NetfllixPreach, Taryn Manning!
If you've ever wondered how Manning got so good (and we mean, really good) at playing a Bible-thumping recovering crystal meth addict on Orange Is the New Black, check the pews of your local churches.
"She's very serious about reforming and Jesus Christ being her savior," Manning told me of her character Pennsatucky at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Pre-Emmy Performers Peer Group reception. "The way that I prepared was...I went to church a bunch—like back to back to back."
And she spent a lot of time getting acquainted with scripture.
"The same way as if I was playing a doctor and I'm not a doctor and I have to learn the medical terms, it was very important to me," Manning said. "I read the Bible. It was important to me that I understood when a Christian or someone with that level of devotion speaks, it just comes right out with no hesitation."
"I wanted to have that flow," she said. "I did a lot of research and it's probably one of the most challenging roles that I've done."
If nothing else, Manning laughed, "I get to be weird, which is fun!"
She also insisted she doesn't know anything about rumors that Laura Prepon is exiting the series. "I love her and she's awesome," Manning said. "We've had so much fun."
A report last week claimed that Prepon would leave after wrapping up her storyline at the beginning of season two. "It's not accurate," a Netflix rep told E! News. "Our season is still developing and nothing is confirmed."