Natasha Lyonne: A Career of Nuanced Oddball Characters
Born in New York in 1979, Natasha Lyonne began her career as a child model in the late 1980s, making her on-screen debut in the 1986 comedy-drama Heartburn. Her big break came a decade later when she co-starred in Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You. However, it was her role in 1998’s Slums of Beverly Hills that proved to be her career-launching role.
Throughout her career, Lyonne has delivered incredible performances in a range of projects, often blending dark comedy with other genres. Her breakout role in 2013’s Orange is the New Black cemented her status as a household name. Since then, she has experienced a significant career resurgence, with her performance in the Peacock series Poker Face standing out as one of her best.
Poker Face, created by Rian Johnson and starring Lyonne as Charlie Cale, follows a waitress who can tell when those around her are lying. Lyonne’s performance in the show was widely praised, earning her a slew of awards and nominations, including a Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement In Comedy and a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
The show also features an impressive supporting cast, including Adrien Brody, Ron Perlman, and Chloe Sevigny, among others. While Russian Doll is a close second, and her performance in OITNB was a highlight of the Netflix series, Poker Face is undoubtedly the best Natasha Lyonne TV show or movie.