Kate Mulgrew Reported to Be Diva on OITNB Set (No Spoilers)

[Ro_Laren]

No Orange is the New Black spoilers please (I've never seen the show!). Anyways, I wanted to say that read an article on-line that makes me sad:

KATE Mulgrew isn’t making any friends on the set of Orange Is the New Black.

The actress — who plays bossy inmate “Red” on the show — is a total diva behind the scenes of the Netflix series.

Sources say the Star Trek: Voyager alum has alienated the cast by demanding re-takes, arguing with writers over her lines and criticizing her co-stars’ acting.

“Kate is the most disliked cast member,” a source said.

“Kate’s got a lot more experience than most of the other actresses and she never lets anyone on the set forget it.

“[She] thinks she’s the star of the show and everyone else is just scenery.”

I hope the reports aren't true. She has always seemed like a great person in all of her on-line interviews and convention appearances that I have seen. The only negative thing I can ever remember hearing about Kate was her spat with Jeri Ryan.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Then why are they all chummy and celebrating the holidays together?

 

[CoffeeAddict]

I'd take this article with a grain of salt. It sounds like gossip rag material to me.

 

[JarodRussell]

No Orange is the New Black spoilers please (I've never seen the show!). Anyways, I wanted to say that read an article on-line that makes me sad:

KATE Mulgrew isn’t making any friends on the set of Orange Is the New Black.

The actress — who plays bossy inmate “Red” on the show — is a total diva behind the scenes of the Netflix series.

Sources say the Star Trek: Voyager alum has alienated the cast by demanding re-takes, arguing with writers over her lines and criticizing her co-stars’ acting.

“Kate is the most disliked cast member,” a source said.

“Kate’s got a lot more experience than most of the other actresses and she never lets anyone on the set forget it.

“[She] thinks she’s the star of the show and everyone else is just scenery.”

I hope the reports aren't true. She has always seemed like a great person in all of her on-line interviews and convention appearances that I have seen. The only negative thing I can ever remember hearing about Kate was her spat with Jeri Ryan.

It would fit with my first impression of that woman. Always trust your first impression.

 

[Relayer1]

Never liked her. Not one little bit.

This may or may not be true. I still don't like her...

 

[Ro_Laren]

I'd take this article with a grain of salt. It sounds like gossip rag material to me.

I also find it interesting that not a lot of news agencies have run with this story. Do a Google news search & you won't find too many references to this story.

 

[Taylirious]

As long as she isn't throwing around hot coffee or killing people...

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Oh she slays me every time I look at her

 

[Sir Anthony Eden]

She was super nice when my wife and I met her at a Vegas convention. And on stage seemed to have a really good sense of humour. There are lots of good reasons to ask for retakes, I wouldn't have an issue with that at all, we want to see a good production.

 

[LOKAI of CHERON]

Yes, she was great when I got a 10x8 signed in London a few years ago.

 

[Cyke101]

Then why are they all chummy and celebrating the holidays together?

Yeah, it seems like tabloid fodder. Everything else I've read about the show behind the scenes indicates that things are fairly amiable. Honestly, I would not be surprised if it was just some "reporter" who snuck on set, overheard a younger cast member ask her for advice, and then twist around as criticizing her co-stars because of her experience.

 

[JanewayRulz!]

Then why are they all chummy and celebrating the holidays together?

Exhibit A: Natasha Lyonne's instagram of last Thanksgiving.

http://instagram.com/p/hSUOAhgpaa/

Kate hosted Natasha, Yael (and presumable her spouse) and Taylor for the holiday.

From the side notes, we see that Danielle was sad she had to miss the get together.

Exhibit B: Natasha & Kate at the most recent Paleyfest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyOcmvulT8U

Watch how the "diva" ignores her costar and talks only about her own agenda.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyOcmvulT8U[/yt]

Exhibit C: A short interview where she extolls the show for all its characters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lub37_oi2kY


[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lub37_oi2kY[/yt]

Exhibit D: A longer interview from the Star trel con in Vegas. Contains "spoilers" for season 1 but Kate again extolls the acting prowess of the many women on the show and the writing ability of its main producer, Jenji. And the wonderful things she says about Natasha are not because Natasha just got another show (with Amy Poehler), since this interview was done 8/2013, over 6 months before Natasha landed the new gig.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNrghhJAkCk

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNrghhJAkCk[/yt]

Could someone on the show have badmouthed Kate?

Of course.

This is a show with a multitude of actresses and several actors, many of who are each year being elevated to "regular" status and with that certain expectations of screen time.

But consider this, the woman who is supposedly acting the "diva" wasn't even the #1 actress who was "trending" on google last year when the show was released. Heck she's not even the woman who gets the MOST fan mail at OitNB each week.

The woman who can lay claim to both honors is Laura Prepon, someone who arguably was Piper's main costar in season 1.

I'm on the one hand surprised the anonymous source didn't finger Laura as Diva, and yet not surprised since Laura's fan base is so strong they would never believe such a charge.

Just like Teacake and I can't believe it of Kate.

Did Kate succumb to silly jealousies in the past on Voyager?

Oh yes. But over the years she came to recognize it and regret it if you believe her mea culpas on the convention circuit.

Has she succumbed to diva-hood now?

Hmm.

Why now?

 

[exodus]

I believe it's possible.
There has been enough mentioned over the years about Mulgrew's diva attitude for me to believe it's possible.

Then why are they all chummy and celebrating the holidays together?

I don't think that means much.
If you were her co-star, how would it look on you too invite the rest of your co-workers(cast) to holiday dinner and not her?
If she really is a bitch, wouldn't not inviting her make her attitude toward you worse?

Lots of actors don't get along on the set, most of the time the public isn't made aware of it.
Most fans believe the people they're fans of are flawless, that's not true of any human.
People have personalities, some mix well and some clash.

 

[jaz'a]

I believe it's possible.
There has been enough mentioned over the years about Mulgrew's diva attitude for me to believe it's possible.

This.

I'm a big fan of Kate and her work, but I've heard enough claims that she can be a diva that I tend to believe it too.

Been nice to fans and in interviews is no indication that she isn't a diva on set.

 

[teya]

Did Kate succumb to silly jealousies in the past on Voyager?

Oh yes. But over the years she came to recognize it and regret it if you believe her mea culpas on the convention circuit.

Has she succumbed to diva-hood now?

Hmm.

Why now?

Why would it be especially surprising that she reverted to old behavior? Just because someone recognizes after-the-fact that she was a bitch to a coworker, doesn't mean she won't repeat the behavior.

Back when Kate was doing "Tea at Five," a friend of mine was volunteering for Alzheimers' in LA. At a meeting, she noted that Kate was bringing the show to LA, and that she'd done benefits for Alzheimers in other cities and wondered if anyone had contacted her about doing one in LA.

They had. The answer was an unequivocal, "no." Kate would not do a benefit in Los Angeles. No reason offered, no excuse. The national celebrity chair simply refused.

A woman sitting next to my friend said, "I went to high school with her. She was a bitch then, and seems she still is."

I usually pay little attention to industry gossip, but when the same story keeps popping up on different sets for decades, I think "where there's smoke, there's fire."

As for why the cast might choose to look friendly in public... I spent three horrible years working for a diva drama queen. Every person in this department has some form of PTSD from those years. Yet, while we were working for her, we looked like such a happy, cohesive group in public. You'd think the woman was universally adored by her staff & coworkers.

You have to put on the show. Because the diva will make your life so much worse if you don't play along.

 

[Lynx]

She's the Captain!

Honestly, I don't know anything about her as a person.

The only thing I can blame her for is to take part in another boring prison series. Those series are usually as interesting as watching wet paint dry.

"Prison Break" was the one and only exception from the boring formula.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Have you ever watched Orange Lynx? Obviously not. It is not a boring prison series or even a prison series it is a very intense drama comedy. It has nothing to do the prison formula.

 

[Taylirious]

W(What)W(Would)J(Janeway)D(Do)?

 

[Ro_Laren]

She's the Captain!

Honestly, I don't know anything about her as a person.

The only thing I can blame her for is to take part in another boring prison series. Those series are usually as interesting as watching wet paint dry.

"Prison Break" was the one and only exception from the boring formula.

I still haven't been able to get myself to finish watching Season 4 of Prison Break...

 

[Melakon]

I don't put much faith in the quoted article in the OP, which only says its information is from "a source". Demanding retakes for a scene sounds more like professionalism to me. To me, a "diva" is someone demanding various minions to fetch her a diet soda and croissant or some such nonsense. Criticizing co-workers? I suspect all of us have done that. Does that make us divas too?