Jessica Pimentel – Orange Is the New Black

By starrymag | July 30, 2019

By: Kelly Kearney

 

 

Q) Without spoiling anything, what can we expect from Maria this season?

 

A) This season for Maria is all about redemption. She started on this path of spiritual and moral repair last season and she continues further down this road having to face some very big demons and address directly the consequences of her actions.

 

Q) In the last two seasons, Maria really bounced between the villain and the savior. Turning on her friend Gloria and then saving the kickball game from certain carnage. Will we see more of that struggle between good and evil this season?

 

A) I don’t know if anyone is really friends in prison. And these given circumstances we just find our tribes that help us protect ourselves as best as we can. But when confronted with the opportunity to save herself and see her daughter Maria did what she had to do. I don’t think of that as a villainous action. I think of it as survival. The intent was not to harm Gloria (Selenis Leyva) but to be with her own family. Maria started on this path of making amends last season and I think inherently she’s a very good person. She initially wanted to work as a dental hygienist because she wanted people to have a beautiful smile. That, to me, is not the mark of a villain. I think Maria fell deeply down the rabbit hole of her given circumstances. You see so much time added to her sentence for the silliest things and it goes to show the trap and flaws of our incarceration system. Someone could go in for something very small and end up racking up time as they have to fight their way through doing their time. You will see Maria at her most vulnerable this season. And I’m very proud and happy with her storyline.

 

Q) Have you had much of a say in how your character has developed over the series?

 

A) Although the writers, directors and producers are open to our input I don’t really need to give that much. Maria involved in their minds in a certain way and it was all very logical to me. There will be times when I may point out that I think Maria would or would not do a certain thing in a certain way for example if a line doesn’t sound right or certain tweaks that are costumes over the years didn’t feel right. One thing they always respected me with was that I never wanted Maria to appear sexy and anyway. I always wanted her to be seen as either a mother or extremely tough and conservative.

 

Q) Will Maria and Gloria ever make peace with each other?

 

A) That’s a great question… Next!

 

Q) After her near death experience at the hands of Beth, Maria had an epiphany and decided to try and be a good person. Will she be able to stay on that righteous path, or will prison and the loss of her daughter be too big an obstacle to overcome?

 

A) Unfortunately, the series is coming to an end so we’ll never know what truly happens to Maria. I can just say that we leave her in a very good place with a very strong and positive mind frame of what the future holds even though it’s not necessarily the future that we hope to see for her.

 

Q) With the final season on the way, were you hoping to have any screen time with anyone in particular?

 

A) This was a very satisfying season for me. I finally got to do some face-to-face with Caputo (Nick Sandow). And I had some really touching moments with Mike Houston and an awesome flashback that I can’t wait for you to see.

 

Q) “Orange Is the New Black” is known for bringing diversity to the screen. As a Latina, talk a little bit about the importance of representation and what it means to you.

 

A) I believe it’s pretty safe to say that we broke the mold of diversity and inclusion of age, race, gender, body type, etc. etc. I think this is truly one of the most important shows ever created because people got to see themselves on screen finally. I know a large part of our fan base are young females. I remember growing up there wasn’t anyone on TV that really looked like me. So, I hope we’ve given our younger viewers a really powerful message that times are changing. Hollywood is changing and anything is possible. Not only that, but we see that our heroes are not always glamorous. They can be the woman next door in all their strength, complexity and dedication.

 

Q) When you look back on your time with the show, what stands out as your most memorable moment?

 

A) There are so many memorable moments but one that truly stands out is when we were all in the lake. It was such a freeing moment for all of us both as our characters and as actors and as friends and a family. We went some place that we never filmed before and were asked to do something that was far out of our comfort zones and be free and joyous. So, all those moments of laughter and happiness were genuine and sincere and real.

 

Q) Now that filming is done and you’ve been “paroled” so to speak, from your time at Litchfield, please tell us a little about your last day on set and what it was like saying goodbye to Maria, as well as the cast members you worked so closely with all of these years.

 

A) I don’t know if I could ever truly say goodbye to Maria. She will always be a part of me. I will think about her for the rest of my life. The last day I was set was actually quite fun. I think it will be much harder seeing everyone again at the premiere. We have created friendships that will last a lifetime so I don’t believe that world be saying goodbye to each other in real life. But this experience was like none other and this show was like none other and that’s what I will miss most, knowing that every day we are going to change someone’s mind about an issue or open their eyes to something they’ve never thought about before and maybe get a chuckle or tear out of you.

 

Q) Did you take a souvenir or some memorabilia with you as a memory of your time playing Maria? Something that was maybe significant to you or the character?

 

A) I got my name tag. The picture on it was taken the very first day of work in 2012 and I look at it every day. I didn’t feel like I was truly working until I’d clip that thing on. I also got my set chair with my name on it. They put your character’s name on it when you officially became a series regular, which is a huge moment for an actor – especially to be a series regular on one of the most important shows in the history of television.

 

Q) “Orange” made binge watching a national pastime. It brought prison reform into the public eye. It tackled profit prisons, racism, sexual violence, police brutality and LGBTQ+ acceptance. What do you hope this show is most remembered for and why?

 

A) I think you already hit the nail on the head. Look at all that we were able to accomplish. Look how we change people’s minds in the comfort of their own homes without ramming politics, morality, religion in someone’s face. We just told stories. Honest, truthful stories and you grew to love these women and care for them and think of what they go through and realized that this exist in the real world. What more could you ask for?

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

 

A) I took away the power of art. How art truly can change the world. I also took away the power of having a strong ensemble, a group of people working together diligently with one vision amplifying each other’s goals and talents.

Q) What’s next for you, Jessica? Are there any projects in your future that the fans can keep their eye out for?

 

A) I had the honor of being a part of the film A Bread Factory. It’s like no other movie I’ve seen. A two-part film shot on film starring Tyne Daly. I’ve also done several short films that will be coming out next year as well as working with various musical projects. And I will begin teaching about Buddhism in a public way. I’ve already hosted a seminar on meditation and plan to do more of that in the future.

 

Q) We love your music! How does music provide an outlet for you in a way that is different but as cathartic as acting?

 

A) As an actor you are given other people’s words and ideas to perform and execute. As a musician you are performing from your own heart. You created something from your dreams, your visions and your own life experience so music is very personal. There’s also an element of music when you perform live that cannot translate to filming. The interaction with the audience is something that is quite intense and can only last in that moment. No two shows are the same note to audiences are the same so it’s something very, very magical.

 

Q) Any plans for a tour or another album drop in the near future?

 

A) We are definitely working on new material with multiple projects, but there’s no set release date yet. I am taking some time to enjoy a little freedom and auditioning for a lot of new exciting projects and have several coming later this year.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and the work you do?

 

A) I want you to know that what we do is not easy. We have to dig into the deepest darkest places of ourselves in order to tell these stories properly. And I want you to know that every second came from the bottom of my heart with all of my heart and energy to the best of my ability. I cannot thank the fans of “Orange Is the New Black” enough for their constant love and support and validation that what we have done is truly something meaningful and good. Orange Forever!!!!