Orange is the New Black is a breakout hit largely due to its diverse cast.
Many of these actresses have grown into household names since the series debuted, but click through the following gallery and prepare to be surprised over just how far they have come.
Here"s a look at the Orange is the New Black cast before they became famous…
1. Taylor Schilling
Long before she took on the main Orange is the New Black role, Schilling made her film debut in 2007’s Dark Matter. She has also appeared in such movies as Mercy, Atlas Shrugged: Part I, The Lucky One, and Argo.
2. Laura Prepon
Laura Prepon rose to fame as Donna Pinciotti on That ’70s Show. She now portrays Alex Vause on Orange Is the New Black, but her past also includes Southlander, Slackers and Lightning Bug.
3. Kate Mulgrew
Kate Mulgrew plays a Russian culinary guru nicknamed “Red,” but the veteran actress starred for a decade in the 1970s as Mary Ryan on Ryan’s Hope.
4. Dascha Polanco
Dascha Polanco plays Dayanara “Daya” Diaz on the Netflix hit. The actress actually began her career in healthcare, picking up her first acting credits in her late 20s on episodes of Unforgettable and NYC 22.
5. Nick Sandow
Nick Sandow often irritates us prison warden Joe Caputo. The actor made his acting debut over 20 years on a 1992 episode of Law & Order. In the years since then, hehas also appeared in One Night Stand, No Looking Back, Return to Paradise, Living Out Loud, Third Watch and Swimfan.
6. Uzo Aduba
Probably the biggest breakout star of the show, she picked up the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015 for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren. Prior to landing this character, she mostly starred in Broadway, in productions such as Coram Boy and Godspell.