Samira Wiley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Samira Wiley
Wiley in 2013
Born	Samira Denise Wiley (1987-04-15) April 15, 1987 (age 38) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Education	Temple University Juilliard School (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2011–present
Spouse(s)	Lauren Morelli ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	1
Relatives	Asante Blackk (nephew)

Samira Denise Wiley (born April 15, 1987) is an American actress. She is well-known for her roles in popular TV shows. These include playing Poussey Washington in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. She also plays Moira in the Hulu show The Handmaid's Tale. For her role as Moira, she won an Emmy Award.

Samira Wiley has also acted in movies like The Sitter (2011) and Detroit (2017). She also narrated the Netflix documentary Night on Earth.

Early Life and Education

Samira Wiley grew up in Washington, D.C.. Her parents, Christine and Dennis W. Wiley, were pastors at Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ. This church was known for being very welcoming to all people. Samira has two siblings, Aiyana Ma'at and Joshua Wiley.

Wiley went to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. She then studied at the Juilliard School in New York City, graduating in 2010. At Juilliard, she focused on theater acting. She worked mostly in plays when she first started her career.

Acting Career Highlights

Samira Wiley's first big acting part was in the comedy movie The Sitter in 2011. That same year, she also performed in a play called Love's Labour's Lost.

Orange Is the New Black

Wiley became very famous for her role as Poussey Washington in the Netflix TV series Orange Is the New Black. This show was based on a book by Piper Kerman. A friend from Juilliard told Samira about the auditions for the show. Her future wife, Lauren Morelli, was also a writer for the series.

Samira found out that her friend, Danielle Brooks, got the role of Tastee. Samira then asked Danielle to practice lines with her. Samira was trying out for the role of Poussey Washington, who was Tastee's best friend on the show. Samira got the part!

She appeared in all episodes of the first season. Her character became very important in the second season. Poussey was known for being calm and peaceful. This made her a favorite among fans. The show explored Poussey's past, including her childhood as a "military brat". Samira became a main cast member for the third season. The fourth season focused a lot on her character.

Other Projects and Recognition

While working on Orange Is the New Black, Samira also acted in other films. She was in Nerve (2016) and Detroit (2017). She also voiced the main character in the video game The Walking Dead: Michonne in 2016.

Samira competed against her Orange Is the New Black co-star Laverne Cox on the show Lip Sync Battle. Samira won after performing songs like "Un-Break My Heart" and "O.P.P.".

In 2017, Samira Wiley began playing Moira in the Hulu TV series The Handmaid's Tale. She also played the writer Lorraine Hansberry in the docu-series Equal in 2020. In 2024, she was cast as a CIA agent in a new show called Atomic.

Awards and Honors

In 2014, Out magazine named Samira Wiley their "Ingenue of the Year." In 2015, she received the Human Rights Campaign's Visibility Award.

In 2017, Samira was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role in The Handmaid's Tale. The next year, she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for the same role.

In November 2017, Out magazine again recognized Samira. She was included in their "OUT100" list for her work and for being a visible figure.

Personal Life

On October 4, 2016, Samira Wiley announced her engagement to Lauren Morelli. Lauren was a writer for Orange Is the New Black. They got married on March 25, 2017. Lauren gave birth to their daughter on April 11, 2021.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video game

See also

In Spanish: Samira Wiley para niños

• LGBT culture in New York City
• List of LGBT people from New York City
• NYC Pride March