The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Matthew Weiner has selected his first gig since the series finale of his chain-smoking, critical darling, Mad Men. Weiner is going to be helming an episode of the upcoming fourth season of Netflix’s Orange is the New Black.
The Jenji Kohan prison comedy (or drama as the Emmy voters see it) has previously had some famous faces behind the camera. Jodie Foster was nominated for both the Directors Guild of America and Emmy Awards for her direction on Orange, and Nicole Holofcener directed last season’s “Fake It Till You Fake It Some More.”
Weiner and Kohan have been friends for years, and there is no word yet on what episode he will be directing. One thing is for certain, though. Weiner is great with ensembles, and Orange is the New Black is one of the strongest ensembles currently on television. Star Laura Prepon echoed Weiner’s strength with a large production:
“With a huge cast like ours, when you have a director who knows exactly what they want, it makes everything go a lot smoother. I love Matt — he’s awesome” she said.
Will Weiner’s magic touch bring season 3 naysayers back to Litchfield? He has collected an impressive 9 Emmy Awards for producing and writing both Mad Men and The Sopranos, but Weiner hasn’t won any for directing.
