Samira Wiley

Samira Denise Wiley, born April 15, 1987, is a renowned American actress recognized worldwide for her roles in groundbreaking Netflix and Hulu series. She stepped into the spotlight with her portrayal of Poussey Washington in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). Subsequently, her character Moira in the Hulu dystopian drama series The Handmaid's Tale (2017–present) won her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Among many other roles, she also had notable appearances in films such as The Sitter (2011), Nerve (2016), Detroit (2017), and Social Animals (2018). Known for her distinctive voice, Wiley also became the narrator for the Netflix documentary Night on Earth (2020).

Raised in Washington, D.C., Wiley was deeply influenced by the arts; her parents, who served as co-pastors of the Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ, were major supporters of the LGBT religious community. Her acting journey began with her education at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, followed by an eventual graduation from the renowned Juilliard School in New York City in 2010. Her early career was mostly theater-centric until she delved into the television industry. Key moments in her career include voicing the titular character in the video game The Walking Dead: Michonne and a groundbreaking role in a film called 37 (2016), which depicted the disturbing reality of public apathy to crime. In 2022, she co-produced a documentary about body positivity with the Gratitude Project, and, in 2024, she was cast as a CIA agent in the Sky Original series Atomic.