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.

When you're in prison, and we're left to our own devices, you're stripped of everything, and you really get to see who these people are, the good and the bad.

For some reason, I like to put myself in situations where I don't even know how I ended up there. I never want to be complacent or comfortable in a role.

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.

I used to wear boxers and a tank top, but now I sleep in the nude. It's kind of weird, because I used to have to wear something to bed, whether it was a tank top or whatever. And now if I have any clothes at all on, it's really hard to get to sleep.

What's great is that a lot of us are playing so against type in this, and it's awesome. All of the writers put faith in the fact that we know what we're doing. We have creative freedom, and it's awesome. I think it all worked out. Everybody on the show is so good.

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