Poussey is my role model: Samira Wiley

With a bevy of shows focussing on hard-hitting content, ranging from drama to fantasy to high-octane action, there seems little doubt that international television is enjoying a "golden age" in the present era. Actress Samira Wiley, who essays Poussey Washington on prison drama series Orange Is the New Black, agrees and says she is "happy" to be working on the small screen at this stage.

Wiley's character is one of the most beloved on the award-winning Netflix series. She says there are many "amazing" writers who pen scintillating scripts for shows. "I tend to agree that quality on television is really high," Wiley told in an interview over phone from Los Angeles.

"It starts with the writer's room. You have a lot of amazing talent among people who write for television. Especially talking about ‘Orange’, when we started a few years ago, a vast majority of us were just new talent. The team of writers cast a bunch of newcomers... But I am happy to be working in television at this stage," added the 29-year-old actress.

"It is so amazing to be able to be an actor and embody a character which people really love, and feel it is real. It is an honour to be able to bring something to life along with the cast of 'Orange Is the New Black'," she added.

As an African-American actress, Wiley feels "lucky" to have been cast in a show as racially diverse as Orange Is the New Black. "I feel naive about that because my first job is ‘Orange’, which is one of the most diverse shows on TV. I am very lucky to land this show. It is not anything that I have to deal with right now in my career.

"Everyone nominated and winning awards on our show are people of colour. I know something needs to be done, but I am not the best person to answer this question because my world is very diverse," she added. As for the fourth season of her show, she says it's "dangerous, thought provoking and sexy".