John Palladino – Orange is the New Black

By starrymag | June 21, 2017

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you have been working on?

A) I did a small role on a show called “Wormwood” which is another Netflix show with Peter Sarsgaard, whom I also worked with him in a movie called Experimenter about the Stanley Milgram experiments. “Orange is the New Black” basically took up the last year so I was tied up under contract with them.

Q) Was “Orange is the New Black” an audition for you?

A) I auditioned like two seasons ago for the role of Josh. I had no idea how big the role was going to be. It was really funny because the audition was like three lines. Then, it ended up being this much larger role. When I did the audition I was half expecting this tiny costar role and now it has so far been two seasons. It’s been a nice little blessing in disguise.

Q) How was your character, Josh, originally described to you?

A) I think the character breakdown had him…I don’t think they used the word “douchebag,” but it was kind of implied. I think he was described as a smarmy, yuppie, mountain biking kind of suit wearing PR man – from what I can remember. I know it was very specific that he did biking or mountain biking, something like that.

Q) He pulls that purple suit off!

A) [laughs] The purple suit was funny! I wanted to keep it, actually. I had gotten this all blue getup for the audition and they kind of liked this monochromatic thing. They ended up going with the purple suit for the role. I dug the purple suit. “I rock this suit, you schlepper!” I can’t tell you how excited I was to read that line and know that I got to say it. It was so fun. [laughs]

Q) Well, your password is “6PackAbs.”

A) Of course, Josh wants to be like a six pack abs kind of guy, but he isn’t really. He’s a little self-deluded I think.

Q) Since there wasn’t much character description, was there anything you added as a backstory for him?

A) I have all the little tricks and backstory. I think you kind of have to put that into your own character when it is not laid out for you and you can’t glean it from what is written in the script or the writers haven’t done it. So, I’ve got all my little secrets for Josh hidden in the back tucked away for a rainy day.

Q) What was going through your mind when you learned you would be undressed most of the season?

A) [laughs] I think I didn’t know until we already started filming. Then, one of the producers was like, “Wait until you see what we have in store for you!” I was like, “Oh no. What could it be?” I got the next script and I realized they were all taking this underwear selfie. When I read that I thought, “I should probably hit the gym a little bit more than I had been.” We were in the height of summer and I was in summer mode. We were barbecuing, drinking beer and hanging out. I was alright with it!

Q) Josh is looking out more for the corporation than he is the inmates. Has he changed his mind by the end of the season of where his allegiances lie?

A) Yeah, I do. I think that. While I do think that Josh is sort of corporate scum, in a lot of ways by looking out for his own hide, I know that during the course of the season and throughout his arc and a lot of the scenes he hears a lot of things. It is similar to the way that Beth Dover’s character (Linda from purchasing) gets this insight into what is really happening. I think that Josh does probably sees that things are not run very well and these women are suffering from grievances. I do think his alliance sort of changes. Although, I will say that he is opportunistic and he definitely chooses to help the inmates out of sheer opportunism and selfishness to save his own hide. He wants to get out of there unscathed. Specifically the scene where he is in the bathroom with Judy King (Blair Brown) and Taystee (Danielle Brooks) and they are making their demands. I remember as Josh hearing all of those things and thinking like, “Holy shit! This is bad!” I have no idea what will happen in Season Six or anything like that, but in the continuance of Josh’s life and in my imagination I see him addressing that in one way or another.

Q) Nick Sandow spoke with me recently and said that originally for Litchfield’s Got Talent there was an email sent out asking for talents. What did you reply as for your talents?

A) Yeah, they sent out an email asking basically what we do as humans and our special talents. I think they wanted to go with whatever was available. I speak a multitude of languages so they chose my Italian speaking language. I have no idea why Josh knows Italian, but they used it and we went with it. I imagine this is a situation where Josh tried to learn some words in Italian to pick up chicks. So, he’s using his only Italian words to help in that situation.

Q) Sadly, there was no big payoff for him after his win.

A) [laughs] It didn’t come around to help him as much as he had hoped. I think once we all saw Stratman’s (Evan Hall) talent I think we all thought we were all dead in the water. I won though and I have no idea why. It must have been that perfect Italian accent. What can I say?

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming “Orange is the New Black?”

A) Obviously, the whole season as a whole was an absolute blast. I got to work with so many great people. There are so many talented people on this show and it’s always so great to be surrounded by such caring and talented people. You’re always learning and taking everything in. Working with Uzo [Aduba] was really spectacular. She’s really something else. Nick Sandow. Obviously, I spent a lot of time with the guards in the bubble. One of my most memorable moments was when we were shooting the scene where Stratman really had to take a crap. [laughs] Luschek (Matt Peters) brings up the brown note and one of the takes we all improvised and we were all trying to do the brown note at Stratman. We were all humming at him together and I think that was one of the funniest moments. It didn’t make the final cut, but when we all got out of that scene we were all giddy with laughter. It was so funny! You can imagine all these shirtless people humming at this kid’s belly so that he can take a shit. [laughs] It was really funny! It was really hard for me to keep it together during that take and really hard for me to keep it together when Matt starts talking about the porn movie and his plan for escaping. Matt is one of the funniest people I have worked with. He is just absolutely stellar! The whole group was just so great and so funny. We had so much fun being captured together. I have never had so much fun being captured by inmates in my whole life. [laughs]

Q) Is there anyone you haven’t gotten to work with from the cast that you’d love to film with?

A) I got to work with Laura as a director. I never really got to cross paths with her as my character. And I never got to cross paths with Taylor Schilling. Other than that, I would love to work with anyone on the show. I think the whole show is so well rounded. They get an ensemble honor every year for that reason. The casting is done so well. And you can really feel it on set. They do something right in casting where they cast people who can get along very well and I will say that this is one of the only projects I’ve worked on where the characters really become friends outside of the project. I talk to Nick [Dillenburg] almost daily and Evan and Emily [Tarver]. We all are in contact a lot. We get together. They know my kids. It really is an “Orange” family, which is really cool.

Q) What have you taken away from your time working on “Orange is the New Black?”

A) Pick good underwear, I guess! [laughs] You never know. I guess the Tommy John underwear was pretty comfy. I did not get to keep it. Can you believe it? I feel sorry for the person who gets those next because I was in those for like seven months! Really, I took a lot away from this season. I really did. It’s my longest run on a TV show so far and you’re always learning as an actor and you’re always taking things in. All in all, just enjoy it while you’re doing it. Keep working. Be careful of Spanish Harlem dorms. Those girls are nuts! Also, beware of Meth Heads with guns. I think that’s what I took away. [laughs] It was just so fun. I think everyone is looking forward to seeing what happens in Season Six. Hopefully, we’ll get to see all of us back there again. It’s just such a fun show to work on. From the grips to the producers and everyone in between, it’s such a great outfit. I really do feel happy to be a part of the “Orange” family.

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the instant fan feedback you have been receiving to the show?

A) That’s been a big change. I was never a really big social media person. I have a Facebook account, but I’m rarely on it. I think I started Instagram about a year ago, but I’m very rarely on it. Then, I remember waking up the next day to just an absolute onslaught of messages. People really like the show! People really like Josh and they were happy to see me in my underwear, which is impressive. It’s funny because Josh has a certain physique and it’s funny to see what people have sent me. It’s been interesting. It’s been interesting to see the social media blowup, but it’s all good things!