Nicky Nichols

Nicole "Nicky" Nichols
Natasha Lyonne as Nicky Nichols
Orange Is the New Black character
Portrayed by	Natasha Lyonne Carla Oudin (in flashback scenes)
First appearance	"I Wasn't Ready" Season 1, episode 1 July 11, 2013

Nicole "Nicky" Nichols is a fictional character played by Natasha Lyonne on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. She is a recurring character in season one and a main character from season two onwards.

Critical reception of Nichols has been generally positive. The role has also earned Lyonne an Emmy nomination.

Natasha Lyonne had intended to audition for the part of Lorna Morello but, according to Lyonne, "they wouldn’t let me [audition for Morello], because they already liked me for Nicky."Yael Stone, who had auditioned for the role of Nichols, was cast as Morello.

Lyonne feels that she can relate closely to Nichols' storyline as she has had experience of drug addiction. She says, "believe me, there's no shortage of things for me to draw on when it comes to Nicky's backstory". The scar that is visible on Nichols' chest during the series is a real scar from Lyonne's heart surgery in 2012.Orange Is the New Black is Lyonne's first time as a series regular.

Nichols is first seen in the first episode. She becomes friends with the series' protagonist Piper Chapman (played by Taylor Schilling) within the first few episodes. Nichols had a sexual relationship with Lorna Morello which ended in the fifth episode because Morello said that she wanted to remain loyal to her fiancé and complained that Nichols was "making her feel like a cave".Galina "Red" Reznikov (played by Kate Mulgrew) is a close friend and 'mother figure' to Nichols, however, the two have a disagreement when Red cuts off fellow inmate Tricia Miller (played by Madeline Brewer) and allows her to be sent to solitary confinement. Nichols retaliates against Red by reporting to a correctional officer exactly how Red manages to smuggle contraband into the prison. In the final episode of the season, Nichols is seen to be seducing Alex Vause (played by Laura Prepon), who is a love interest of Chapman.