ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The seasons been out for a week now.
Have you had time to watch it?
How do you feel about it?DANIELLE BROOKS: Yes, I have gotten to see season 5.
JoJo Whilden/Netflix
I just appreciate the show speaking to the issues that were dealing with.
Then, this season comes out and here we are with another situation where justice is not served.
So, my heart is a little heavy right now, to be honest.
Netflix
It seems that the line between fiction and reality is blurred…Its so blurred at the moment.
The fight for realizing that all lives do matter specifically, black lives mattering is not over.
For me, my work was sort of done.
People always ask, How did you get into character?
What did you read or what did you do?
As challenging as it was to shoot this, the work was done.
Thats such an unfortunate place to be in.
Instead, it felt so real.
It really is devastating and it feels like we still have this noose around our necks as black people.
When can we win?
Not even win, but just be!
When can we just be as equal as anyone else?
I want to have hope for America.
Thats a big part of it.
How can I be there for a family thats lost their loved one?
How can I get involved in politics or local government or [how we] choose judges?
Were all in it together.
Theres this inherent optimism in Taystees actions this season.
I know thats the route that shes chosen, which is hope and faith.
Id rather be putting that energy out into the world.
Dont get me wrong!
Taystee went left, right, up, down.
But I do think the hope part matters especially right now.
But also with the reality of we dont know whats going to happen.
All we can do is be hopeful and active as weve seen Taystee do.
So there is comfort in that.
They are able to stand together and choose to fight the next chapter.
Negotiations with MCC fell apart because Taystee wouldnt budge on the Bailey issue.
I think she learned that shes capable of much more than she ever imagined.
She found her voice.
She found her salvation in not killing Piscatella [Brad William Henke].
Its choosing to sometimes not all the time say, I am bigger than how you see me.
I am not like you.
I can rise above the wickedness, the ugliness.
I think Taystee won in that way.
I dont think Poussey wouldve wanted her to shoot him at the end.
I think she wouldve said, Hes not worth it.
Which we see him do.
What was your first reaction when you read that scene?
Is that how you envisioned their first meeting?My first reaction was, Smart writing.
Kudos to Lauren Morelli.
How cool is it for them to have created Amanda and McKenzie [in their] first encounter?
How cool is it that they met in the library?
I think you find all of that in that one scene.
Its this thing of thinking you wont have these magic moments again with these two characters.
Yet, here I am.
Six episodes in, I get to act with my girl again.
It was so exciting and fun for me.
Litchfield was in chaos this season.
I look forward to many more exciting scenes like the ones that we end with in episode 13.
I had a good time with that.
At first, I was dying for each script and wanting to know what happens next.
[It was] almost like Christmas where you want to sneak a gift the night before.
We could go beyond seven seasons.
I just want to live in the moment and digest it when it comes.
We have until seven for sure.
To be honest, I dont know if I want to play an inmate past that.
