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Natasha LyonneAmerican actress
Date of Birth: 04.04.1979
Country:  USA |
Content:
Natasha Lyonne: A Biography
Natasha Lyonne, born Natasha Braunstein, is an American actress who began her acting career at a young age. Born in 1979 in New York City, Lyonne grew up in a Jewish family. Her father, Aaron Braunstein, worked in promotions in professional boxing, while her mother, Ivette Lyonne, was a former ballerina who worked as a licensing consultant.
Early Life and Career
Lyonne started acting in her childhood and at the age of seven, she already appeared in the popular children's TV show 'Pee-wee's Playhouse'. In the late 1980s, her family unexpectedly moved to Israel. Eventually, her parents divorced, with her father staying in Israel while her mother and the children, Natasha and her brother Adam, returned to New York City, where they lived for a while. The living conditions of the family subjected them to mockery from classmates.
After returning to the United States, Lyonne starred in the film 'Dennis the Menace' (1993). Prior to that, she had already appeared in the film 'A Man Called Sarge' (1990), a military comedy by Stuart Gillard. However, her experiences in the schools she attended were not the best - on one hand, her peers envied the beautiful girl who acted in movies, on the other hand, they teased her for her poverty. Her mother later moved the children to Miami, but when Lyonne turned 16, she returned to New York City on her own.
Meanwhile, the young actress's roles continued to accumulate - in 1996, she appeared in Woody Allen's musical comedy 'Everyone Says I Love You', which became her first major success. Besides gaining recognition, she was able to finance her future education at university and experience a taste of not being poor. In 1998, she played the role of teenage girl Vivian Abramowitz in Tamara Jenkins' autobiographical film 'Slums of Beverly Hills', which earned Lyonne the Special Prize of the Chicago Film Critics Association for 'Most Promising Actress'. In the same year, she also appeared in the family comedy 'Krippendorf's Tribe' by Todd Holland. However, her breakthrough role was yet to come.
Career Success and Personal Struggles
Lyonne achieved true fame with her portrayal of Jessica, a sexually adventurous character, in the comedy film 'American Pie' in 1999. From that moment on, her comedic acting career took off. She gained more popularity with her role as Christine in Adam Rifkin's comedy 'Detroit Rock City' and solidified her success with the lead role in Jamie Babbit's comedy 'But I'm a Cheerleader'. It was the year 1999, and big roles in super-popular comedies such as 'Scary Movie 2', 'American Pie 2', and 'Kate & Leopold' awaited her.
In 2001, Lyonne faced legal troubles for drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident. When she was arrested at the age of 22, she famously said, "I'm a movie star. Can I talk to my lawyer?"
In December 2004, Lyonne was arrested again after breaking into her neighbor's apartment and causing a major disturbance, including smashing a mirror and allegedly threatening to perform sexual acts on her neighbor's dog (as stated in the lawsuit). She was fined $2000 and required to undergo mandatory drug rehabilitation.
Throughout her career, Lyonne appeared in various films, including the horror film 'Madhouse' (2004) alongside Bill Butler and the cult vampire action film 'Blade: Trinity' (2004) directed by David S. Goyer. The press often reported on Lyonne's romantic relationships with different actors, including Edward Furlong and Adam Goldberg, as well as rumors of same-sex encounters.
Despite her somewhat scandalous personal life, Lyonne maintained her demand as an actress, accumulating nearly fifty roles. In 2009 alone, she appeared in five films, including the thriller 'Outrage' directed by Ace Cruz. In 2010, she was announced to star in at least three projects, with one of them being the lead role in Joshua Grannell's black comedy 'All About Evil'.
