of bravery to be authentic and honest and to take that social mask off in order to connect with another human being. So much of what makes us who we are is smoothed away online. And what truly connects us is the wrinkles, not the smoothness.”
Aging, turning 30: “I think that’s one of the most exciting payoffs to getting older. I spent so long being hard on myself, but now there’s so much more kindness, compassion and ease. Well, not total ease – but I can see the trend. I can see the upward spiral.”
Actress versus celebrity: “I feel that there is a part of the acting world that has gotten mixed up in the world of celebrity – as if they’re the same thing. If you’re someone who is interested in a creative profession, then you’re also required to cultivate this celebrity. They are not one and the same. I don’t know if you get more jobs if you have more Instagram followers; that hasn’t been my experience. It has almost become a defiant thing at this point because I do not believe this celebrity Kim Kardashian culture is what I signed up for. I’d rather create something honest than try to create something for a social-media account. Besides, my brain is just way too fragile for both. I am susceptible to what people think; I think we all are. So it’s just easier for me to not engage with it too much.”
You might have gotten the impression that Taylor was some social-media-shunning capital-A Actress who only cares about her craft and nothing else. You would be wrong – she’s on Twitter and Instagram and she posts on both often enough. I don’t think being active on social media makes her a bad person, nor do I think she’s a bad person for correctly differentiating between “celebrities” and “actresses.” There IS a difference. I just think she’s kidding herself if she believes that she’s not on social media to cultivate her celebrity, her name and her fame as well as promoting her work and “creating something honest.” You know who’s not on Twitter or Instagram? Carey Mulligan. Cate Blanchett. Daniel Day Lewis. It’s totally possible to be a “real” artist and create art and not engage at all on social media, I’m just saying.
Photos courtesy of Elle Canada.
Ugh, I hate denim with denim.
I think she’s boring because while I was reading her interview, I realized I was thinking about having oatmeal for breakfast. Or maybe I’m just hungry.
I have oatmeal and Greek yogurt every morning at work, but I’m home today and I don’t have a microwave so I’m eating organic PB and honey on a pita.
And I just finished.
And I already want another one.
Nothing to say about Taylor. Boring.
Cheerios and melon
Cheerios here too. And a couple of big cups of coffee.
Most interesting thing about her imo is that she dated/is dating Carrie Brownstein.
WHAT? I didn’t know that! I LOVE Carrie! never would have put those two together as a couple…Carrie seems SO interesting and quirky and Taylor is like Wonder bread.
They’re still dating. Taylor was at the Sleater Kinney show in LA last night.
Wait, she’s really bi? Or a lesbian?
I’m getting ready to go to Senior Breakfast at my college. I think they’ll be serving Mexican food! BREAKFAST BURRITOS?!
*throws second PB & honey pita in trash angrily*
THANKS, tifzlan.
Kitten, they just posted the menu. No breakfast burrito but there’s a quiche?? No idea what that is but i’ll try it! PB and honey pita sounds good too though 😀
quiche is like an egg casserole. they can be DELISH, but sometimes not so much.
My mind went to wondering what the weather will be tomorrow! Ha
Ugh I wasn’t thinking about food at all for once and now I’m sitting here starving.
Thanks ladies!
Yeah she’s super boring, and this photo shoot is horrible.
Haha! I was thinking about eating mashed potatoes while reading this.
Ho hum
I find her face so pretty, ethereal.
Love her in Orange in the New Black.
I thought it was Diane Kruger on the cover.
she’s beautifull, i like her. And she’s believable on the show.
I also love her face because it’s kind of “flat”, I love those faces, they’re very doll-like but boyish at the same time.
I also thought she looked a lot like Diane Kruger. Canadian tuxedo aside, she looks great on the cover photo.
RE: OITNB – She was the main reason I couldn’t continue watching the show after the first episode.
You are depriving yourself if you don’t watch after Episode 1! It is a great show with SO MANY talented women that I’d never get to see if it wasn’t for this show.
She looks gorgeous in these photos and I’m a huge fan of the show as well. I think she’s there (Piper) as a foil for the other stories.
“I think she’s there (Piper) as a foil for the other stories. ”
Exactly. She’s essentially the “straight man” character type.
I haven’t seen OITNB yet, but I always confuse this girl with Taryn Manning, who is weird and awesome, Imo.
She’s pretty damn good on it, I’ll give her that.
If her role as Piper was to be disinteresting, she nailed it.
Well aside from her slight character arc where she gets tougher/more acclimated in jail, Piper IS supposed to be the straight one. She’s a Lisa Simpson and I think she plays the part really well.
Exactly. Her character began as a shallow, indecisive, entitled, easily-influenced person, and has slowly gained some depth as she learns from her circumstances and people around her. However, she’s still who she is–not very deep, not very interesting, but she is a good foil for the characters who are more complex, like Crazy Eyes. Piper isn’t supposed to be charismatic or particularly interesting–that’s kind of the point. I think Taylor does a good job playing the character as intended.
“Straight one.” Snort.
(I know what you meant. The choice of words was just funny to me.)
Ugh, I’m sorry you guys I messed up the headline, but it’s fixed now, my bad.
I usually like the supporting characters better than the lead on most shows. I do like her on OITNB though, Can’t wait for the third season.
Terrible styling and photos! She’s very pretty, but whoever did these needs to stop.
Yet she is in the cover of a magazine…
Yes! Selling your image is all part of the job, always has been, and people shouldn’t be hypocritical about it.
Yeah, but nobody buys Elle Canada. It’s one of those mags you get free when you subscribe to something else or can read for free in the dentist office. blah.
So is this is how it is going to work, talk about a tabloid target to make yourself sound above them to gain headlines. It is not our fault that you are interesting yourself. BORING! !!!
I don’t see her as trying to make herself look like she’s better than Kim…It’s just an unavoidable side effect. Let’s be honest, who isn’t better? I’m educated and I like to think I’m thoughtful. I probably do more to help society despite not nearly having enough money. I’m sure you’re better than Kim too…I mean, it’s just obvious, you know?
She didn’t say anything that wasn’t true, the trashians have only been “working” for fame for fame’s sake, they’re kind of the epitome of that.
A turd sizzling in the sun is more conducive to society than the Fartrashians
She looks like she is sitting on the toilet in that one picture.
Piper’s OK. At least the show addresses her clueless white privilege to some extent. She is one of the least interesting characters but at least she’s better than Larry and the best friend/business partner/cheating wife character. I can’t remember her name. Polly?
Yes, those two are annoying.
They DO all pop so hard! I started reading Taylor’s quotes and then stopped because I got bored. zzzzz
I wish they had put her in a slinky Kim K dress TRIES to wear but ruins it with her ginormous tumors for boobs because this girl has the perfect figure for those runway dresses. Like Giselle, Cate etc.
She can wear sexy stuff unbuttoned to her navel and not look slutty but they put her in the most boring outfits?? WHY. Ugh.
She is boring, she is the perfect blank slate to do an interesting photo shoot with and its still a yawn fest. I kinda like the skirt though.
I prefer boring but still at least somewhat insightful over attention-seeking any day.
Why do celebs always think that dissing social media will make them sound smart? It seems like they think that once they say that they’ll seem like an “old-school” actor who’s really intelligent and above social media.
If you aren’t on social media you aren’t, but to have to contiously point it out and act like you’re superior because you aren’t is so annoying and makes me think you’re trying to convince yourself more than us about whatever it is. Many of the world’s smartest and most influential are on there and they seem to be doing fine. And other actors that are successful and considered the most talented have active social media accounts so it’s not like it’s impossible to do both, maybe the actors who can’t are just dumb and incapable?
Totally agree on what you wrote. I’m actually very concerned about how we use social media and how companies use our data against us (celebs never talk about this part because they are interested in gaining from it), but it’s not just a social media problem, it’s more about HOW we use it and how we lack in self-regulation behaviors. The same happens in what/how we eat and consume in general… This celebs who instantly bash social media always say the same things and it’s obvious they are just repeating what they heard somewhere and never really thought about it seriously and then promote a holier-than-you attitude. UGH. *Rant over*
Her comments are a big yawn. Nothing new.
Hate dark eyebrows with blonde hair….looks like Madonna from back in the day. And that’s not a good thing. High contrast dark roots with blond hair (:::::shudder::::), high contrast brows, strong eye, strong lip equals way too much.
I love dark brows and blonde hair! Dyeing them that colour is the only way I’ll have visible eyebrows, being a natural blonde. I make them as dark as possible without going black. My face looks different without a strong brow.
Listen, sister NONE of us signed up for the Kardashians. Except Ryan Seacrest. As for Taylor-meh. When I watch the show,I have a strong urge to get a snack or something when she’s in a scene.
Lol I was going to say, most of us didn’t sign up for this culture.
She’s only 30? I thought she was like, 40 or so.
Carey Mulligan is on Instagram, but is private
I love OITNB. At first I wasn’t so crazy about the Piper character, but than I saw the real women the show is based on, in an interview. She was blonde and pretty also, and I think she was from a middle-class (maybe affluent?) background, just like the Piper character. So the casting of Taylor S. made more sense.
I haven’t thought about her in a while. Then I was on Carrie Brownstein’s Instagram the other day and she posts a lot about Taylor and all the SK fans seem to think those two are dating.
I hate those open-mouth poses for some reason. Just SMILE, dammit!!
I don’t think she’s saying she’s not on social media; I interpreted what she said to mean that she hadn’t expected things like being on social media to be as much of her job as it is. Fair point about the actresses who don’t engage in it, but it sounds like she feels like she has to.
These days, all actors must feel like they have to. World’s changing in a weird way….
I usually find her very bland looking, but this is a really good photoshoot.
gotdamn, that is a horrifying outfit. Those jeans! Her hair and makeup. The 80s are back.
Film actresses and tv actresses are two different things when it comes to social media. Film actresses can do what they want. Tv actresses face incredible pressure and even sometimes contract clauses that make them engage in social media to promote the show.
So, I don’t hold it against tv actors who don’t like social media, but have accounts. Many times it is an involuntary part of the job.
Another actress talking about wrinkles when the last time I saw her during an awards show, her forehead looked botoxed to the max.
Gawd the memoir OITNB is based on is sooo dull. Piper was the least interesting person and it’s her memoir. She and Taylor are a perfect match, but let’s be honest, the premise of rich-white- girl in prison got the show noticed. It’s the amazing cast and fascinating story lines – mostly a departure from the book – that carried it into the third season. Piper could be written off and it’d still be great.