'Orange Is the New Black' Season 3 Premiere: Laura Gómez aka Blanca Flores Talks New Dynamic on Set [EXCLUSIVE]
There's a lot of creative genius going on within the bathroom stalls, the kitchen, and behind bars at Litchfield Penitentiary. "Orange Is the New Black" actress Laura Gómez, who plays Blanca Flores, can attest to this as she's been spending plenty of time there honing her craft as an actress.
Who would have thought that within the walls of a bathroom stall and the kitchen would be where Gómez would be developing her wonderfully odd and complex character? But she wouldn't have it any other way.
"It's always exciting, but also because an actor it always is such a privilege just to work, but to work on such an amazing show with such amazing writing," Gómez told Latin Post in an exclusive interview. "It really is beyond expectations and I am just truly grateful. I am extremely excited about Season 3."
Born in New Jersey and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic before she moved to New York City to pursue acting, Gómez transforms into "Blanca Flores," "a cunning and disheveled inmate" on the award-winning Netflix original series.
Some of Blanca's highlights from last season include managing to hide a cellphone within the prison wall of a restroom stall (she demanded a cell phone with a camera from Corrections Offer John Bennett as a bribe to keep quiet about Dayanara "Daya" Diaz's pregnancy). She is also seen "warding off other inmates by continually talking to herself and "El Diablo."
"OITNB" fans have witnessed Blanca evolve from being pretty dark and intense to showing off more of her sense of humor, which Gómez is thrilled to channel.
What can "OITNB" fans expect this season from Blanca?
"All I can say is that Blanca is just as odd as usual!" she laughed. "We always have inside jokes about what I say, like 'What are you coming up with now?' I'm like, 'What can I say; I have to bring these odd comments all of the time because this is how this character survives in prison. Ya know? I think it gives her a free pass in jail or something. There are always layers being added season after season to all of these characters."
While Gómez couldn't reveal if fans will discover Blanca's backstory just yet, she maintains a great sense of humor about having to be tight-lipped about it.
"That I cannot comment upon because it all has to be revealed and discovered by the audience ... I am sure most people are going to be watching the same day -- all of the episodes," she laughed, referring to Netflix users love of binge-watching.
There's a lot of transformation to become Blanca, Gómez explains.
"I rely a lot of the writing and of course the physicality of the character," she said. "I don't psychologically do too much. I have the wonderful hair and make-up department. We created this look together, but I couldn't have created it without them. I didn't even know I had this much hair! It's all my hair; I was like, 'really?' There is all that transformation that happens and then there's the writer's work which I rely on to make the character grow."
Gómez looks forward to delving into Blanca's complexity.
"What I hope to see her is ... I guess just the way I feel about all of the characters, is I hope to see their human side," she said. "Everyone has a story, everyone has a reason as to why the way they act the way they do. I am looking forward to seeing that with Blanca as well as all of the other characters."
"OITNB" Season 3 will welcome back Alex (Laura Prepon) as well as the returning cast which includes: Taylor Schilling, Lori Petty, Diane Guerrero, Jackie Cruz and Dascha Polanco, among others. There will also be the arrival of Ruby Rose's Stella Carlin and Lori Petti's Lolly, who had a brief appearance in Season 2.
"What I hope to see, since I have never met her is Mary Steenburgen's work. I was as excited when it was announced that she was going to be in Season 3. The whole Pornstache association, her being Pornstache's (Pablo Schreiber) mom. I really don't know how that will be onscreen. I want to see that. I am excited to see how the new characters will change the dynamic inside the jail."
"OITNB," which is filmed at Kaufman Studios in Astoria, New York and outside of New York City, realistically transforms into a prison, Gómez explained. It is divided into several different sets, including the kitchen, lunch area, dorms and bathroom stalls, etc.
"The moment you set foot into the space that is supposed to be Litchfield (Penitentiary) you already feel the heaviness of the prison as that's how well it's been designed," she added.
The characters actually get along on and off set and Gómez's co-stars have become her close friends, which she refers to as her "tribe."
"There is very good energy. We always joke because Jenji (Kohan,"OITNB" creator) makes sure that the environment is as healthy as possible. There's no gossip allowed ... We make sure that we maintain a good environment, but aside from that we naturally have a good camaraderie."
Improvisation is also welcomed along with the script, which creates a welcoming environment for the actors.
"In my case, it's always been open space to play ... and do whatever is best for the character," she explained. "Especially now that we have fallen into these characters, the work is there and the beautiful writing is there and then the acting of course. I think that's why everybody is loving it so much."
On the film front, Gómez can next be see in "Daughter of God" [Central Park Films] as "Eva De La Cruz" opposite Keanu Reeves, Ana DeArmas and Mira Sorvino. Written and directed by Gee Malik Linton, the film follows the story of a young Latina woman, who after witnessing a miracle experiences strange things as a police detective searches for the truth behind his partner's death.
"In essence, it was just great to work on a project that had big stars like Keanu Reeves, Mira Sorvino and Ana DeArmas in it," she said. "I was just lucky. It was a great set and there was great energy on that set."
While her storyline doesn't intertwine with Reeves, Gómez pointed out that she loves "that he is betting on independent films."
On TV, aside from "OITNB," Gómez can be seen recurring as "Selena Cruz," on "Law & Order, SVU" [NBC], a former prostitute who now works as a sex trafficker enforcer.
"It was supposed to be a guest starring role for one episode, but it turned out to be a recurring guest star for a few times now (which included a spot on the last episode of the season)," she said. "That's another set that is really, really amazing. It's such an iconic show. Mariska Hargitay is a New York icon."
Gómez is also gearing up to play "Dama Montero" on the HBO Mini-Series "Show Me a Hero" (created by David Simon and directed by Paul Haggis) which tells the story of the Yonkers desegregation crisis of the 1980's.
Check out the official trailer for "Orange Is the New Black" Season 3, which kicks off on Friday, June 12.