Natasha Got Her Start on Pee-Wee's Playhouse and starred in Woody Allen's Everyone Says I love You (wearing a butterfly)
During the early 2000s, Lyonne experienced legal problems and was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, and for incidents involving her neighbors. In 2005, she was evicted by her landlord, actor Michael Rapaport, following complaints by other tenants about her behavior.
Freemason symbol in picture frame, shriner's hat on big head.
As a young child, Lyonne was signed by the Ford Modeling Agency. At the age of six, she was cast as Opal on Pee-wee's Playhouse, followed by film appearances in Heartburn, A Man Called Sarge, and Dennis the Menace.
On working as a very young child actor, Lyonne said: "I didn't have the best parents. I don't think they are bad people. Even if they were ready to have children, it is kind of a wacky idea to put your child in business at six years old."
"I had a fucked-up childhood. It was not a great example," she says between sips of iced coffee. “By the skin of my teeth I survived to be, like, a high-functioning, semi-well-adjusted and happening adult.
During the early 2000s, Lyonne experienced legal problems and was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, and for incidents involving her neighbors. In 2005, she was evicted by her landlord, actor Michael Rapaport, following complaints by other tenants about her behavior.
"The building had four apartments with several common areas shared with other tenants. Some of the other tenants began complaining about Lyonne's behavior from late 2002-early 2003, saying the she was frequently screaming at people, flipping out, and having loud guests over late at night. The other tenants also reported that Lyonne started entering her apartment through a window because she didn't want to use the front door. Eventually one of the other tenants had enough and moved out. Two other girls moved into the vacated apartment and Lyonne verbally abused them right away, yelling "Why the fuck did you cunts move in here?" "
Michael Rapaport - “Reports kept coming in – people were going in and out of the apartment, (one of the tenants) was telling me about the late-night parties, and ‘random dudes’ sprawled out on her sofa at all times. (Another tenant) had a little dinner party. Natasha was screaming up at them throughout the party.” The complaints became so frequent, Rapaport flew from Los Angeles to confront his troublesome tenant–and he was so disgusted by what he saw, he evicted Lyonne from the apartment. He continues, “I felt sick to my stomach the moment she touched me. Her body was so skinny. “It looked like a grenade had gone off. There was garbage everywhere. There were glasses smashed in the kitchen and standing water in the clogged tub with flies hovering over it. That girl needs help.”
Arrest call for American Pie star - 2005 - The charges relate to an incident when authorities said she banged on the neighbour's door, stormed into their apartment, ripped a mirror from the wall and threatened to molest her dog.
In 2005, Lyonne was admitted to hospital suffering from hepatitis C, a heart infection, and a collapsed lung; she was also undergoing methadone treatment for heroin addiction. In January 2006, a warrant was issued for her arrest after she missed a court hearing relating to her prior legal problems. Her lawyer said an emergency had arisen but did not give details. Later that year, Lyonne was admitted to a drug and alcohol treatment center, and she appeared in court afterward. A judge sentenced her to conditional discharge.
Interview - Contemplating her future in Hollywood, Lyonne seems sanguine: “Rather than spend so much time wondering if I’m going to get hired or is it a problem that I’ve got this black-tar history, I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing and try to be decent,” she says. But her candor must make her uncomfortable because she veers off on a sexual tangent: “And, you know, lots of bl– jobs! I just need to focus on the bl– jobs and let the career work itself out.”
Freemason symbol in picture frame, shriner's hat on big head.