'Orange Is the New Black': Danielle Brooks Addresses Whether Season 7 Will Be the Last

With season 6 of Orange Is The New Black premiering soon, Danielle Brooks opened up about the new episodes and how they affect her character, Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson. On whether or not season 7 will be the last for the original Netflix dramedy, she says she's not sure — but hopes that's not the case.

"I don't know. I am dreading it," Brooks told Variety when asked if season 7 would be the final season. "Whatever happens, whether we go on for five more years or whether season seven is the last year, I'll go on the ride."

Because playing Taystee has served as the breakout role of her career, the 28-year-old said she doesn't want the series to end.

"I'm down to see where this takes me because this is still the beginning of my career. This is my first major break. It's given me so much," she said.

Hinting that season 6 has some major changes in store for Taystee, Brooks says Taystee's storyline is isolated from many of the others, meaning she doesn't get to spend as much quality time with her co-stars as compared to earlier seasons.

"My heart starts feel a little heavy knowing that we might be coming to an end because, especially with my character being a little bit more isolated from all of the other main characters on the show, it's sort of like damn, can I just rewind the tape real quick? Can I just rewind time and take in those moments a little bit more? To spend more time with my girls, to really soak up those moments that we got to create together," she said.

On what her gut tells her, Brooks says she thinks the series is "closer to the end than the beginning."

"At this moment, you just don't know if this is the end or not, so you've just got to really cherish every 5:00 a.m. call. You've got to really cherish those hours that you're just sitting in the cell with Nick Sandow [who plays Joe Caputo] or sitting in the cell with Taylor Schilling [Piper Chapman] waiting for them to fix the light," she said. "You really have to embrace all of those moments, because it's going to be the end. I don't know when, but I feel like we're closer to the end than the beginning."

As for how season 6 will play out, Brooks revealed that in the wake of the aftermath of the Litchfield prison riot, which viewers saw unfold during season 5, things aren't looking good for the ladies of Litchfield.

"The structure is completely turned on its head," Brooks said of season 6, adding that the inmates are sent to a maximum security prison. "There's no way up from starting a riot in prison, especially when you're already considered in the bottom of the barrel of society. You're not really considered human, and so I was never expecting it to be a victorious moment at the end," she said, adding that season 6 is "really about survival."

She hinted that "fans will feel somewhat satisfied" with the season, which she praised the writers for making "really inventive."

She even admitted to being "terrified" about Taystee's future, saying that she's fighting depression and the will to give up after she failed to get justice for Poussey.

"...As far as where she's going to end up, I don't know. I'm terrified," Brooks said.

"There's no good that can come out of this riot."

Season 6 of Orange Is the New Black premieres on Netflix on July 27.