Natasha Lyonne
Also known as Natasha Bianca Lyonne Braunstein
Actress, director and writer Natasha Lyonne co-founds Asteria, an AI film studio, and TIME places her among its 2025 Innovators. As a child she plays Opal on Pee-wee's Playhouse, and she later plays Nicky Nichols in Orange Is the New Black, a role that earns her an Emmy nomination in 2014. She co-creates Russian Doll, a Netflix series that premieres in 2019. Her feature directorial debut, Uncanny Valley, is a hybrid film whose game elements come from Marey, a Moonvalley model built on copyright-cleared data. Since 2025 she writes and directs Bambo, a period boxing film set in the 1980s.
- Now at
- Asteria
Timeline
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1986
A child actor on Pee-wee's Playhouse
As a child she plays Opal on Pee-wee's Playhouse, and she makes her film debut in Heartburn, both in 1986.
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2013–2019
Nicky Nichols and an Emmy nod
She plays Nicky Nichols in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, and she receives her first Primetime Emmy nomination for the role in 2014.
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2019
Co-creating Russian Doll
She co-creates Russian Doll, a Netflix series that premieres in 2019.
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2022
Co-founding Asteria
In 2022 she co-founds Asteria with Bryn Mooser, an AI film studio that aims to create animated feature films using AI tools.
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April 2025
Uncanny Valley, a hybrid film
Asteria announces Uncanny Valley in April 2025, a hybrid film that marks Lyonne's feature directorial debut. Its game elements come from Marey, a Moonvalley model built on copyright-cleared data.
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2025
A TIME100 AI Innovator
TIME's 2025 AI list places her among its Innovators.
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December 2025
A Fortune Brainstorm AI talk
At Fortune Brainstorm AI in December 2025, she asks why AI is focused on replacing screenwriters.
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Since 2025
Writing and directing Bambo
She writes and directs Bambo, a period boxing film set in the 1980s, and the project is announced in December 2025.
Sources and credits
Photo: Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: commons.wikimedia.org. Cropped to a square and resized. Ask us to remove or replace this photo.
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- Natasha Lyonne - Wikipedia
- Natasha Lyonne | Emmy Awards and Nominations | Television Academy
- Natasha Lyonne says AI has an ethics problem because right now it's 'super kosher copacetic to rob freely under the auspices of acceleration' | Fortune
- Natasha Lyonne's Feature Directorial Debut Will Be a 'Hybrid' AI Movie
- Natasha Lyonne to direct a dystopian film made with "ethical" AI
- Die Top 100 AI Leader der Welt | OnlineMarketing.de
- Actress Natasha Lyonne is helping to shape the future of AI | Fortune
- 'Bambo': Natasha Lyonne To Write & Direct '80s-Set Boxing Pic With Craig Mazin Producing