Helen Van Maele

Evil-doer
Full Name	Helen Van Maele
Alias	Skinhead Helen 2007 Britney Spears on steroids
Origin	Orange is the New Black
Occupation	Inmate Hostage security guard (formerly)
Powers / Skills	Brute strength
Goals	Support the white power campaign Delay the CERT officers (both successful)
Crimes	Assault
Type of Villain	Xenophobic Supremacist

“	Still, apes swing.	„
	~ Helen's racist comment toward black inmates.

Helen Van Maele, known as Skinhead Helen, is a supporting antagonist in seasons four and five of the Netflix dramedy series Orange is the New Black.

She is an inmate at Litchfield Penitentiary minimum security prison who forms part of the white supremacists group.

She is portrayed by Francesca Curran.

Physical appearance

Skinhead Helen is extremely tall and muscly, which is often commented on by inmates and staff alike. As her name suggests, she has a shaved head and many tattoos, including stars on her face and on her neck. She is incredibly strong, acting as the group's muscle.

Personality

Helen takes pride in her racist and supremacist beliefs. She is the most quiet of the group - and is possible she has some sort of neurological disorder as she often speaks in incomplete, half sentences. She has a violent streak and often becomes excited at the prospect of inflicting physical harm.

Biography

After MCC transfers a large quantity of inmates (including Helen), racial tensions arise when the prison becomes more populated by Latin American inmates. In light of these tensions, Piper Chapman starts a "Community Carers" movement, which inadvertently becomes a white power campaign. Helen's strength sees her start working on the construction site to build a gym.

She continues to participate in the White Power campaign alongside friends Kasey Sankey, Brandy Epps and Jennifer Digori. Helen forcibly pushes Blanca Flores down a flight of stairs after she is affronted by the group. After the death of Poussey Washington, Helen and her friends mock her death to the horror of Poussey's grieving friends.

When a riot breaks out, Dayanara Diaz picks up a gun and holds Thomas Humphrey at gunpoint. She then points the gun at the supremacists for their treatment to the Latina inmates, but points it back at Humphrey. During the riot, Helen takes on a security role and watches the guards. After this, Helen and her friends go to raid the kitchen, but are locked in the pantry by Stratman and Ryder Blake along with Frieda Berlin.

Helen seduces the guards as a distraction whilst Frieda uses her survivalism knowledge to plan an escape. They are able to break free, where Helen uses her strength to restrain Stratman and Blake and hand them over as hostages. Helen and her friends witness inmate Judy King attempt to escape, but is stopped by them. The group then form an alliance with Latina inmates Ouija and Pidge to start a café, and later team up once more to delay the CERT officers who try to destabilise the riot.

Helen fiercely takes on a number of the officers and incapacitates them, but is ultimately restrained in a straight-blanket. She is then transferred to FDC Cleveland with Sankey. After an outbreak of nits, all the inmates at Cleveland are subjected to head-shaving, which Helen is exempt from.