Susan Heyward has been acting on screen for the last 15 years. During that time she has shown that she is fully capable of bringing any kind of character to life. Most people will remember her best for playing Tamika Ward in the Netflix hit series Orange is the New Black. Heyward’s character on the show was a prison guard turned warden who was ready to use her position to make some legitimate changes at Litchfield. Now Susan is back on our screens again with a role in the new OWN series Delilah. Susan has already accomplished a lot of great things in her career, but the best is yet to come. Continue reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Susan Heyward.
1. She Is An Atlanta Native
Susan Heyward was born and raised in the Atlanta area which is where she learned to foster who love for acting and performing. Although she no longer lives in the area, Susan will always be a southern girl at heart. These days, however, New York City is the place she calls home but she tries to get back to Atlanta as often as possible.
2. She Is A Carnegie Mellon Alum
Susan was born into a family where education was one of the top priorities. When it came time to further her acting skills, she decided to attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh where she earned a bachelor of fine arts degree. She told the Daily Actor, ” I grew up with Carnegie Mellon’s reputation and I always knew that it was an amazing place to study.”
3. She Has Been On Broadway
Susan may not have the most extensive on screen resume, but like most formally trained actors she has a lot of experience in the theater world. Susan made her Broadway debut in 2013 Thelma in The Trip to Bountiful. The role gave Susan the opportunity to act opposite Cicely Tyson. She returned to Broadway in 2018 with a role in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
4. She Loves To Read
Even though Susan’s days as a traditional student are over, her love for education hasn’t gone anyhwere. She always looks forward to learning new things and reading has become the perfect way for her to do that. She reads on a daily basis and she loves sharing her favorite books with her followers on social media.
5. She Is All About Social Justice
As a Black woman in the entertainment industry, Susan understands the importance of using her voice to stand up for the things she believes in. She has been very vocal about her stance on race related social justice issues and she has consistently posted about them on social media.
6. She Is A Cat Person
Whether you prefer dogs or cats, you have to agree that nothing compares to the bond between a human and their pet. Susan may not have any children, but she’s a proud pet parent. She is a cat person but surprisingly her cats haven’t made too many appearances on her Instagram profile.
7. She Loves To Rehearse
Most people would assume that rehearsing was one of the more boring aspects of acting, but that isn’t how Susan feels. While talking to the Daily Actor Susan said, “I love rehearsal. I love playing, I love exploring. And so after coming from the theater to spending more time on set, I’m in the middle ground. But in between that, to be really fluid and leave space to surprise. I really like a middle ground between the two. Because you can rehearse something to death and that’s no fun.”
8. She Was In An Episode Of Law & Order
Susan’s role in Orange is the New Black wasn’t the first time she was part of a law enforcement themed show. In 2009, she appeared in an episode of Law & Order. Sure, it wasn’t the biggest role but it was a great experience for her in the early days of her career.
9. She Auditioned For Dreamgirls
Every actor has at least one audition experience that went horribly left, and for Susan Heyward Dreamgirls was that audition. Although she thoroughly prepared for the opportunity to audition for the role of Effie– including hiring a vocal coach– she completely chocked during the audition.
10. She Is A Photographer
Susan has made her living being in front of the camera, but she’s also very comfortable getting behind it. She loves taking pictures and she’s pretty skilled when it comes to capturing beautiful moments. She has an entire highlight section on her Instagram profile dedicated to the photos and video clips she’s taken.
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