The Untold Truth Of Laura Prepon

Laura Prepon has grown to become a well-known name in the entertainment industry. The statuesque actor is widely recognized for her popular television roles on "That '70s Show" and the Netflix super giant "Orange Is the New Black." While acting is certainly Prepon's meat and potatoes, it isn't all that she does, not by a long shot. Aside from wowing fans in front of cameras, the talented Jersey girl can cook, write, and create even more!

Prepon is a multi-talented actor, but one of her most important roles is wife and loving mother of two. She also loves her natural red hair, playing a few rounds of Halo or poker with the guys, and her home state. She is an interesting, intelligent lady whose most intriguing qualities aren't the ones fans often see onscreen. The untold truths behind actor Laura Prepon are what make her truly unique, compelling, and downright captivating. 

Laura Prepon is a New Jersey girl to her core, and proud of it. The talented actor was born into a family of five kids, who all grew up in Watchung, New Jersey. While she now resides with her husband and children in California, Prepon never shies away from a chance to shout out her home state of New Jersey! Her upbringing is ingrained in so much of her being, as Prepon described to Edge magazine. "I feel like, on the East Coast in general, people are much more forthright with their conversation, and I'm very much like them. If there's something that bothers me, if there's something wrong, I talk to the person. I'm just very open and honest. I feel like that's more of an East Coast thing in general, and I love that attribute."

The actor also makes it a point to sneak in Jersey nods on her social media account wherever she can. She dressed her tot in some New Jersey map-wear and posted the pic to Twitter, saying, "The Jersey Girl doesn't fall far from the tree." The proud East-Coaster posted her love of hometown java on her Instagram account pre-Emmys celebration in 2015. She wrote in the ad, "Bringing east coast to the west coast, fueling EMMYs weekend with my Dunkin'!" This girl is true to her roots no matter the level of fame and fortune she manages to achieve, and we are here for it!

Professional poker player Jennifer Tilly isn't the only actor who is skilled at the game. Poker is one of Laura Prepon's favorite pastimes. When she sits down with a handful of cards, the actor is sometimes referred to by a name many won't hear anywhere else. Her guy friends — and she has plenty, by Prepon's admission — came up with the perfect moniker. Prepon elaborated on the nickname to Women's Health, "Well, they named me the Red Dragon, so I guess that says something. You know, you can't name yourself in poker; your name has to evolve. I can definitely hold my own against them. I have taken their money many times."

Prepon doesn't just enjoy the game; she is pretty darn good at it. In a Young Hollywood interview, she disclosed that she even knows a few "chip tricks," something she brings out when playing with friends but never when she is at the casino (where she keeps her cards close, so to speak, making sure other players don't know she is good). Chip tricks are apparently a dead giveaway for a poker champ. It's better to be subtle. Similarly, Jennifer Tilly explained to Kelly Clarkson, "I had to let not all my emotions flicker across my face, just the one that I wanted to flicker. And it took me a couple years to train myself out of that, but actors are really good at bluffing."

Actor Laura Prepon was raised an Irish Catholic Russian Jew in Watchung, New Jersey. Prepon, the youngest of five children in her home, never set out to become a famous actor. Instead, she was set on following a love of science, focusing on medicine, as her father had. She told Edge magazine, "It's funny, because I was always really great at science and I was going to be a surgeon like my father. That was my plan, to become a doctor." She went on to describe a sense of longing: "But as a kid, there was something missing from my life. I always knew there was something I was searching for, but I didn't really know what it was. None of my friends were actors, or remotely involved in the drama department in my school, which was non-existent."

Prepon, who lost her orthopedic surgeon father during her teen years, never did head into medicine. Instead, a year after her father died, she entered modeling and then finally made her way into acting. The star also fueled her passions involving the culinary arts (which ironically mirrored her mother's love of cooking instead of her father's zest for healing). Prepon told Forbes, "When I was growing up, I always saw my mother in the kitchen cooking and it was really inspiring because I know she loved making homemade meals for her family. That's how she showed her love."

Laura Prepon is such an effortless actor; it is surprising to learn that this avenue of work wasn't where she got her start in entertainment. Prepon was actually a model long before acting took center stage, and she was a downright good one, too! The actor stumbled into the modeling world when she was 15 years old. She told Edge Magazine, "I never wanted to model. I'm the youngest of five kids, and my eldest sister was working at Glamour magazine. I was always tall and skinny as a kid and she suggested I try it." Prepon initially dismissed the idea, but eventually, she took her sister's advice, popped into an agency with a 4-by-6 photo of herself, and walked out of the building with a modeling contract. 

Her career took her all over the world, living abroad independently before she was a legal adult. As Prepon found out, being good at something doesn't mean you will automatically love it. "You're really just a hanger for clothes," she said in a Pop Entertainment interview. "Some people don't mind it. They love it. But for me personally, it was just slowly chipping away at me. The essence of me — and all I had to give — didn't really matter. This is not me. This is not what I want to do." 

Laura Prepon's childhood wasn't exactly reminiscent of the "Leave it to Beaver" days. She described her early years to Edge Magazine, saying, "I had a very unorthodox upbringing, but in an amazing way. My mother trusted all of us implicitly and treated us more like her friends than her children. We were all very independent and took care of ourselves at a young age." At the center of her unconventional upbringing was her mom, whom Prepon described to People as "this eccentric outgoing woman. She looked like she stepped off the set of 'Dynasty.' When she sashayed into a room with her golden fox fur and her jewels, you knew Marjorie was there."

Marjorie Prepon encouraged her young daughter to work in modeling worldwide and projected unhealthy habits onto her. "That's when my mom told me, 'You can have your cake and eat it too.' I was taught what to eat and what time limit. 'Don't eat Chinese or pizza.' It's too hard to get back up," the actor revealed to People. The bulimia lasted for years, but Prepon has since moved past it, making peace with her eating disorder and her mother's choices. "I don't understand how my mother taught me these things, but I try to find understanding. When I'm with her, I try to think about the good things she taught me. To follow my dreams. To speak up for myself. How when I wanted to act, we opened up the yellow pages and I pointed to a teacher and she took me to acting class. I wouldn't be here without her."

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).

After putting in long hours being creatively amazing, Laura Prepon counts on various decompression methods to relax and unwind. These include things like Salsa and ballet dancing as well as spin and other modes of exercise. While sweating off the stress is wonderful, for the mother of two and esteemed actor, there is nothing quite like a couple rounds of combat to soothe her soul. She shared with Us Weekly that she loves a popular video game. "I've stayed up for days on end playing Halo on Xbox," Prepon said.

Not only does Prepon enjoy a few rounds of "Halo" in her downtime, but she is such a fan that she even lent her voice to one of the few female characters in the "Halo 2" franchise. The other female marine voice in the game is none other than actor Michelle Rodriguez. Prepon has also done voice-over work for shows including "King of the Hill."

In "Orange Is the New Black," Laura Prepon's character, Alex Voss, is not afraid of taking chances and pushing the envelope (even when the envelope is downright illegal!). In these ways, the actor mirrors her infamous role.

In real life, Prepon loves a thrill, whether that means hopping on a motorcycle for a fast ride or scaling a tedious mountainside. While motherhood has perhaps tamed her adventures for the time being, she explained in her interview with West Hollywood Moms that she still craves experiences that make her heart race and even hopes to someday share them with her little ones. "One thing I really try to do, and I know it's not easy, is to try to not lose who I was before I became a mother. I'm not going to go ride my motorcycle or climb a dangerous mountain and almost get altitude sickness again like I did when I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro the year before I had Ella, but I want to go to Peru and climb Machu Picchu and bring our daughter with us because that's doable and safe."

So heading back to a 20,000-foot-tall mountain in Africa might not be in the cards anymore, but Prepon's adventurous spirit lives on, and she is sure to pass it down to her children, along with so many other amazing qualities.

Laura Prepon is one of many actors who've left Scientology. While she has been somewhat mum about her choice, Prepon did tell People, "I'm no longer practicing Scientology. I've always been very open-minded, even since I was a child. I was raised Catholic and Jewish. I've prayed in churches, meditated in temples. I've studied Chinese meridian theory. I haven't practiced Scientology in close to five years and it's no longer part of my life."

Parenthood likely had something to do with Prepon's decision to defect. She continued in her People interview, explaining, "If motherhood has taught me anything so far, it's that something can work out for a period of time, and then you move on and evolve from that." 

One former Scientologist disagrees with how Prepon left. Famous actor and ex-Scientologist Leah Remini told "Daily Blast Live" that Prepon should have spoken up more. "For those of us who were in the public eye and who were speaking on behalf of Scientology, getting people into Scientology, I feel that we have a responsibility to do the work when we find out that none of those things that we were doing was not only helpful, but damaging and very harmful to people's lives. ... Not everybody feels that they have a responsibility; they feel they should just go on with their lives while some of us take a beating."

After getting to know the actor behind characters like Donna Pinciotti and Alex Voss, who wouldn't want to be besties with Laura Prepon? It's not just fans who want to stay in Prepon's presence. She has remained friends with several of her co-stars long after a series ends.

Former co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are still tight with Prepon. Kunis famously shared her parenting tips and tricks with Prepon, and Kunis' hubby Kutcher was thrilled to meet back up with his former "That '70s Show" castmate when he co-hosted "Live with Kelly" in 2016. Kutcher and Prepon cutely hugged when she came out for an interview on the talk show. He confronted his pal in good humor, asking why he wasn't the first to know about her engagement to Ben Foster. Another former co-star expressed sentiments on Prepon's engagement. Danny Masterson (who has been accused of raping three women) shared the message, "This little baby just got engaged. Over/under on me crying at the wedding...." on his Instagram, along with a throwback photo from "That '70s Show."

Prepon is also friends with co-stars from "Orange Is the New Black." She shared a sweet picture of herself with Taylor Schilling, whom she referred to as her "partner in crime," on Facebook. 

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).

There is little Laura Prepon can't accomplish. She has conquered the modeling scene, made a name for herself on the small screen, created her own YouTube channel, and penned several books. Her YouTube channel focuses on healthy living tips and sage advice surrounding parenting practices. With over 200,000 subscribers, it is clear her words and experiences are resonating with fellow parents everywhere.

Both of Prepon's books have been significant successes, as well. Her first literary work, "The Stash Plan," was co-written with Elizabeth Troy and published in 2016. The cookbook chronicled Prepon's health journey via food and was so good it landed on the New York Times bestsellers list. Her second penned piece shifted toward parenting and Prepon's personal journey. "You and I, as Mothers: A Raw and Honest Guide to Motherhood" is an anthem for all who find themselves in the unfamiliar and exhausting waters of being a new parent. Prepon discussed how the book came to be in an interview with Weekend Jaunts. "I felt like there's all these books about pregnancy, but there wasn't a book for us. I couldn't find a resource to turn to. When I started to talk to mothers, I realized we are all struggling with a lot of the same things — from stress, loss of control, mom guilt, self-care — there were so many things [in] common. And I knew I needed to write a book on it."

An entire world of parents thanks you!

Laura Prepon takes cooking seriously, so it made sense to extend herself into the world of cookware. The actor turned her talents to creating a cookware line, smartly named PrepOn Kitchen, that aimed to help anyone create an easy, fun family meal. Prepon told NewBeauty how the products came to be. "I've been dreaming of a culinary line for years. I've been cooking since I was a kid, and I love cooking for my friends and my family. It's one of my favorite things to do. The idea for the line really came from me running into things in the kitchen that I needed solutions for and not being able to find them. At a certain point, I said to myself, 'I'm just going to make this.' ... I pitched it to HSN and they loved it. I'm so thrilled about this partnership. I've been really, really excited for this to come out."

Her cookware line is a bit of a tribute to her mother, as she explained to Scary Mommy. Prepon shared that as a child, her mom was forever cooking something up, but the kids were never involved in the process. When it came time to design her cookware, Prepon aimed to make cooking alongside family simple, creating kitchenware that streamlined time and space to maximize the memories made with loved ones. 

Motherhood has led Laura Prepon to be totally transparent about parenting. She shares so much of the good, bad, and ugly in hopes of helping other parents, that it is nearly impossible not to adore and respect her as a woman, wife, and mom. One of the more challenging parts of her parenting journey was the loss of a second pregnancy. Her second baby showed significant health issues at her 16-week ultrasound. Because of the problems, the pregnancy had to be terminated. 

Prepon struggled with such a traumatic event, recalling to People, "To get to the second trimester and then be told this awful news, I felt like a failure. I felt like my body had failed and failed having another baby. The whole cycle of 'what's wrong with my body' came back." She clawed her way back to health by leaning on her husband and engaging in the art of appreciating herself. "I started self-love — literally putting my hands on my body parts and saying I love you arms and I love you stomach, I love you thighs. When I got pregnant again with my son, I would talk to the baby. I would put my hands over my belly and send love and energy to that place," she told The Local Moms Network. 

Prepon now has two healthy, beautiful children, proving all of the trials and tribulations of parenthood are worth it to her. 

Motherhood alone is something that takes superhuman strength on even the easiest of days. How Laura Prepon manages to juggle her young children AND a booming career in entertainment, writing, and culinary arts is truly something to behold. She does it all, but not without moments of struggle. Prepon has opened up to share her woes regarding the delicate balance that is parenthood and work. The talented actor and mom returned to the "Orange Is the New Black" set only six weeks after her daughter was born and was directing the series a few months later, she told Us Weekly. The transition was not a seamless one, as she revealed on "The Drew Barrymore Show." "And after the birth of my daughter, I didn't know what was going on. I was like, I struggled, and I rarely struggle from anxiety, that's not something that I do."

Her dear friend, actor, and mom Mila Kunis gave Prepon a great piece of advice, which Prepon shared on "The Kelly Clarkson Show." She suggested Prepon learn to spin her career in a positive manner so her children grow to see it as exciting and wonderful, not dreadful and negative. On the show, Prepon also shared that friend and co-star Amber Tamblyn suggested staying in the present and looking at quality time over quantity to combat working mom guilt.

Hollywood is packed with natural redheads, and actor Laura Prepon is one of them. Laura Prepon's luscious mane has been red, blonde, and black. All colors are equally stunning, but one specific hue is the actor's favorite, and that is her naturally red hair.

Prepon dyes her hair for her acting roles. She went blonde in season 7 of "That '70s Show" because of another role she was simultaneously taking on that required her to be blonde. Her role as Alex Voss in "Orange Is The New Black" turned her locks an edgy shade of black. "[My character] is this rockabilly international drug mule; I need black hair for that. People are not going to recognize me in this role, and it's amazing. As an actor, one of the cooler things is when people don't know that it's me," Prepon told Pop Entertainment. While she is happy enough to change her looks for the sake of a character, red is where the "roots" are for Prepon, and she shared the feeling of going back to red with her Twitter followers. "Love being a redhead again! Happy to share it with the Twitter world first."

When approached with the timeless question of "do blondes have more fun?" Prepon had this to say to Women's Health: "Now that I'm blonde, yeah, totally. ... My hair can be any color, and I'll always have fun."