NATASHA LYONNE
POKER FACE, SEASON 1 DSTV CATCH UP
In the murder-mystery series Poker Face, NATASHA LYONNE stars as Charlie Cale, a woman with the unique ability to tell when someone is lying.
After a friend of hers is murdered, she jumps into her car, and in every town or city where she stops to catch her breath, she solves strange crimes with her lie-detecting skills.
Natasha (44) is an old friend of series creator Rian Johnson. It was a dinner between the two that led to Natasha getting the role of Charlie.
“What started as a conversation about detective stories led to the exploration of different worlds in each episode of Poker Face,” the two said earlier this year.
The series is packed with famous guest stars, including Benjamin Bratt, Adrien Brody and Chloë Sevigny.
Natasha, who started acting when she was six years old, this year earned a best comedy actress Emmy nomination for Poker Face.
EARLY YEARS
New York-born Natasha was offered a modelling contract by Ford modelling agency as a young girl and at six, she landed a role in the comedy series Pee-wee’s Playhouse.
Growing up in showbiz “was crazy”, she said in a 2008 interview.
“I think it’s a crazy idea to put your child in the entertainment industry at six.”
She continued acting, starring in popular movies like American Pie and But I’m a Cheerleader, before making her mark in TV as the lead in Orange is the New Black, which ran for five seasons.
She was also the creator and star of the popular Netflix series Russian Doll.
The series, which won three Emmys, cemented her star status.
“People suddenly started liking my eccentricity and waywardness. It’s very strange that when I turned 40, people decided, ‘We like her’,’” Natasha says.
NEW START
Natasha had open-heart surgery in 2012 after a heart valve was damaged due to an infection.
A committed smoker, her fans even created an Instagram page where they only shared pictures of her smoking, but this year she finally quit the habit.
She also ended her relationship with comedian Fred Armisen in 2022, jokingly quipping that they went their separate ways because she wanted a swimming pool and he didn’t.
“We love each other very much and we still talk all the time. Freddy just didn’t like the pool idea. It may sound like a trivial reason to break up, but I need my swimming sessions,” she said.
– COMPILED BY ROXANNE MOONEYS