Orange Is The New Black actor reveals cast was underpaid, shares payment slip amid strike

The Writer Guild Association has been on strike since the beginning of June. Earlier this month they were joined by Screen Actors Guild after negotiations between the SAG-AFTRA and studios failed. Amidst the strike, Orange Is The New Black's famed Kimiko Glenn opened up on actors' living conditions even while working on a successful show. 

3 things you need to know

• Orange Is The New Black streamed on Netflix from 2013 to 2019. 
• The show featured an ensemble cast of Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, and Uzo Aduba among others. 
• Kimiko Glenn played Brook Soso in the series and appeared in 45 episodes. 

Orange Is the New Black cast was underpaid  

Throughout its seven seasons, Orange Is the New Black rose to become both Netflix's most popular and longest-running series. However, many of the show's recurring guest stars were paid appallingly despite its enormous success. Kimiko revealed in a Tiktok video that many actors had to stay at their day jobs to maintain their living. 

The actress’ clip exposed how little a streaming series' residuals were paid to the cast. Reruns on network television, as was the case with Friends, can support certain actors for years, but streaming delivers almost none of that money to those who contributed to the show. Kimiko also went on to display the ongoing payment she had earned for her 44 episodes as Brook Soso on the show, which came to just $27.30.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kimiko Glenn (@kimikoglenn)

One of the main problems that actors are currently addressing is highlighted in Kimiko’s video, which emphasises the low residuals that performers earn from streaming content. SAG-AFTRA's demands include higher minimum pay rates, better working conditions, and legislation governing the use of artificial intelligence in addition to higher streaming residuals.

OITNB's success as a women-centric show 

OITNB made history when it debuted ten years ago in several different ways. The programme was sarcastic, off-kilter, humorously knowledgeable and revolved around female sexuality and life in the prison-industrial complex. It was created by Jenji Kohan and was based on Piper Kerman's memoir. Although Piper (Taylor Schilling), a protected blond yuppie adjusting to life in a minimum-security prison, was the main character, the production's selling point was the big, diverse, predominately female ensemble.