When Orange is the New Black’s Lauren Morelli first started writing for the Netflix show, it was a huge deal. For starters, this was her first time writing for a television show. Months later, the writer found out that it was a significant time for her personally, as well. As she began to write lead character Piper’s arc, Lauren started to realize that she was gay, and the words coming out of Piper’s mouth were her own secret confessions.
This is now making news because Lauren has filed for divorce from her husband of two years. Additionally, she’s also in a serious relationship with one of Orange’s actresses’ Samira Wiley.
Wiley plays proud and out lesbian inmate Poussey Washington. When the show first started, Morelli went through a trying time as she discovered her new identity that hadn’t always been apparent to her.
Prior to the launch of the second season of Orange is the New Black , in a personal essay for Mic , Morelli explains her discovery happened early on in the writing process.
“In Piper and Alex, I’d found a mouthpiece for my own desires and a glimmer of what my future could look like… I went through it all on set: I fell in love with a woman, and I watched my life play out on screen.”
She continues, “While it certainly would have been disorienting to begin to question my sexuality after three decades of knowing myself, it was particularly blinding because I’d gotten married only a few months before.”
The experience of discovering herself wasn’t a solitary one, and actually happened in the writer’s room where discussions were held on an array of topics that hinged on female sexuality.
“I eagerly shared details of innocent, ‘above-the-waist’ flirtations with girls when I’d been younger. I’d even excitedly blurted out, ‘I would totally sleep with her,’ about an actress who had auditioned for Alex.”
“I went to therapy that night and casually mentioned that perhaps I was higher on the Kinsey Scale than I previously thought,” Morelli writes.
While the Orange writer was open about her journey, she didn’t write about her ongoing relationship with actress Samira. However, we’re guessing it’s because she’s not ready to share those details. That’s not to say that she’s exactly hiding it, either. Morelli attended different award shows with the actress over the past few weeks, and both have looked happy and in love.
As for her divorce? According to TMZ , “[the divorce is] all very amicable. She gets her Lexus, her apartment, and her sapphire engagement ring. He gets the Mazda hatchback.”
[Images via Lomorelli / Instagram]
