In any character I ever play, whether she's good or bad or whatever, my most important thing is heart.

My vintage Levi's are my favorite on the show, 'cause they really fit.

To make a long story short, I auditioned for the role of Piper because I read the pilots every year and this show was head-and-shoulders above any pilot I've read in awhile. It was amazing. So, I read for Piper and I knew that I wasn't really right for it, but I loved it so much that I wanted to read for it.

Food is a passion because I basically grew up in a kitchen. My mother was a gourmet chef and I'm the youngest of five kids. We would always congregate in the kitchen.

And my mouth is not a sewer, although some people may think it is.

The first acting I ever did was an Italian commercial. Once I did that, I said, 'this acting thing is awesome.'

Of course, we're supportive of the gay and lesbian community. I've just never portrayed that on camera. Once I met Taylor [Schilling] I knew that it was going to be really comfortable and okay, but the nudity was a little bit of an issue for me.