The Untold Truth Of Natasha Lyonne
There's no one quite like Natasha Lyonne. With her wild hair, gender-bending fashion, and unmistakable scratchy voice, the actress stands out among her Hollywood peers, who are arguably more self-conscious. But Lyonne is singular with a signature realness and ultra-sharp sense of humor. A self-described "open book," she's finally come into her own not just as an actress but also as a writer, producer, and director. Who knew she was so very talented?
If you've ever heard Lyonne in an interview, you know she can make pretty much anyone laugh, as well as regale people with some of the wildest stories about her life. But even though she's seemingly unafraid to talk about anything — no matter how personal — there are still some surprising things for fans to learn about the star of "Russian Doll." So, how did she get her start in the entertainment business? Where's she from, and what's her family like? And what are her deepest thoughts about femininity, personhood, and life itself? Read on to discover the untold truth of Natasha Lyonne, who's been making some serious waves in the world.
Her childhood was pretty lonely
Natasha Lyonne didn't have the happiest childhood. Her parents divorced when she was between the ages of 8 and 10 years old, and, after that, it was just her and her mother — together but on their own. But that experience gave Lyonne some perspective on the world. "That was definitely an interesting dynamic that kind of taught me the responsibilities of being a single woman, and especially a single female parent," she explained in an interview with Bust magazine. "To learn that a one-bedroom was enough, and a studio wasn't." That's a lot to take in at such a young age, for sure.
Perspective aside, Lyonne didn't come out of her youth unscathed. "As a kid, I spent more time than I'm proud of hating myself," she recalled when speaking with Interview magazine. "Maybe that was a tangled version of also hating my absentee parents, as well as hating the kids in school." Sounds like she really did have a rocky start in life.
Her career started pretty early
While most 6-year-old children are focused on getting started in school and learning their ABCs and 123s, young Natasha Lyonne was actually getting her start in television. She played Opal on the famous kids' show "Peewee's Playhouse," which starred Paul Reubens in the role of Peewee.
After that, she was in several movies, such as "Dennis the Menace," "Everyone Says I Love You," and "Slums of Beverly Hills." But despite her early successes, starting her career so young wasn't an especially good thing for her. "The track record of child actors ... statistically it does not go well," she confessed in an interview with The Guardian. "And I would say I definitely fell in that pile."
After her early career start, Lyonne enrolled at the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts with the intention of majoring in film and philosophy, as she was "done with acting" and wanted to become a filmmaker. But she never finished, as things began to spiral in her life.
She's battled addiction
For a long time, Natasha Lyonne had a serious problem with drugs and alcohol, something that was well-documented in the tabloids. She was arrested for driving under the influence in 2001, and was charged with harassment, trespassing, and mischief in 2004. But Lyonne really hit bottom in 2005, when she was hospitalized for issues including hepatitis C and a collapsed lung — and nearly died.
In the midst of her self-destruction, Lyonne didn't ever see herself returning to acting. "Listen, I did not think I was coming back," she revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "So I didn't really care. When you go as deep into the belly of the beast as I went, there's a whole other world going on and something like show business becomes the dumbest thing on planet Earth."
Fortunately Lyonne isn't too hard on herself about her past. "Isn't everyone entitled to a moment of existential breakdown in a lifetime?" she asked in an interview with The Guardian. "Adulthood is making peace with being kind to oneself when a response to life that's so much more organic and immediate would be to self-destruct." Amen, sister!
Chloe Sevigny helped her get clean
Even while Natasha Lyonne was in the deepest throes of her addiction, one person never gave up on her, even when she was at her worst: her BFF, Chloë Sevigny. "It was hard to stand by and not be able to help when it was down and dirty," Sevigny confessed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "I tried to forgive whatever bad behavior she displayed because she wasn't herself. She wasn't in her right mind." That's real friendship right there.
So it makes sense that when Lyonne stopped using drugs and alcohol after court-appointed rehab in 2006, it was Sevigny who helped her with her recovery. She also helped her get back to work and vouched for her, strengthening their now-unbreakable bond. "I love her so much that when I'm close to her I'm actually calmer," Lyonne gushed in an interview with The Guardian. "I feel safe in her scent. I know, 'I'm home, I'm gonna make the flight, life is going to work out.'" The girlmance is real, y'all!
New York to the core
When it comes to where Natasha Lyonne feels the most at home, the answer is easy: New York City. You can easily hear New York in her accent, which is logical given that she was raised in Manhattan, a place for which she has a real affinity. "I have a real love affair with the city," she mused in an interview with Vulture. "I just feel like when you're up or when you're down, the city really cushions you. I feel like I just have such the blood and bones of a New Yorker." She definitely projects the NYC state of mind and attitude, too.
So intimately connected to the Big Apple is Lyonne that Seth Meyers reasoned on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" that it's likely why fans might be hesitant to approach her. "Natasha Lyonne is so New York that because of her New Yorkness, she probably doesn't want a stranger to come up and ask for a selfie," he said.
Her grandparents are Holocaust survivors
Survival and strength are traits embedded in Natasha Lyonne's DNA, as her grandparents are survivors of the Holocaust — a true testament to her family's fortitude. "My lineage is dark survivors," she revealed in an interview with NPR. "I come from real Auschwitz stock."
It should come as no surprise then that this had a significant impact on Lyonne when she was growing up. "Hitler was a big player in my childhood," she continued. "And it was this mentality of surviving and no matter what sort of horrors life throws your way, that was something that had been endured by my grandmother and my grandfather and therefore it was kind of the litmus test of a human experience." That sounds seriously intense!
That seriousness also had an impact on her search for knowledge. "I think it was an interesting setup and foundation for curiosity, because a lot of the big ideas about the human condition were woven into the very structural fabric of my formative years," she added.
OINTB was her big comeback
After getting clean and spending time doing various acting projects, Natasha Lyonne returned to television in a big way in Netflix's "Orange is the New Black." In the series she plays Nicky Nichols, a role that showed Lyonne was once again on top of her game — something she had to process. "Now we're in season five, I can be like, 'I guess it was a comeback,'" she shared in an interview with The Guardian. "But at the time it was really hard for me to see that word — there's an implication with a 'comeback,' that there was a going away." It took a little time and distance to acknowledge that she did pretty much drop off the radar for nearly a decade when she was using drugs and alcohol.
Lyonne is pleased that she became famous once again in such a "no-filter" role. "If I can be accepted at this level, this version of myself with the least amount of artifice ... Ultimately, all these things we've been talking about have created a sense of not being afraid of my own shadow," she continued. Girl, you got chops and we're here for it!
Russian Doll was in the works for over a decade
In case you eschew television and prefer to stay off of the internet as much as possible, Natasha Lyonne starred in a seriously hot Netflix series by the name of Russian Doll. But she's not just the show's star — she's also a writer, producer, and director of the series, and it's something she's been working on for a long time. "I've been writing versions of what would become 'Russian Doll' for at least 10 years," she revealed in an interview with Elle. "In the last five years, it started crystallizing more and more. It was always a story that I wanted to tell."
That's not to say that Lyonne did all of this on her own. Rather, she had some help from powerhouses like Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland, who helped her realize her vision and make it a reality. "Watching it come to life is an extraordinary process that gives you the strength to go on trying to make things, which is a really hard thing to do," she continued. What a badass show from a badass team of ladies!
Her thoughts on having children
Never one to be shy or hold back, Natasha Lyonne has some pretty set opinions on the expectations placed on women in society. To that end, she thinks some all-too-common questions are, in fact, rather invasive and shouldn't be so flippantly asked by people. "People are constantly like, 'Are you getting married? Are you gonna have a baby?' It's so exhausting," she divulged in an interview with Elle. "How is this supposed to be a normal question?" She really does have a point, doesn't she?
For Lyonne, having children is a sacred act that should be heavily considered, as children are seriously special beings. "I think that children should be the anomalies, that we're constantly in awe, like, 'Wait a minute. You had a child?' Because a child is such a precious thing," she continued. "You should really be certain that that's what you want to do." Absolutely zero lies detected, Natasha!
'I'm so relieved to be older'
It's no secret that there's a lot of pressure both in Hollywood and in society for women to be thin and attractive, as well as to maintain a youthful appearance — and Natasha Lyonne is 100% over it. "I'm so relieved to be older. That we put so much preciousness on the teenage woman's body and the 20-year-old woman's body — f*** all of that," she proclaimed in an interview with Elle." It's so unfair and so minimizing to our true worth." Louder again for the people in the back!
For Lyonne, it's liberating to put some of that baggage down. Instead of obsessing over how she looks or what others think of her, she prefers to accept herself for who she is and to appreciate her own uniqueness. "We're all in our own little weirdo ... bodies with our own little weirdo faces and our own little weirdo ideas," she continued.
And that uniqueness, Lyonne believes, adds to a person's true beauty. "We're all broken in our own ways and that's part of our power and our beauty: our imperfections and our differences," she added. Those are some wise words!
She prefers working with women
In case it wasn't already obvious that Natasha Lyonne is a feminist, she made sure that the writers' room for "Russian Doll" was comprised of only women. Doing so protected both her creativity and personal agency. "Having never created my own show before and it being so personal, I wanted to work with people who speak my own language," she explained in an interview with Broadly. "My voice is stronger when I don't feel like I'm the other in the room." That makes total sense, given how often women can be talked over.
That also made sure that the show didn't end up harping on unnecessary things, too. "To get to collaborate with all female writers and directors on this and never be worrying about... they never worried about, will James Gandolfini's character in 'The Sopranos' be likeable, you know?" she shared in an interview with Elle. "That kind of stuff was never on the table in this story." Once again, you just can't argue with her logic.
These are her favorite comedians
Of course Natasha Lyonne has comedic inspirations, which is hardly a surprise given that she's often quite the comedian herself. So when asked point blank who her favorites are, she selected some true luminaries in the field. "Lenny Bruce, Andy Kaufman, and Richard Pryor are my favorite comedians," she noted to Interview magazine. "Richard Pryor and Bob Fosse are my biggest influences." Bob Fosse was a dancer, choreographer, and director as opposed to a comedian, but certainly he was a giant in his own right.
Comedians and choreographers aren't the only people that Lyonne looks to for inspiration. She also loves Tina Turner, Federico Fellini, Whoopi Goldberg, Sade, Lina Wertmuller (the first woman who was nominated for an Oscar for best director), Peter Falk in "Colombo," and John Cassavetes' movies, according to News.com.au. "And music, baby," she added to Interview. "You know music really helps me get inspired." Right on!
She appreciates the support of this community
Given Natasha Lyonne's history of playing queer characters, such as in "But I'm a Cheerleader" and "Orange Is the New Black," she's become a queer icon in her own right in LGBTQ+ circles. That's a responsibility that she is honored to have, and she takes it seriously. "No pun intended, but I take great pride in having the appreciation of the LGBTQI community" she affirmed when speaking with Interview magazine. "It really means a great deal to me." And of course, we think that's fabulous.
It isn't just Lyonne's characters who are queer, as she also identifies as queer herself. "You know, I wonder if my queerness is actually that I just sort of identify as male in a way," she continued. "And I wonder what that would mean if I were a young person, because in a way the language for that is only being defined now." The kids really are alright, huh?
A proud self-described 'outsider'
Despite the fact that Natasha Lyonne is very much an It girl right now, that doesn't means she's someone who feels like she fits in. Instead, she fancies herself quite the oddball, something she wears on her sleeve. "I have kind of a healthy Twitter life with a bunch of other weirdos that I've found," she confessed in an interview with Decider. "I think there's maybe a comfort in being kind of an outsider figure." Sounds like she has found her people and has made a comfortable space for herself in the world.
That strangeness also filters into her work, which she says is very personal and informed by her life experience. "My family's story, my years through the ringer of being at death's door and addiction, and the experience of being a weirdo and an outsider in New York and in this business," she shared in an interview with Elle. "There's always the fear when you're digging that deep and exposing that much about yourself." That's probably why what she does reaps so much success — because of its innate realness.
Natasha Lyonne found new confidence as a redhead
Though Natasha Lyonne is a natural blonde, it would seem that she's truly found her calling with her fiery hair color. In 2018, during an interview with Conan O'Brien, the Netflix star and the natural redhead discussed Lyonne's new look and how it has affected her personally. As the two began to chat, Lyonne stated that her stunning new look had been a long time coming. "My whole life was leading here," she said. In addition to adapting her new color for her role in "Russian Doll," Lyonne also disclosed that while her mother was a redhead, the actor hadn't ever imagined herself becoming one.
After O'Brien questioned the star about how the new hair color had impacted her personally, Lyonne said that the changes were positive. Lyonne noted that growing up, she'd never really felt like her look was considered conventionally attractive, "but now as a redhead, I feel like I can really own my space," she stated. The actor additionally noted that the new color was a confidence booster. "I'm really occupying myself and my body better than ever," she expressed. Similarly, Refinery29 reported that Lyonne's vibrant look required some intense upkeep. Hairstylist Marcel Dagenais, who worked with Lyonne on the "Russian Doll" set, exposed exactly what it took for the star to maintain her bright hue. "We literally colored it every three weeks," the stylist revealed. "For maintenance, I was giving Natasha Davines copper shampoo and conditioner."
She has an impressive net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Natasha Lyonne is worth $5 million. Of course, with her long-standing run in the entertainment industry that's seen her work as an actor, director, writer, and producer, that amount is definitely warranted. Still, Lyonne's journey to success wasn't without its struggles. As reported by Capital File, the then-child actor's career took a nosedive due to Lyonne's problem with addiction. However, Lyonne eventually regained her stride thanks to "Orange Is the New Black." First starting out with a three-episode guarantee, Lyonne's obvious talent for playing Nicky Nichols led her to become a series regular, and even scored her an Emmy nomination.
Nowadays, Lyonne is a multi-talented star who has performed various roles, such as directing, writing, editing, and starring in her aforementioned series "Russian Doll." But, of course, with plenty of star power also comes the ability (and salary) to purchase some seriously sweet living space. As reported by the New York Post in 2017, Lyonne was seen checking out an apartment in a downtown condo worth a cool $1.99 million. Notably, the building was originally a historic synagogue that was converted into a three-unit condo. Similarly, per The New Yorker, it would appear that Lyonne turned that luxurious apartment dream into a reality as it was mentioned that the Netflix star lived in a synagogue-turned-luxury condo. Either way, she's definitely making the most of her well-earned income.
She was heavily involved in the second season of Russian Doll
According to The New Yorker, Natasha Lyonne had significant involvement in the creation of the second season of "Russian Doll," taking over as Season 2's showrunner for the series she co-created. Out of the seven episodes, Lyonne wrote four, directed three, and was involved in post-production. "Directing is this whole other third thing that came into my life, and I've never felt so at home," the star told the outlet. She added, "It just turns all my defects into assets. Meaning, you know, being hyper-decisive and obsessive and tireless." Later on, Lyonne revealed that directing was actually a longtime dream that initially took hold after her first major film role, "Everyone Says I Love You."
Similarly, while chatting with Variety, the "Orange Is the New Black" star spoke more about her various roles in the second season of her award-winning Netflix series. Lyonne divulged that even releasing a trailer for the sophomore season of "Russian Doll" was an experience in itself. "It's scary releasing trailers and things like that, because you're trying to figure out the right amount [to show], if you want people to be able to go in cold," she stated. As for what the actor thinks of the final product? "It's fun being a part of something that people watch," Lyonne declared in response to fans' reaction to the trailer. She finished by saying that she couldn't wait for fans to see the second season.
She broke up with Fred Armisen because she 'wanted a swimming pool'
While Natasha Lyonne was first publicly linked to Fred Armisen back in 2014, recent speculation had plenty of fans wondering if the pair had possibly parted ways. As noted by the Daily Mail, in 2021, Lyonne was spotted holding hands with a mystery man at the Malibu Chili Cook-Off. The write-up similarly reported that the actor hadn't been photographed with Armisen since 2020. More recently, during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter to chat about the new season of her Netflix series, the "American Pie II" star opened up about her love life and confirmed what plenty had already suspected. She and Armisen had separated.
When asked if she was living in Los Angeles, the actor replied that she wasn't, though she had previously lived there with Armisen during the pandemic. Lyonne then added, "I honestly think we broke up because I wanted a swimming pool." After revealing their split, Lyonne went on to clarify and stated that there was no bad blood between the former couple. "We love each other just about as much as two people can love each other and we're still talking all the time," she said. The star went on to express that while their reason for breaking up might appear "mundane," at the time, the lifestyle preference made sense.
She has a strong love for crossword puzzles
In addition to her other pastimes, Natasha Lyonne also has plenty of love for a good crossword puzzle. In a 2019 interview with The New York Times to discuss her creation for the paper's celebrity crossword series, Lyonne expressed her love for solving crosswords. "I feel a deep transparency about how true my love of the puzzle is." At the time, it was stated that the star had been a fan of the paper's crosswords for about five years after initially being introduced to them by her then-boyfriend Fred Armisen. Of course, Lyonne hasn't ever kept her love for the activity a secret, and has even shared her scores on Twitter. "I seem to have plenty of time to both do the puzzle and endlessly tweet and interface about the puzzle," she admitted.
So naturally, the star was thrilled to get a chance to craft her own Times crossword, and according to the Times puzzle editor, Will Shortz, her enthusiasm showed. "Natasha took this more seriously than almost anybody else," he stated in reference to previous celebrity guests. Similarly, the Times crossword columnist Deb Amlen said that she and Lyonne spent around "10 to 15 hours in person," in addition to communicating through text, working on ideas for the star's puzzle. Ultimately, it sounds like the results of their hard work paid off. Shortz expressed enthusiasm for the pair's collaboration, stating that their crossword puzzle had a delightfully "lively feel to it."