Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne is an Emmy-nominated actress, writer, director and producer best known for her roles on Orange Is the New Black and Russian Doll. Lyonne was raised primarily in Manhattan and Miami. Lyonne enrolled at New York University to study film and philosophy but did not complete her degree.

Lyonne began acting as a child, appearing in Pee-wee’s Playhouse at age 6. She gained early recognition with roles in Everyone Says I Love You (1996), Slums of Beverly Hills (1998) and But I’m a Cheerleader (1999). She became widely known in the late 1990s and early 2000s as part of the ensemble cast in the American Pie franchise as Jessica.

In 2013, she landed the role of Nicky Nichols on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, which earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She remained a principal cast member of the show until it ended in 2019. That same year, Lyonne cocreated and starred on Netflix’s dark comedy Russian Doll, for which she earned three Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Comedy Series.

She has also starred on shows such as Peacock’s Poker Face and Fantasmas and has lent her voice to shows like What If…? and The Simpsons.

In 2025, Lyonne was confirmed as a cast member of Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The actress was in a relationship with comedian Fred Armisen from 2014, and the pair split in 2022. She has previously been romantically linked to Edward Furlong and Andrew Zipern.