Adrienne Moore, MFA Acting ’09
From Netflix’s OITNB to Broadway, Adrienne Moore ’09 Exudes a Vibrant Fighter Spirit in Her Roles.
Adrienne Moore, MFA Acting ’09, best known for her role as Cindy in Orange is The New Black, is inspired by The New School’s commitment to social justice, creativity and innovation and looks for more than just a good story when choosing her roles. She looks for scripts, from Orange is The New Black to the off-Broadway engagement Ethel Sings, that speak to the social conscience and human spirit. “Every play, script and story shouldn’t just be for entertainment,” Moore says. “It should have a message; it should teach us a lesson.”
After seven wildly successful seasons, Orange is The New Black wrapped its last season in July 2019. As Black Cindy, the fearless and unapologetic inmate with a lot of heart, Moore confidently delivered snappy one-liners, often speaking the unabashed, brazen truth with a lot of comedic effect. When asked where she nurtured her artistic confidence, she fondly reflects on her time at The New School and the path that led her here.
In an effort to address the under representation of women of color on stage and on screen, Moore is making it a point to inspire the next generation of minority actresses. She, along with other New School alumnae, regularly return to campus and talk with a group of minority students about the challenges they face in the industry. Using her own struggles and experiences as a testament to the value of hard work and resilience, Moore seeks to reflect the realities of her fellow minority actors and provide encouragement.
Moore has been recognized with various accolades, including “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series” three years in a row at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The ensemble was nominated twice for “Best Television Series” at the Golden Globe Awards in 2015 and 2016 and at the Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Drama Series” in 2014 and 2015.
Most recently, Moore played Lady in Yellow in the Public Theater’s revival of the off-Broadway production For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf, which premiered in Fall 2019.
Portions of this article were originally published on The New School blog:
https://blogs.newschool.edu/news/2014/09/a-warrior-for-her-art-industry-and-craft/
