Why We're Worried About Orange Is The New Black Star Taryn Manning

Taryn Manning frequently makes headlines for all the wrong reasons. The prolific actor has been refreshingly candid about certain aspects of her life (sometimes too candid, in fact), with Manning even revealing tragic behind-the-scenes details about Britney Spears gleaned during their time filming the cult classic movie "Crossroads." Best known for her portrayal of Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett in the hit Netflix series "Orange Is the New Black," these days, she has fans worried about Manning looking more like her rough-around-the-edges character than the Hollywood star they've come to adore over the years.

In January 2025, Manning made headlines when she was photographed looking unkempt and somewhat confused in public. The actor struck a pose on the back of a car, and fans quickly pointed to her messy hairdo and what appeared to be a nasty scratch on her hand. Manning also seemed a little spaced out in the pictures and looked like she'd aged about 10 years, with various tabloids pointing out that she was practically unrecognizable. 

Inside OITNB star Taryn Manning's downward spiral after actress sparked concern with worrying photos: From bizarre underwear outing to graphic rant about a married man and troubled relationship with a makeup artist https://t.co/4xAOxUZFGL pic.twitter.com/IG8bTLDkdG

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 18, 2025

The car in the picture also notably sported a Trump-Vance sticker. It's not clear whether it belonged to the "OITNB" star, but her unwavering support of Donald Trump has also worried fans who don't agree with the divisive politician's policies. Trump's many controversies have made him wildly unpopular, but Manning sang his praises in a since deleted 2023 Instagram post. "I love you, Donny. In all your mistakes and the tool you are, you're my hero. The most un racist human on this planet. The lies they speak about you hurt," she wrote at the time (via Sportskeeda), to the chagrin of many of her followers.

In what was a new low for Taryn Manning, the "8 Mile" star took to social media in 2023 to provide fans with an, erm, very detailed account of sexual relations she proclaimed to have had with a married man. Unsurprisingly, the video continues to haunt Manning to this day. The actor appeared to be heavily under the influence at the time, slurring her speech and telling the man's wife, who had apparently threatened to file a restraining order against her, to back off. "I'm not scared of you. You should be scared of me," Manning warned (via X, formerly known as Twitter). As she told her followers, "I'm just single, very single, and he came to me." 

According to the "Cold Mountain" star, she was planning on buying the man a boat that very same day, but after all hell broke loose with his wife, it appeared the relationship had ended, with Manning admitting that she'd fallen in love with him regardless. The video was later deleted, but, of course, nothing ever really leaves the internet, and copies are still floating around. Fans expressed worry it, with some suggesting that the actor might be under the influence of drugs while others were understandably concerned about her driving in that state.

Manning later publicly apologized for the video, reasoning that she'd made an emotional decision in the heat of the moment that she later regretted. "I was deeply hurt and handled things on a public platform when I should've just dealt with them quietly with the support of my close friends and family," her statement read (via X). She also acknowledged knowing that the man was married, but the actor believed he would leave his wife for her.

Affairs aside, Taryn Manning sparked serious concern among her many fans when she appeared to throw caution to the wind to venture out on a public outing in Palm Springs with her dog sans her pants. In 2023, the Daily Mail published photographs of the "Crossroads" star wearing red ankle boots and a white shirt over a crop top, carrying her dog and appearing to have no idea (or maybe not caring) that she was missing an essential piece of clothing. The pictures surfaced shortly after the actor defended disgraced "That '70s Show" star and convicted rapist Danny Masterson, who received a 30-year sentence for his shocking crimes. 

Manning took to Instagram to blast critics besmirching Masterson's name, calling his heinous actions a "mistake" (via Page Six). "Everyone just keep going, keep crucifying him, as if he's not already suffering [...] Leave him alone," she warned her followers. The "Love Ranch" star also criticized Masterson's former co-stars, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, for retracting the character references they initially wrote in his defense during Masterson's highly-publicized court case. The celebrity couple issued a public apology for writing the references in support of Masterson, and Manning made it clear that she considered them hypocrites for it.

The outspoken star has always had opposing views on certain people and their mistakes than most, memorably telling HuffPost in 2015, "I just feel like people aren't just one thing. They're not just drug addicts. They're not just prostitutes. There's maybe a reason they're that way. They're complex and perhaps make bad choices."

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

In 2012, Taryn Manning spent a night in jail after getting arrested for allegedly attacking her makeup artist, Holly Hartman, who apparently was also her friend and assistant. Hartman accused Manning of trying to strangle her while the two women were embroiled in a nasty physical altercation. The "A Lot Like Love" star got off pretty easy, with her lawyer managing to convince the court that the spat had been nothing more serious than two longtime friends getting on each other's nerves and finally coming to blows. Hartman reportedly forgave Manning for the brawl mere hours after having her arrested for assault, and the court ordered the actor to do one day of community service as penance. 

Six months of good behavior from Manning ensured the charges were dropped, but in 2015, she and Hartman got into it again, with the latter ultimately filing a restraining order against her former friend and boss, claiming that Manning had assaulted her again. This time around, the allegations were more serious, with court documents detailing how the "Crossroads" star had allegedly hit Hartman with a wet towel, attacked her with Windex in her face, and headbutted her. During her 2015 chat with HuffPost, Manning briefly touched on the controversy, complaining she got kicked off two jobs because of it. However, the actor described it as a teaching moment that she ended up being grateful for.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

During a frank discussion with Entertainment Tonight in 2017, Taryn Manning spoke openly about her substance abuse issues, confirming that she chose to be sober because of her family history. "My father passed away from that type of lifestyle," the actor disclosed. "He actually took his own life, and I was just like, 'You know what? There's no need for this." Resisting temptation, especially while working in the entertainment industry, is no easy feat, though. Manning initially told TMZ that her decision to be sober came after she'd hit "rock bottom." While it wasn't a pleasant experience, Manning was grateful it happened because it inspired true change. 

"Some days it sucks and some days it sucks worse. I am not ashamed of this obstacle because I have accepted that it is okay to not be okay," the "8 Mile" star asserted. Manning wasn't in a rehab program because of her busy work schedule but she reassured the outlet that she had designated people looking out for her. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, the actor clarified that she was no longer abstaining from alcohol but taking it easy regardless and crucially not abusing any drugs either. "I'm not saying I've never done drugs. I've made it clear [on Instagram] that I used to do a bump [of cocaine] here and there, but not anymore. I call it the devil's dandruff — can't stand it," Manning explained.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

Back in 2016, Taryn Manning was having a very bad day on the set of "Orange Is the New Black." Her romantic life was in complete disarray, she'd barely slept, and the actor just wasn't in the mood to play nice. Unsurprisingly, filming didn't go well, and, frustrated, Manning gave the cast and crew the finger, left the set, and went to a nearby bar for a drink. The producers eventually found her, security at their side, drowning her sorrows. The "Cold Mountain" star experienced what she later acknowledged to the Hollywood Reporter was a bit of a breakdown after they showed up, and in that moment, she indicated that she had suicidal thoughts and was quickly admitted to a psychiatric hospital. 

"I didn't want to die, but I just said something. I didn't mean for everyone to have to deal with that, it was just a bad day," the actor confessed. In the very same interview, Manning reasoned, "I'm not in denial that I have depression. I am not. But do I think I'm mentally ill? Absolutely not." Fans have understandably been worried about the star's mental health for years, most notably in 2019 when she failed to show up to an "Orange Is the New Black" Netflix red carpet event. Manning later let followers know on Instagram that she stayed home because she'd been "terrorized by cyber criminals." 

The actor added, "When someone is crying for help from someone who is after your life and soul. Please listen. No one deserves to have another person single handedly ruin their life to the point they are paralyzed and never leave in fear," (via People). In contrast, the "Love Ranch" star felt that nobody came to her aid when she was clearly struggling but Manning still insisted nonetheless, "I am not suicidal."

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org