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Samira Wiley Talks Law and Order: SVU Debut, New Season of Orange Is the New Black

Find out what the actress couldn't stop doing on the L&O set

By Marc Malkin May 06, 2015 1:00 PMTags
Samira Wiley, Law & Order SVUMichael Parmelee/NBC

You can add Samira Wiley to the long list of Orange Is the New Black stars who have appeared on Law and Order.

The actress (aka OITNB's Poussey) makes her debut on tonight's Law and Order: Special Victims Unit as Michelle, a woman who comes forward to recant her claims of rape and incest that sent her father to prison 17 years ago.

"For a New York actor, there are two things you look forward to—getting your SAG card and being on Law and Order," Wiley tells me with a big laugh. "I'm finally an actor now!"

Wiley admits she couldn't stop taking photos when she was on the SVU set. "It was sort of surreal," she said. "It's such an iconic set…Whether you watch Law and Order all the time or not, everyone knows what it looks like. Everyone knows what the courtroom looks like, what the police precinct looks like."

Jessica Miglio for Netflix

What she didn't expect was how quiet the set would be—not that she's complaining.

"The main difference for me when I'm on Orange Is the New Black is it's such a fun set," Wiley explained. "All the girls get along, after shooting we get a drink together or have a meal together but I realized how much silence is needed and appreciated when I'm working on a character like Michelle. Because the nature of SVU is pretty much always serious, it's sort of like the cast just has that inherent on set. It's so helpful—so, so, so helpful. Everyone was so respectful and everyone was so loving and generous."

Season three of OITNB hits Netflix on June 12.

And we're more than happy to report that Poussey and Taystee's friendship will once again shine.

"Poussey had an intense experience last season and I think in a way she's still healing from that," Wiley said. "Of course she rekindled her relationship with Taystee [Danielle Brooks] at the end of the season so I'm just looking forward and I hope fans are looking forward to getting back to the energy of season one between those friends."

Tune into Law and Order tonight on NBC at 9 pm. (E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

And make sure to come back here later today for more of my chat with Samira. Find out what made her tear up and why she hopes Bruce Jenner will inspire more LGBT celebs to come out of the closet.