Henny Russell – Orange is the New Black

By starrymag | August 13, 2018

By: Kelly Kearney

 

 

Q) In the aftermath of last season’s riots on “Orange is the New Black,” the ladies of Litchfield find themselves in Maximum Security. You play Carol Denning, Max’s big boss of Cellblock C. How was Carol originally described to you?

 

A) The breakdown read: A leader who maintains her dominance through fear. Savvy, prone to violent outbursts, sees displays of violence as necessary for survival. Good at playing meek, but still violent and terrifying if you cross her. The boss of C Block and always has a lit Pall Mall hanging from her lip.

 

Q) How did the role of Carol come to you and what was your audition process like?

 

A) The wonderful casting director Jennifer Euston called me in and I actually auditioned with a Young Carol scene because present-day Carol didn’t have long scene available yet.  But I didn’t know that at the time – the sides just said “Carol.” I never thought I would book the job – I thought they’d hire someone tougher than me. But my husband kept telling me, “You’re tougher than you think, Hen.”  I went in and read for Jennifer, who put me on tape. I think I did the scene twice, we had a nice chat and I left feeling good about my work and hoping that she’d call me in again for another role.  I think it was the next day that I got the call that I booked the job.  I almost dropped the phone.  I was in shock.

 

Q) Were you a fan of “Orange is the New Black” before joining the series?

 

A) Yes – huge fan!  I had seen every episode.

 

Q) When you joined the show was there someone in the cast you were hoping you would get to share a scene with this season?  

 

A) Everyone!  They’re all amazing!  I’m disappointed that there are still several people in the cast that I have never met. I was so glad that I got to work with Nick Sandow as a director since Joe Caputo and Carol didn’t have any scenes together.  He’s awesome!

 

Q) What was your reaction to reading the script about Carol and Barb’s past and how they landed in prison? 

 

A) I found out when I read my first episode (Ep 3), when 80’s Frieda (Ashley Bacon) says that killing my sister is what landed me in Litchfield.  I mean, you know if your character is in Max that they committed a serious crime.  However, I had no idea how it occurred until much later and I what surprised me most was that they were all so young at the time of the murder and so incredibly callous.  Young Carol told 80’s Frieda that Barb did it, that she just brought Debbie to the lake, but I suspected that my younger self was lying.

 

Q) In flashbacks, a young Carol is played by Ashley Jordyn who absolutely nails the teenage version of this character. Did you and Ashley collaborate on Carol’s mannerisms and what made her tick? Both portrayals were seemingly cohesive and convincing in the character’s development. 

 

A) We didn’t.  Ashley and I didn’t meet each other until Episode 10, but it was just a chance meeting at the studio, since we obviously never had scenes together.  However, on my first day, I was able to watch some of the dailies from the library scene that Ashley had shot, so I got to see a glimpse of my younger self.  After over thirty years in prison, Carol has learned how to control her anger and her outbursts, but in one of my very last scenes with Barb, I incorporated the clenched jaw that I saw Ashley use when she got angry as Young Carol.

 

Q) You were given the opportunity to play opposite both, Mackenzie Phillip’s and Kate Mulgrew. Talk about working with these iconic actresses.

 

A) A dream come true.  Really.  I loved American Graffiti and “One Day at a Time”was my absolute favorite show as a tween. I wanted “Julie” to be my sister. Little did I know that one day she actually would be!  Mackenzie and I didn’t meet each other until Episode 11, but when we finally did meet, the chemistry was instant – just add water and stir.  She is warm and funny and down-to-earth.  I loved acting with her—she’s so present and spontaneous and talented.  She came over to my apartment for dinner and tried to teach me about social media, taking a picture of my dog and posting it on…I can’t remember if it was Instagram or Twitter, but I was hopeless at the time.  She’s now a friend and an inspiration.

 

I remember watching Kate on “Ryan’s Hope” and thinking, “Who is that actress—she’s mesmerizing!” Then, watching her as our first female starship captain!  I also saw her brilliant performances on stage. And being an “Orange is the New Black” fan, I loved her for five seasons as Red.  So, needless to say, I was a little intimidated by her. She was nothing but kind and generous. It was just the awe of working with someone I had so admired for so long.  And in our first scene together, Carol was supposed to intimidate Red!  But Kate is so wonderful and emotionally full and layered – you just have to look into her eyes and you’re there.  It is sheer joy (and such an honor) working with her. She’s fun to hang out with off set, too!

 

Q) Carol is the big bad of Season 6, but she’s quickly becoming a fan favorite thanks to her, “no holds barred,” attitude and her 80’s Burt Reynolds’ vibes. Are you surprised by the fan reactions? 

 

A) I am. I certainly hoped they would like Carol, or at least love to hate her.  But I was completely unprepared for the outpouring of love and enthusiasm I have received.  “Orange is the New Black” fans are the simply the best!

 

Q) Do you have any fun behind the scenes stories you can share with the fans?

 

A) Because Mack and I didn’t meet for so long, we started texting funny picture messages to each other, two of which we’ve posted on Instagram (now that I know how to use it!).  It was really fun and helped the build-up of tension between our characters.  I hated waiting so long to meet her, but Carol and Barb hadn’t seen each other in decades so it was kinda great not to meet until the sisters got thrown into Ad Seg together.

 

Q) What is it with Carol and those Lollipops? Was that something scripted or did you add it to your performance? Were there any other “Carol-isms” you added to the role? 

 

A) It was scripted that Young Carol says she likes candy in Ep 3 and has jawbreakers in her mouth.  She also smoked, but you can’t smoke in prison any more, which means Carol had to quit.  Since she seemed to be stuck in the 80s, I started thinking that maybe she still liked candy, especially since she had to give up smoking and ex-smokers often develop an oral fixation with candy or gum or toothpicks, etc.  So, I bought a bag of Charms Blow Pops.  But then I discovered in my research that you can’t have gum in prison because you can jam locks with it.  So, then I went out and bought a bag of Tootsie Pops and brought them to set with me.  It was my second episode and I went to the writer of Ep 4, Tami Sagher, and told her my idea and that I loved the image of Carol saying, “Don’t do that baby voice” with a lollipop in her hand.  Tami immediately gave me the green light, but we had to check the commissary list to make sure that Tootsie Pops were allowed in prison – and they are!  From then on, I would decide if Carol had a lollipop in a scene or an empty stick or not.  Then, Young Carol had a lollipop in a later episode.

 

Q) What was the most challenging aspect of playing Carol? 

 

A) Combing that rat’s nest out of my hair!

 

Q) What did you personally take away from your time working on the series?

 

A) That I definitely want to do more television because I loved every minute of it! That privatization of prisons is not a good idea.  That we need more educational and job placement programs in our prisons, more drug rehabilitation programs and incentives, and better access to mental health treatment.  That Jenji Kohan is a genius.  I so admire her for reflecting current issues in this country on the show.  People need to see it.  The first step in solving a problem is recognizing that there is a problem.

 

Q) Besides, “Orange is the New Black,” what’s next for you, Henny? Are you working on any other projects the fans can look out for in the future?

 

A) I narrated a really cool documentary for the National Geographic Channel that is airing now:  Sea of Hope.  I shot two indie films that are still in post-production:  Bushwick Beats, which is a series of six shorts all under the backdrop of Bushwick, Brooklyn, and small part in The Magnificent Meyersons (starring Kate Mulgrew).