OITNB’s Emily Tarver and Vicci Martinez are dating. | Photo: @viccimartinez/Instagram
The fictional Litchfield Penitentiary has been home to yet another IRL romance. OITNB’s Vicci Martinez and Emily Tarver, who play Daddy and CO Artesian McCullough respectively, are dating.
The latest addition to the cast of the show created by Jenji Kohan, Martinez portrays Latina butch lesbian Daddy. Her character was introduced in season 6, which premiered on 29 July.
Emily Tarver is, instead, well-known to the fans of the show as serious correctional officer McCullough, whose first appearance dates back to season 4.
OITNB is Martinez’s first acting gig
Vicci Martinez plays D block gang’s second-in-command Daddy. | Photo: OITNB/Netflix
This is Martinez’s first acting experience. A singer, she rose to fame in 2011 when she took part in NBC’s The Voice.
After her music career seemed to be at a dead end, she ended up in rehab in 2016. By the time she was called in to audition for the role of Daddy, however, she had successfully turned her life around and was ready to dive head first into the new adventure.
Martinez also opened up about how she prepared for the role in an interview with them.us.
‘When they gave me the part, they were like, “You gotta be able to convince straight girls to like you.” One of the things I’ve done my whole life is getting straight girls to like me, and to end up going to the other side with me,’ she revealed.
She also said: ‘That felt really familiar to me. I was born gay. It was something I just wanted to be accepted for, loving who I love. I am a girl who likes girls.’
‘I made a straight girl go gay’
Emily Tarver has been playing the role of CO McCullough since 2016. | Photo: OITNB/Netflix
When asked about her on-set romance with Tarver, Martinez replied: ‘Yeah. I made a straight girl go gay.’
‘It’s funny, because last night when we were watching the premiere, I wanted to fast forward to my backstory, and she was like, “No, you gotta watch me too.” It’s fun, and being with somebody who gets this whole show was great.’
Martinez and Tarver make music together
Despite enjoying the acting world, Martinez said she is going to continue to make music, a passion she shares with her girlfriend, who is also a comedian.
The two have, in fact, been writing music and performing together since early 2018.
‘We are super in love,’ Martinez told The New Tribune of her relationship with Tarver.
‘I’ve started to do music again. She’s fulfilling my fantasy of doing duets together.’
Watch the adorable couple perform here:
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Season 6 of OITNB is the darkest to date
Our favorite bunch of inmates got transferred to Litchfield Max after a five-day riot at the end of season 5.
This new season, which might be OITNB’s darkest to date, sees Piper and the others trying to adjust to the brand new, tougher environment.
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OITNB star Samira Wiley marries show’s writer Lauren Morelli
A huge number of US prisoners are gay and a lot are having sex together
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