Natasha Lyonne is a unique performer.

Lyonne’s rise to fame was not linear, and she had much to overcome.

Butthis is Natasha Lyonne, a survivor, an intellectual, and an extremely talented individual.

Natasha Lyonne as Opal on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse

She was bound to rise above her circumstances and become a roaring success.

Read on to learn more about the stunning transformation of Natasha Lyonne.

Finding out TV food is not as delicious as it looks.

Natasha Lyonne with Paul Reubens and others on the set of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse

“I was an outgoing child.

Thanks for the revelation, all right, good luck with your fact-checking!'

and I hung up the phone,” the actor quipped.

Natasha Lyonne at the Fresh Air Fund gala in NYC

Lyonne’s parents both died in the early 2010s, which produced complex feelings for her.

You just don’t have the tools to do it properly," she explained.

She attended a Modern Orthodox private school in New York City on a scholarship.

Natasha Lyonne on the set of But I’m a Cheerleader

However, she was bullied by her classmates and was later kicked out for selling marijuana.

The latter, about teens at a conversion therapy camp, made an impact that resonated with Lyonne.

“These kids would be crying and saying, ‘Thank you for putting out the film.’

Natasha Lyonne mugshot in 2001

“Spiraling into addiction is really, really scary,” Lyonne toldEntertainment Weekly.

““It’s the fallout of shenanigan-based behavior,” Lyonne explained.

“It’s weird to talk about.

Natasha Lyonne at the final season premiere of Orange is the New Black

I was definitely as good as dead, you know?

A lot of people don’t come back,” she said.

“I tried to forgive whatever bad behavior she displayed because she wasn’t herself.

Fred Armisen and Natasha Lyonne at the 77th Emmy Awards

She wasn’t in her right mind,” Sevigny revealed.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available.

Visit theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration websiteor contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Natasha Lyonne at the Season 2 premiere of Russian Doll

Nicky’s brash attitude and clever one-liners were only part of the character.

However, her backstory very much mirrored that of Lyonne’s.

In 2013 the actor spoke toInterviewabout how she’d been approaching the role.

Natasha Lyonne at GQ’s Men of the Year party in 2022

“Orange is the New Black” wrapped up in 2019, and Lyonne expressed gratitude for the experience.

“I was going through a rocky road, as we know,” she toldGlamour.

Armisen and Lyonne stayed together for eight years before breaking upover their swimming pool preferences.

Natasha Lyonne at the 2023 L.A. premiere of Poker Face

At least that’s Lyonne’s version of the story.

According to Armisen, he and Lyonne are still close.

Natasha Lyonne helped create the show, as well as writing and directing several of its episodes.

Natasha Lyonne at Elle’s Women in Hollywood celabration 2023

While there are parallels between Nadia and Lyonne’s lives, the show is not autobiographical.

The emotions may ring true to Lyonne’s lived experience, but the details are decidedly unique.

“We’re not really talking about my outer experience that much.

Natasha Lyonne at the 2023 Time 100 Gala

“It’s like my version of taking photos of scenery on vacation,” she said.

“I’m like, ‘Look at this great clue!

They found a way to get Lenny Bruce in the puzzle!'”

“We do have a text chain, the four of us.

The crossword is not Lyonne’s only puzzle obsession.

Her routine includes Wordle, the New York Times spelling bee, and multiple games of computer chess.

“It’s very time-consuming,” Lyonne explained of her essential routine.

I think that’s something I really have in common with Charlie,” Lyonne toldThe Hollywood Reporter.

If Lyonne has her way, she might be able to get director Quentin Tarantino to make a cameo.

“I’ll be honest.

It’s the worst decision I ever made,” the actor and longtime smoker joked.

But Lyonne admitted she’d begun to notice the effect quitting cigarettes had on her.

And I’m noticing that I’m getting much softer,” she shared.

To help quit smoking, Lyonne took up vaping which proved to be yet another difficult habit to kick.

No bueno,” she wrote.

Lyonne is surely on a winning streak.