Litchfield Penitentiary was on fire this past season of Orange Is the New Black, and Miriam Morales’ character Ramona “Pidge” Contreras was on the front lines of the prison-wide rebellion, taking it upon herself to guard the small group of prison guards and employees who were taken hostage by the prisoners during the riot. Throughout the season, Morales was able to showcase the duality of Pidge — from the tough-as-nails hostage guard to the hysterically funny coffee-snorting co-d to Ouija (played by Rosal Colón) — which made Pidge an instant fan favorite.
‘LLERO caught up with the Brentwood, Long Island Nuyorican to chat about her early days in acting, her work on OITNB, her views on the portrayals of Latinos and their stories in Hollywood, and the need for more Afro-Latino representation in media.
‘LL: Tell us a bit about some of the aspects of your life growing up that set the course for your current path.
Miriam Morales: I did a play in church when I was maybe five- or six-years-old, and that was something that I instantly fell in love with. I knew after doing that play that that was something that I wanted to do. I didn’t understand at the time that it was called acting, I just knew that whatever it is that I’m doing here, this is it. Ever since then, I always performed in school plays and church plays—anything that would have to do with the arts, I would do. I would literally look in the back of Newsday or the penny saver, or my local library just to see what they had going on in theatre and arts. Anything that was free is definitely what I did. My first real audition was when I was 13, and it was for the show Ghostwriter. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of it.
‘LL: Oh, yes. Yes we have.
Miriam Morales: You’ve heard of that show? Really? [Laughs]. Whenever I tell anyone that story, they’re like, “What are you talking about?” I’ll be like, “Never mind.”
‘LL: I loved that show, actually.
Miriam Morales: Me too! That’s so cool! That was my first real audition, and it’s something that I’ve always done. I’ve always pursued it. After high school, I went to conservatory, which is an acting school, and it was just something that I never stopped.
‘LL: Did you have a mentor while you were on the come up?
Miriam Morales: I didn’t have a single mentor. The teachers that I had throughout the years served as mentors for me during that time. The first person that comes to mind is Herman Chavez. His classes are called “The Mental Game of Auditioning.” I really feel that my time with him really laid the foundation for everything that came after. I would say that he is someone who influenced me professionally not just as an actress but as a person as well during my time with him. There are a few other people, like Heidi Marshall I’ve worked with also in a class setting and one-on-one a lot. Also, there’s Ellen Marshall who is the person I worked with on my audition for Orange Is the New Black.
‘LL: Were there any actors you looked up to when you were starting out?
Miriam Morales: As an Afro-Latina, we are not very visible when it comes to media. There’s no real representation of us that we can see in Hollywood. Afro-Latinas are not the norm. You have your Penelope Cruz and Sofia Vergara, and I think people forget that. I’m not even the darkest of the Afro-Latinas. There are some that are darker than me and have coarser hair. I think that defining as Afro-Latina and not really seeing much of myself on television is one of the reasons why I always admired and respected Gina Torres, Lauren Vélez and Rosie Perez. Of course there are other people that I looked up to, not only Latinas, but just as seeing myself in the media it was those three.
‘LL: When starting to ply your trade as an actor, was being Afro-Latina a challenge for you personally?
Miriam Morales: You know, it’s funny you say that because when I was growing up as a teenager just trying to figure things out, I didn’t make that connection. Looking back on it, I would say yes, because I didn’t look like Hollywood Latinas. I also didn’t wear my hair naturally curly as much as I do now, and I noticed people treating me differently when I wore my hair straight. Most of the rolls that I was cast for in the very beginning of my career weren’t even made or written as Latina characters. They were African American, and they would change the name of the character to reflect the Latina, which I didn’t ask for. I don’t think that it’s necessary, but it has always been that most of my characters weren’t meant to be played by Latina actors, with the exception of Orange. Being Afro-Latina, and looking the way that I do, I still encounter difficulty. I think it’s improving, but I don’t think it’s improving fast enough to reflect the demographics of this country and the demographics of the Latino community.
‘LL: What were some of the roles you played before landing a spot on OITNB?
Miriam Morales: They were indie films like the smaller things that you do for credits, but one of them is actually out there for people to watch. True Story is the feature film, and I play the role of Tamika Torres. That was one role where the director changed the name to fit the actor, which I found interesting. I didn’t even know that he had done that until we finished the project and had a screening and in the credits I noticed that it said Tamika Torres, and I was like, “Oh, you changed the name!” [Laughs].
‘LL: Now, is that something that you see as a negative thing, to change the character based on the race of the actor?
Miriam Morales: No, I don’t necessarily see it as a bad thing. Whatever his reasons were for it, I respect it. I don’t think it was necessarily like, “Oh, she’s Latina, and I know that she looks Latina. So, I’m just going to change it.” I feel like from the other perspective, it’s also like I don’t think it’s necessary you can see someone’s name and know what they are because I could be mixed, which is what a lot of people thought when I started acting. No one knew I was Latina. Then, when they would hear my last name, they would be like, “Oh, so you’re Latina.”
Learn how Miriam landed on OITNB, what day one on the set was like and what’s next for Pidge after the jump!
‘LL: How did the OITNB role come about?
Miriam Morales: I had been a huge fan of the show from the very beginning, and I actually auditioned for it back in season three. It’s something that was on my vision board. It was what I visualized and what I wanted, and I would always remind my manager any opportunity that I had that I needed to get on that show. And so, a breakdown was released for my character, and my manager called me and she asked me my height, and I said five feet. I was like, “Why do you need to know my height?” She told me about the breakdown, and it specifically said, the shorter the better. I said, “Submit me, absolutely.” I auditioned for it, and it was one of those last minute appointments, and I only had a day to prepare, so I worked with my coach on it on the day of my audition. Initially, I didn’t think that I booked it, because I didn’t hear anything right away. I was really depressed about it, but then I found out a few days later that I booked it. It was the most amazing feeling ever.
‘LL: What were your thoughts on Pidge when you read up on the character?
Miriam Morales: For the character of Pidge there actually wasn’t much in the breakdown of her other than that she was Dominican and tough. Of course, when it comes to the tough part, that could be interpreted in a variety of ways, so not having too many specifics about her was actually like a blessing because I don’t have any limitations as to where she can go. I could kind of create her as I get more information about her through the scripts and through what people say about her and the way they speak to her and things like that. Pidge is a character that I definitely had to craft and really pick up on the little clues that I was given when I was given any as to how I could further develop her. I like the fact that it was kind of like a clean slate and that she could’ve really gone in any direction.
‘LL: What were some of the things you did to make Pidge standout a bit more?
Miriam Morales: I found Pidge to be very comedic at times, so it would just be mainly in mannerisms—how I spoke to people or how I interpreted different situations. In season five, I feel like that’s when Pidge really flourishes and you get to see how she makes the best out of the situation. I mean, there’s a riot going on, and she decides to snort coffee to stay up. Like, she’s that person [laughs]. It was fun—I loved it! Her range really came out in season five. You get to see all of these layered dynamics. She’s tough when she needs to be when she’s guarding the hostages, and yet, she’s in between just being so ridiculous, so goofy and just making the best of the situation.
‘LL: As a big fan of the show beforehand, can you walk us through your first day on set and how you felt the entire time?
Miriam Morales: I meditated the day of. I love meditating. I think it’s a great way to center yourself. I’ve always been that kind of person that I keep my excitement inside—unless I’m completely caught off guard and I expose myself and it becomes obvious [laughs]. My first day I met Taylor Schilling, Kate Mulgrew and Jessica Pimentel. My first day was only with them basically and Rosal Colón, and that was our first day together as well. Also, I had forgotten that the director was Andrew McCarthy — who I loved growing up — and so, when they introduced him to me, I was like [panting] “Hi!” I don’t know if that was obvious, but when he walked away I was like, “Oh, my God! I hope I didn’t make a total fool of myself.” It just slipped my mind that it was him. That was amazing, too, getting to work with Andrew McCarthy. I remember watching his movies over and over again when I was a kid, but I mean, you just focus, you go in, you work and that’s it.
‘LL: Who was your favorite character on the show going into it?
Miriam Morales: Oh, wow! There are so many that I love. I really like Crazy Eyes. It’s such a wonderful character, such a well-developed character. There is so much to play with there, and it’s such an open, vulnerable, honest, raw interpretation, and Uzo [Aduba] does an amazing job. I really love that character, and I also feel that it is a great representation of how we view and treat people with mental illness. Here you are in prison, but it very much mirrors outside life. It’s a nice way to put a microscope over that. I really love that character.
‘LL: The latest season put your character as one of the inmates at the forefront of an uprising inside the prison. This in ways mirrored a lot of what is currently going on in the real world. Did any of the situations going on in real life inspire you when shooting season five?
Miriam Morales: A little bit. I feel like if anything what’s going on right now mirrors way more what was going on when we were actually shooting it, but little bits and pieces of that were definitely starting to develop. I think just as a human being those things inevitably affect you in a subconscious level whether you want to admit it or not, and that definitely comes through in the work. How could it not? You’re experiencing something, and then you have to come to set and, yes, it’s a character, and it’s TV, and it’s “not real” but, yet, it is very real, because it’s a real experience. It’s real stories, and prison riots have happened before. I don’t know if I would use the word “inspired,” but definitely what was going on is definitely something that is reflected on the show on various levels—from the rioting and the characters and the actors that are going into this to make this come to life.
‘LL: Have they told you yet what the future holds for Pidge, you know, being that she was one of the people mainly in charge of guarding the hostages? I expect to see more of Pidge just based off that.
Miriam Morales: I would love to see more of Pidge, too! Unfortunately, they don’t tell us anything. It’s a secret for us just as much as it is for you. I have no clue of what is to come, but I hope that it’s more of Pidge.
‘LL: What would you like to see more of when it comes to the character?
Miriam Morales: I would like to see more of her layers come through. In a lot of ways, I feel like Pidge is suppressing something that I think is kind of violent. I would like to find out what’s her background story. How did she end up here? I feel that that plays a very huge role of how she’s handling herself in prison. I also think that she’s tougher than what people perceive her to be, and smarter. I feel like she’s one of those people that you don’t want to sleep on.
‘LL: What has been the most rewarding part of working on OITNB?
Miriam Morales: Just working on the show [laughs]. I say this all the time, and it may sound cliché, but it really is a dream come true. I was such a huge fan of the show, and that was the show that I wanted to be on, so just working on it is the most amazing part. And, of course, meeting people and meeting the other actors and building friendships is just an added bonus.
There is more to Miriam than OITNB. Read on to find out Miriam’s future plans outside OITNB…
‘LL: Aside from acting you’re also credited for production work. Tell us a bit about that.
Miriam Morales: I’m not sure if you’ve ever heard of those 48-hours or 72-hours film challenges, but I participated in one, and I had to write, shoot and edit a film within 72 hours. I did it because I wanted to experience what it would be like to do something like that in such a short period of time, and I always wanted to produce, so I figured, here’s my chance. I did that on the off season when I wasn’t filming Orange. That’s the best time to do anything because you really dedicate your time to it. It takes a lot of work and a lot of time, so that was a wonderful learning experience. The other project you may have seen me credited for was not as a producer, but more as a social public relations strategist for a web series. That’s what I did in my past life to pay the bills before Orange came along. The producer of that web series, I actually met him in acting class, and we worked together for a little bit, and I helped him do that.
‘LL: Would you like to pursue more opportunities like that?
Miriam Morales: I don’t know if I want to do social media strategy work for other people, but I definitely want to produce and produce my own stories and contribute to that narrative here.
‘LL: What are some stories within the Latino community that you feel should be told but currently aren’t in film?
Miriam Morales: I would say that the one I am most passionate about is the perspective of someone that grows up bicultural. I am specifically referring to myself, and I know that I’m not the only one that feels this way where here you’re born and raised in America. Yes, you are Americanized, but you’re still very much into and have a love and passion for your heritage and culture, but you don’t really fit in, because you’re too Latina for the Americans and you’re too American for the Puerto Ricans. It’s one of those things that is difficult to navigate when you’re growing up—learning about yourself, learning to love yourself, and learning to accept yourself. It’s a challenge when you feel that you are not accepted in either world, where you don’t feel that you are enough. Now, there’s this whole culture of shaming within the Latino community where it’s kind of damned if you do, damned if you don’t when it comes to speaking Spanish. They don’t like the way that I speak Spanish. It is difficult, because I don’t feel that I’m any less Latino because my Spanish isn’t as elegant or it’s not what someone else’s standards are. I’m Latina, and that’s who I am. I’m not going to judge someone just because they don’t speak Spanish or speak it a certain way. I feel that you should be proud of who you are regardless of that. And, I feel that we don’t really see those stories here. People that are born here have a story, too—not only immigrants, which you see a lot of now because of what’s going on in the world, and that’s fine, but there are so many stories that we have that we could be telling.
‘LL: What are your opinions on the role of Latinos in Hollywood and their portrayal in the media? Do you feel like there has been some progress made as of recent, or do you feel that there are still challenges that remain there?
Miriam Morales: The progress has been small, in my opinion, but I guess a little progress is better than no progress. But, there are still some challenges and some obstacles there, but again it’s about diversity. You want diversity in media in general, and you want diversity within the Latino community in terms of who you see on-screen visually and what the stories are. It is getting better in a sense. You think of Jane the Virgin, and I think they did a wonderful job of just showing a real family dynamic in America. Jane talks to her grandmother in English, and her grandmother talks to her in Spanish. I relate to that a lot, because that’s how I grew up. That’s a true Latin American dynamic here in America, and they reflect that very well. But there’s not enough of that being put out there.
‘LL: What are some upcoming projects that you have coming up that our readers should look out for?
Miriam Morales: Well, I’m auditioning a lot, so you never know. But, I will be in season two of Sneaky Pete some time next year. I play a teacher, so I’m not in prison. Yay! [Laughs]. She’s very sarcastic, and she’s a lot of fun. I also have a blog that I write, so I’m always sharing articles and a YouTube channel and things like that. It’s not really acting-related, but there are other things that I’m passionate about and they could always go and check out my site (themiriammorales.com).
‘LL: What advice do you have for any aspiring actors reading this?
Miriam Morales: Study your craft, and continue to study your craft because as you develop and grow as a person it is going to determine how you view and approach your work. And, take it seriously. It’s a business and you can’t take anything too personal. It’s not going to be easy. It’s not an overnight thing. It’s very rare that you see overnight success, and I think it’s very important for people who are pursuing this to remember that because I think it’s easy to think that there’s instant fame due to social media, but this is a business that if you decide to go into, it’s for the long haul. Stay persistent, work hard, and you have to believe in yourself. You have to trust your instincts, and it’s really important that you have a set of values and morals that you stand by, and just always remember that. Let that guide you when it comes to the decision that you make.