There’s no one quite like Natasha Lyonne.
But Lyonne is singular with a signature realness and ultra-sharp sense of humor.
Who knew she was so very talented?
So, how did she get her start in theentertainmentbusiness?
Where’s she from, and what’s her family like?
And what are her deepest thoughts about femininity, personhood, and life itself?
Her childhood was pretty lonely
Natasha Lyonne didn’t have the happiest childhood.
But that experience gave Lyonne some perspective on the world.
“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.
Sounds like she really did have a rocky start in life.
But despite her early successes, starting her career so young wasn’t an especially good thing for her.
“And I would say I definitely fell in that pile.”
But she never finished, as things began to spiral in her life.
In the midst of her self-destruction, Lyonne didn’t ever see herself returning to acting.
“So I didn’t really care.
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 withThe Guardian.
“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.
She also helped her get back to work and vouched for her, strengthening their now-unbreakable bond.
“I feel safe in her scent.
The girlmance is real, y’all!
“I have a real love affair with the city,” she mused in an interview withVulture.
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.
“My lineage is dark survivors,” she revealed in an interview withNPR.
“I come from real Auschwitz stock.”
“Hitler was a big player in my childhood,” she continued.
That sounds seriously intense!
That seriousness also had an impact on her search for knowledge.
Lyonne is pleased that she became famous once again in such a “no-filter” role.
Girl, you got chops and we’re here for it!
“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.
What a badass show from a badass team of ladies!
“People are constantly like, ‘Are you getting married?
Are you gonna have a baby?’
It’s so exhausting,” she divulged in an interview withElle.
“How is this supposed to be a normal question?”
She really does have a point, doesn’t she?
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 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.
And that uniqueness, Lyonne believes, adds to a person’s true beauty.
Those are some wise words!
Doing so protected both her creativity and personal agency.
“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.
she shared in an interview withElle.
“That kind of stuff was never on the table in this story.”
Once again, you just can’t argue with her logic.
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 toInterviewmagazine.
“Richard Pryor and Bob Fosse are my biggest influences.
Comedians and choreographers aren’t the only people that Lyonne looks to for inspiration.
“And music, baby,” she added to Interview.
“You know music really helps me get inspired.”
That’s a responsibility that she is honored to have, and she takes it seriously.
“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.
The kids really are alright, huh?
Instead, she fancies herself quite the oddball, something she wears on her sleeve.
“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.
“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.
“My whole life was leading here,” she said.
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,Refinery29reported that Lyonne’s vibrant look required some intense upkeep.
“We literally colored it every three weeks,” the stylist revealed.
“For maintenance, I was giving Natasha Davines copper shampoo and conditioner.”
Still, Lyonne’s journey to success wasn’t without its struggles.
However, Lyonne eventually regained her stride thanks to “Orange Is the New Black.”
Notably, the building was originally a historic synagogue that was converted into a three-unit condo.
Either way, she’s definitely making the most of her well-earned income.
Out of the seven episodes, Lyonne wrote four, directed three, and was involved in post-production.
She added, “It just turns all my defects into assets.
Meaning, you know, being hyper-decisive and obsessive and tireless.”
As for what the actor thinks of the final product?
She finished by saying that she couldn’t wait for fans to see the second season.
The write-up similarly reported that the actor hadn’t been photographed with Armisen since 2020.
She and Armisen had separated.
Lyonne then added, “I honestly think we broke up because I wanted a swimming pool.”
“I feel a deep transparency about how true my love of the puzzle is.”
Ultimately, it sounds like the results of their hard work paid off.
