party lines

Dascha Polanco Says Joy’s Velvet Hangers Will Change Your Life

Dascha Polanco at <i>Joy</i>'s New York premiere.
Dascha Polanco at Joy’s New York premiere. Photo: Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Of the 20th century’s many can’t-live-without-them household inventions (hello, fashion tape), for Dascha Polanco, skinny velvet hangers top the list. And, since those Huggable Hangers were invented by Miracle Mop creator Joy Mangano, whose rise to the top of the HSN empire inspired Polanco’s new movie Joy, the coincidence was serendipitous. “I have all the velvet hangers!” she told the Cut at the film’s NYC premiere. “And I didn’t even know she made them! And also the boxes. I never knew Joy made those boxes. I was like, ‘These are my favorite boxes!’ And you know what else? The steamer, the portable steamer — you HAVE to get it. It changes your life.”

It turns out that like Mangano, Polanco has tried her hand at inventing, only her handiwork was slightly less high-profile. “I invented pillows for my Barbie,” Polanco admitted. “I would take ribbons that you use like for a dress, I would cut pieces, stuff them with my mom’s cotton balls and then sew it. She never had the Barbie Dream house, but she had the pillows.”

Polanco’s dolls might’ve had the comforts of home, but her Orange Is the New Black character Dayanara “Daya” Diaz definitely does not. We asked her what fans can expect to see from Daya when OITNB returns for season four. “A lot of things happen with Daya this season, but most importantly, she’s growing up. And you’ll see the development and growth this season of Daya.” So does that mean her character’s story line will be the centerpiece of the new episodes? “I don’t know if I can disclose that, but there’s a lot of centerpieces this season. Look forward to that.”

Dascha Polanco on Joy’s Huggable Velvet Hangers