Shani Abboud is a former detainee at the PolyCon Corrections ICE detention centre. She is portrayed by Marie-Lou Nahhas.
Personality[]
Physical appearance[]
Shani has long, dark hair which she often wears up, covered with a hairnet, or down, loose, in soft curls and waves. She stands several inches taller than Nicky.
Biography[]
Before Detainment[]
Shani is originally from Luxor, Egypt. Her uncle owned the biggest satellite dish in town, and she used to watch all sorts of TV shows, whether or not she understood the language.
At the age of twelve, Shani suffered from female genital mutilation.
Shani was confronted by her parents after she was found kissing a woman in a hotel for tourists, and a social media account was found displaying her relationship. Her father said he would not do anything about it himself, but would not stop other relatives from attempting honor killings, claiming that Shani's sexuality had shamed the family. After this, Shani emigrates to the US in fear of persecution for her sexual orientation. ("God Bless America")
Season Seven[]
[. . .] Shani lies that she was a chef in order to get out of being in the detention center. Nicky begins to take interest in her as they cook together. Shani tries to convince Nicky that Red isn't just suffering as a result of the time she spent in the SHU. Shani believes that Red is suffering with early onset dementia. Later, Shani and Nicky have sex, with Shani going down on Nicky. They continue having sex, one day they go into the freezer to do so, but are interrupted by Red. She is shivering and deluded. Shani fails to claim asylum and is deported. Nicky isn't working on the day she discovers this so Ruiz takes a note from Shani to Nicky.
Relationships[]
Romantic[]
- Nicky Nichols - Shani volunteers to help Nicky and the other Max inmates at the ICE detention center kitchen. The two have reciprocated feelings for one another, and have kissed and had sex. Nicky offers to help Shani to try and overcome the issues caused by her female genital mutilation. Nicky is away when Shani learns that her appeal for asylum has been denied, and makes a scene at the kitchen hatch in order to get her note to Nicky via the other kitchen staff members. Maria Ruiz takes the note.
Appearances[]
| Orange Is the New Black: Season Seven | ||||||||||
| "Beginning of the End": | "Just Desserts": | "And Brown Is the New Orange": | "How to Do Life": | "Minority Deport": | "Trapped in an Elevator": | "Me as Well": | ||||
| Absent | Absent | Appears | Appears | Appears | Absent | Appears | ||||
| "Baker's Dozen": | "The Hidey Hole": | "The Thirteenth": | "God Bless America": | "The Big House": | "Here's Where We Get Off": | |||||
| Appears | Appears | Appears | Appears | Absent | Absent | |||||