Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Bianca Lyonne Braunstein ( lee-OHN; born April 4, 1979) is an American actress, writer, television director, and producer. Known for her distinctive raspy voice and tough persona, she is the recipient of two Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as nominations for five Primetime Emmys and two Golden Globes.

After working as a child actress, Lyonne came to prominence in the late 1990s with her roles as DJ in Everyone Says I Love You (1996), Vivian in Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), Megan in But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), and Jessica in American Pie (1999). Following various independent film appearances throughout the 2000s, she achieved widespread recognition with her portrayal of Nicky Nichols on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). Subsequent television roles have included Charlie Cale on Peacock's Poker Face (2023–present) and Nadia Vulvokov on Netflix's Russian Doll (2019–2022), which she also co-created, executive produced, wrote, and directed.

In 2023, Lyonne was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.

Early life

Lyonne was born in New York City, the daughter of Ivette Buchinger and Aaron Braunstein, a boxing promoter, race car driver, and radio host. Lyonne's parents were from Orthodox Jewish families and she was raised Orthodox. Her mother was born in Paris, to Hungarian-Jewish parents who were Holocaust survivors.

Lyonne has joked that her family consists of "my father's side, Flatbush, and my mother's side, Auschwitz". Her grandmother, Ella, came from a large family, but only she and her two sisters and two brothers survived, which Lyonne has attributed to their blond hair and blue eyes. Lyonne's grandfather, Morris Buchinger, operated a watch company in Los Angeles. During the war, he hid in Budapest as a non-Jew working in a leather factory. Lyonne lived the first eight years of her life in Great Neck, New York. She and her family emigrated to Israel where she spent a year and a half. While in Israel, Lyonne participated in the 1989 Israeli children's film April Fool (Hebrew: אחד באפריל), which began her interest in acting. Her parents divorced, and Lyonne and her older brother, Adam, returned to the United States with their mother. After moving back to New York City, Lyonne attended the Ramaz School, a private Jewish school, where Lyonne was a scholarship student who took Talmud classes and read Aramaic. She was expelled in her sophomore year for selling marijuana to classmates. Lyonne grew up on the Upper East Side, where she felt she was an outsider. Her mother moved the family to Miami and Lyonne briefly attended Miami Country Day School. She did not graduate from high school, leaving before her senior year to attend a film program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, which she attended for a short time, studying film and philosophy. Her high school graduation depended on completing her first year at Tisch, but she left the program because she could not pay the tuition.

Lyonne was estranged from her father, who was a Democratic candidate for New York City Council for the sixth District of Manhattan in 2013, and lived on the Upper West Side until his death in October 2014. She has said she was not close to her mother, who died in 2013, and has essentially lived independently of her family since age 16.

Career

1986–1999: Beginnings and film breakout

As a young child, Lyonne was signed by the Ford Modeling Agency. She was cast as recurring character Opal on Pee-wee's Playhouse at age seven, where she appeared between September and December 1986, and made her film debut that same year with a small part in the Mike Nichols comedy-drama Heartburn. Of her time working as a child actor, Lyonne later said, "I had to become coherent and a businesswoman at six. By 10, I was a jaded professional … I don't think [my parents] knew better. It was a decision of [theirs] built on hopeful ignorance".

After playing a supporting role as Polly in Dennis the Menace (1993), Lyonne was cast at age 16 in the Woody Allen-directed musical comedy Everyone Says I Love You (1996), where she co-starred as D.J., the daughter of main character Joe (played by Allen). This led to a headline role in the independent coming-of-age comedy Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), for which she received positive notices for her portrayal of Vivian Abromowitz. Writing for The Washington Post, Michael O'Sullivan said, "Lyonne is marvelous in conveying Vivian's combination of confusion, curiosity, disgust and desire at what body and psyche are going through. After playing a string of people's daughters [in other films], Lyonne really comes into her own here as an actress, registering as a person and not merely someone's little girl".

In 1999, Lyonne starred as Megan Bloomfield, a sexually confused teenager, in the satirical romantic comedy But I'm a Cheerleader. Despite a mixed critical reception upon release, the film was instrumental in raising awareness of the harms of conversion therapy, and has since developed a cult following. In the same year, Lyonne played the small but crucial part of Jessica—a role she reprised in two of the film's sequels—in American Pie (1999), which grossed over US$230 million at the box office. Other film appearances in 1999 included Christine in Detroit Rock City and a headline role in Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby. The latter, a follow-up to the 1996 original, was poorly received due to its violence and vulgarity, but Lyonne's portrayal of teenage prostitute Crystal Van Meuther was praised for its "earthy, hard-boiled" nature.

2000–2010: Mainstream and independent films

Lyonne played the part of Jeanne, a college activist fighting for lesbian equality, in the acclaimed 2000 television film If These Walls Could Talk 2. She then appeared in the well-received Holocaust drama The Grey Zone (2001), and continued to work steadily through the early 2000s, in mainstream projects such as Scary Movie 2, Kate & Leopold (both 2001) and Blade: Trinity (2004), as well as smaller productions such as Zig Zag (2002), Die, Mommie, Die!, Party Monster (both 2003), Madhouse (2004), and My Suicidal Sweetheart (2005). Next, she headlined the 2009 experimental dark comedy The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, which was described as "relentlessly strange, courageous, and hyperactive" by The Austin Chronicle. Her portrayal of Debbie Tennis, a psychotic serial killer, in the 2010 horror parody All About Evil was particularly well received, with Film Threat commenting, "[its director] rightfully treats Lyonne as the superstar she is, giving us glimpses of the dark residing in [her] that made Freeway 2: Confessions of a Trick Baby [sic] the final cult masterpiece of the 20th century", noting that "her ability to unleash firehoses of ferocity is on full display here".

2011–present: Career resurgence and awards success

Lyonne had a supporting role in Abel Ferrara's post-apocalyptic drama 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2011), which Movieline called "weirdly compelling". Two years later, she began appearing on the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black; her first television job as a series regular. Critics were effusive about her portrayal of prison inmate Nicky Nichols, for which she received a nomination for the 2014 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, and was twice awarded—alongside her co-stars—the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2015; 2017).

Lyonne's work as hard-partying Lou in Antibirth (2016), a psychedelic horror feature inspired by the films of David Cronenberg, drew special attention; Alex McLevy wrote in a review for The A.V. Club, "The actor has experienced a remarkable resurgence in the past few years … Here, she channels her storied past to play Lou... drug-addled... plays to Lyonne's strengths—a bluntly outsized personality, brash but likable, with a self-destructive streak bigger than the podunk town in which the story unfolds". Other film credits of hers include Sleeping with Other People, Hello, My Name Is Doris, Addicted to Fresno, Hashtag Horror (all 2015); Yoga Hosers, The Intervention (both 2016); Handsome (2017), Show Dogs (2018), Honey Boy (2019), and James Gray's science fiction thriller Ad Astra (2019).

After the final season of Orange Is the New Black, Lyonne began starring as Nadia Vulvokov—a woman trapped in a time loop at her 36th birthday party—on Russian Doll, a comedy-drama series she created and produced along with Leslye Headland and Amy Poehler. Debuting on Netflix in February 2019, the show was met with rave reviews, with Lucy Mangan of The Guardian calling it "fine [and] impressive," adding, "Nadia is a magnificent creation and Lyonne gives a performance to match". Meanwhile, Alan Sepinwall wrote in his review for Rolling Stone:

After battles with addiction and other health scares [in] the early-2000s, [Lyonne] has managed to revive her career … a personal narrative arc that clearly informs Nadia's constant brushes with her own mortality … Lyonne is such an idiosyncratic screen presence — not to mention so distinctly New York/Jewish/aggro — that most of the roles she's played, particularly as an adult, have barely bothered to delve beneath the surface of that persona … Nadia, on the other hand, is unmistakably Lyonne … It goes deeper and wider than anything she's gotten to play [since] her teenage days in indie films like Slums of Beverly Hills and But I'm a Cheerleader.

Russian Doll has had two seasons, earning Lyonne three Primetime Emmy nominations: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Lyonne portrayed American actress Tallulah Bankhead in Lee Daniels' The United States vs. Billie Holiday, a biographical drama based on the life and career of jazz singer Billie Holiday, in 2021. She made a cameo appearance as herself in the Rian Johnson-directed mystery thriller Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery the following year, and hosted the season 47 finale of Saturday Night Live, where she performed a five-minute monologue about her career and personal troubles. In January 2023, she starred as Charlie Cale—a casino worker with an innate ability to detect lies—on the Peacock series Poker Face. Inspired by television murder mysteries such as Columbo, the series was positively reviewed with Nick Hilton of The Independent saying it is "satisfyingly pacy and pulpy. Lyonne is a bundle of unhinged charisma." The show will return for a second season.

In May 2024, it was announced that Lyonne had signed on to star—in an unspecified role—in the MCU superhero film The Fantastic Four, scheduled to be released in July 2025.

Theatre work

Lyonne made her New York stage debut in the 2008 production of Mike Leigh's Two Thousand Years at the Acorn Theatre. She was part of the original cast (October 2009–March 2010) of Love, Loss, and What I Wore, an off-Broadway play by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, based on the book by Ilene Beckerman.

In 2010, Lyonne received positive notices for her performance in Kim Rosenstock's comedy Tigers Be Still at the Roundabout Theatre Company, with Charles Isherwood commenting in his review for The New York Times: "Ms. Lyonne [is] a thorough delight in the flat-out funniest role, the grief-crazed Grace, so deeply immersed in self-pity that she has cast aside any attempts at decorum".

Lyonne starred in the 2011 production of Tommy Nohilly's Blood from a Stone at the Acorn Theatre. The following year, she participated in a benefit performance of Women Behind Bars.

Directing and producing

Lyonne made her directorial debut Fall of 2017 with surrealist short film, Cabiria, Charity, Chastity, for fashion brand KENZO. Shot by cinematographer Chung-Hoon-Chung, the film follows Chastity, a vaudeville performer, coming to terms with her past. In addition to writing and directing episodes of Russian Doll and Poker Face, Lyonne directed an episode of Orange is the New Black in its final season, and one episode each of the Hulu shows Shrill and High Fidelity.

Lyonne co-founded the production company Animal Pictures with Maya Rudolph. Its first greenlit project was the sketch comedy special Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine (2020), which Lyonne directed. The company also produces Russian Doll, Poker Face, Loot, and the upcoming animated series The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy. It was announced in October 2023 that Rudolph had parted ways with the company, leaving Lyonne to operate by herself under the Animal banner. In May 2024, she signed a deal with production company Sister, who will collaborate with Lyonne on upcoming Animal projects.

Regarding her directorial style, Lyonne has expressed frustration with the "simplicity" of modern filmmaking, saying that she likes to counteract this by "filling the frame with an abundance of information", adding: "I do think there's a danger in telling people that brightly lit, crisp things that make perfect sense are good storytelling". She also believes that research is key to a successful narrative: "Read as many books, watch as many movies, and listen to as much music as you can so that you actually understand the stories that you're telling".

Public image

Lyonne has been featured on the covers of magazines including Backstage, Bust, Diva, Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, The Hollywood Reporter, Interview, Nylon, Out, Paper, Variety, Venus, and TheWrap.

Speaking of her "tough guy" persona, Lyonne told a journalist in 2023, "I've been stealing from De Niro my whole life. [As] much as I love Bette Davis and Mae West and Gena Rowlands, I often found myself identifying with the Peter Falks and the Joe Pescis and the Jimmy Cagneys—all the boys. Certainly, by the time I was writing Russian Doll, I saw a character who was the perfect mix of feminine and masculine".

She has been described as a "lesbian icon", due to playing gay characters in works such as Orange Is the New Black and But I'm a Cheerleader, and because of her advocacy for the LGBT community. In 2015, Lyonne was awarded the Human Rights Campaign's Ally for Equality Award.

Personal life

In 1997, Lyonne used her paycheck from Everyone Says I Love You to buy an apartment near Gramercy Park. As of 2023, she lives in New York City's East Village and owns a residence in Los Angeles.

Relationships

Estranged from her biological family, Lyonne has discussed the importance of the chosen family she has developed through friends and collaborators. She counts Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Janicza Bravo among her personal friends; she is particularly close to Melanie Lynskey and Clea DuVall. She said of her friendship with Chloë Sevigny, "[She is] more than my best friend, she might have actually morphed into [being] my sister".

Lyonne identifies as being straight, but has also said of her sexuality, "I look at sex more as… 'hmm, what's this mischief I can get into?' I'm in this third category. My sexuality and gender is more like… merry prankster".

Lyonne dated Edward Furlong in the late 1990s and Andrew Zipern in the early 2010s. She began dating comedian and actor Fred Armisen in 2014, but confirmed in April 2022 that the relationship had ended. The two remain close friends.

Health and legal troubles

During the early 2000s, Lyonne experienced legal problems and was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, and for incidents involving threatening her neighbours. In 2005, she was evicted by her landlord, actor Michael Rapaport, following complaints by other tenants about her behavior.

In 2005, Lyonne was admitted—under a pseudonym—to Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan, suffering from hepatitis C, infective endocarditis, and a collapsed lung; she was also undergoing methadone treatment for heroin addiction. In January 2006, a warrant was issued for her arrest after she missed a court hearing relating to her prior legal problems. Her lawyer said an emergency had arisen but did not give details. Later in the same year, Lyonne was admitted to a drug and alcohol treatment center; she appeared in court afterwards and the judge entered a conditional discharge. She has not used drugs since December 2006, and has been open about her addiction and recovery.

Lyonne underwent open-heart surgery in 2012 to correct heart valve damage caused by her previous heart infection. She quit smoking in 2023.

Influences and interests

Lyonne has cited John Cassavetes, Peter Falk, Lou Reed, Nora Ephron, and Delia Ephron as being professional inspirations. Her favorite film performances include Giulietta Masina in Nights of Cabiria (1957), Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence (1974), David Thewlis in Naked (1993), and Roy Scheider in All That Jazz (1979).

A fan of crossword puzzles, Lyonne designed a crossword for The New York Times in 2019. During the 2023 WGA strike, she auctioned off the opportunity for fans to solve a New York Times crossword with her to raise money for the Union Solidarity Coalition. Her other interests include philosophy and classic cinema.

Lyonne has a pet Maltipoo dog named Rootbeer, who regularly makes appearances on her social media and in interviews.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Accolades

See also

• The song "Natasha" from Want One (2003) by Rufus Wainwright was written for and about Lyonne.

References

External links

• Natasha Lyonne on Instagram
• Natasha Lyonne on Twitter
• Natasha Lyonne at AllMovie
• Natasha Lyonne at Emmys.com
• Natasha Lyonne at IMDb
• Natasha Lyonne at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Natasha Lyonne at Rotten Tomatoes