Første sæson skuespiller af orange is the new black?
Laura Prepon og Yael Stone var de næste, der kom med i serien. Abigail Savage, der spiller Gina, og Alysia Reiner, der spiller Fig, havde været til audition for rollen som Alex Vause. Prepon aflagde oprindeligt audition for Piper Chapman, men Kohan mente ikke, at hun ville bekymre sig om hende [i fængslet], idet hun bemærkede en "hårdhed og et nærvær, der ikke passede til karakteren". Kohan gav hende i stedet rollen som Alex. Stone havde oprindeligt været til audition til rollen som Nicky Nichols, men hun blev ikke anset for at være "hård nok" til karakteren; hun blev i stedet bedt om at aflægge audition til Lorna Morello. Det var vigtigt at kunne lide Morello, som castingdirektør Jen Euston anså for at være "en meget hjælpsom, sød og rar italiensk pige". Laverne Cox, en sort transkønnet kvinde, blev castet som Sophia Burset, en transkønnet karakter. The Advocate fremhævede Orange Is the New Black som muligvis den første fortælling om kvinder i fængsel, hvor en transkønnet kvinde er castet til denne type rolle. Natasha Lyonne skulle til audition for Alex, men blev bedt om at læse op til rollen som Nicky Nichols; "[Kohan vidste] at hun kunne gøre Nicky med lukkede øjne. Hun var perfekt," sagde Euston. Uzo Aduba læste til rollen som Janae Watson, men blev tilbudt rollen som Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren. Taryn Manning blev tilbudt rollen som Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett. This American Life-værten Ira Glass blev tilbudt en rolle som offentlig radiovært, men han takkede nej. Rollen gik i stedet til Robert Stanton, som spiller den fiktive vært Maury Kind.
Laura Prepon and Yael Stone were next to join the series. Abigail Savage, who plays Gina, and Alysia Reiner, who plays Fig, had auditioned for role of Alex Vause. Prepon initially auditioned for Piper Chapman, however Kohan felt she would not worry about her [in prison], noting a "toughness and a presence to her that wasn’t right for the character." Kohan instead gave her the role of Alex. Stone had originally auditioned for the role of Nicky Nichols, but she was not considered "tough enough" for the character; she was asked to audition for Lorna Morello instead. Likability was important for Morello, whom casting director Jen Euston deemed "a very helpful, nice, sweet Italian girl." Laverne Cox, a black transgender woman, was cast as Sophia Burset, a transgender character. The Advocate touted Orange Is the New Black as possibly the first women-in-prison narrative to cast a transgender woman for this type of role. Natasha Lyonne was to audition for Alex, but was asked to read for the character Nicky Nichols; "[Kohan knew] she could do Nicky with her eyes closed. She was perfect," said Euston. Uzo Aduba read for the part of Janae Watson but was offered the character Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren. Taryn Manning was offered the role of Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett. This American Life host Ira Glass was offered a role as a public radio host, but he declined. The role instead went to Robert Stanton, who plays the fictional host Maury Kind.
Orange Is the New Black