WHERE IS NATASHA LYONNE?

BY: Georgia Davis

Nearly two years ago, Natasha Lyonne brought us one of the most creative and zaniest shows in Russian Doll. The eight-episode Netflix series provides four hours of riotous fun as Nadia (played by Lyonne) tries to comprehend why she keeps dying. The Groundhog Day-like format doesn’t feel tired. What’s more compelling is an all-female writers’ room that writes the female lead.

“In an amazing way, the first thing that goes out the window is the trope of a woman,” Lyonne told The New York Times of handing an idea off to a group of female writers. “Everybody is a vulnerable, complex person, but I don’t think that the ways in which we exhibit that are in any way how our stories have been told traditionally.”

Netflix picked up Russian Doll for season two, but it has yet to start shooting. Production was to begin at the end of March 2020 in New York City. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, everything is on hold. 

That doesn’t mean Lyonne has been waiting on the sidelines. No, if you’re missing the Orange Is the New Black actress as much as we are, then fear not. 

Lyonne will play Tallulah Bankhead in the upcoming biopic The United States vs. Billie Holiday, directed by Lee Daniels. Lyonne stars as one of Holiday’s lovers. With a top-notch cast featuring Andra Day in the titular role, we’re sure Lyonne will find a way to stand out. 

As for Russian Doll, we’ll wait in our own Groundhog Day reality until Lyonne can get back to the set. Here’s to hoping that is some time soon.