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Netflix‘s smash series Orange is the New Black put plenty of the show’s actors on the map, including Laverne Cox and Dascha Polanco. Natasha Lyonne, who played the beloved Nicky Nichols on OITNB, was a working actor prior to being cast on the show, and she brought character and levity to many moments that needed them.

Natasha Lyonne has been a figure in Hollywood for decades

Despite her breakout coming in 2013 with Orange is the New Black, Lyonne was an experienced actor who had appeared in many productions over the previous decade. She began appearing on-screen in the 1980s when she was just a child in movies such as the film adaptation of the popular comic strip Dennis the Menace.

Lyonne’s first prominent role was in American Pie in 1999, where she starred alongside Tara Reid and future OITNB co-star Jason Biggs. That same year, she starred in the popular comedy But I’m a Cheerleader. Lyonne became a lesbian icon after the film despite her being a straight woman.

Throughout the 2000s, Lyonne appeared in films such as Scary Movie 2, American Pie 2, Party Monster, and Blade: Trinity.

Natasha Lyonne’s personal life has been rocky

Lyonne’s prolific career as an actor didn’t mean that all was well with her behind the scenes. In 2001, Lyonne was arrested for drunk driving. According to ABC News, she reportedly told the police officer “I’m a movie star. Can I talk to my entertainment lawyer?”

In 2005, Lyonne was living in an apartment owned by fellow actor Michael Rapaport. Rapaport first met Lyonne while working on Hitch in 1997, and he considered Lyonne a close friend. But he was troubled to hear from other tenants in the building that Lyonne was partying nonstop, inviting “random dudes” over frequently, and yelling at neighbors whenever they made any noise. According to Hollywood.com, a warrant was also issued for her arrest on charges of harassment, criminal mischief and trespassing after she failed to attend multiple court hearings.

“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,” Rapaport said at the time. “That girl needs help.”

Later that year, Lyonne was rushed to the hospital as she suffered from hepatitis C, a heart infection, and a collapsed lung; she was also being treated for a heroin addiction.

Lyonne eventually cleaned up her act. In 2012, she underwent open-heart surgery to correct a life-threatening issue that was a result of her heart infection. The following year, audiences got to know her as Litchfield inmate Nicky Nichols on Orange is the New Black.

Natasha Lyonne has been with a famous fellow actor since 2014

After Orange is the New Black premiered in 2013, Lyonne was back in the saddle and her career began ascending to new heights. Her personal life also began improving as well.

Rumors began swirling in 2014 after Lyonne was spotted getting close Portlandia creator and Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen. Us Weekly soon confirmed that the two were an item, claiming an eyewitness at Variety and Women in Film Emmy Nominee Celebration saw that Lyonne and Armisen “were very flirty and talking very closely.”

Just a few days later, the couple showed up to the Emmys together in a hearse and were seen “chuckling” with their “arms linked” at various Hollywood parties. The two have been together ever since.

Fred Armisen said he was a ‘terrible husband’

Even though they’ve been together for six years, Lyonne and Armisen haven’t gotten engaged or tied the knot. Armisen has been married twice before: he was married to British musician Sally Timms from 1998 to 2004, and most recently was married to The Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss from 2009 to 2011.

In a 2013 interview with Howard Stern, Armisen admitted he was a “terrible husband” to Moss. He also admitted on Marc Maron’s podcast that their marriage ended due to “cheating and infidelity” on his part.

Lyonne spoke about her issues with monogamy way back in 2001 in an interview with Bust magazine. “I think monogamy was created by men because of jealousy and their need for ownership, but now it’s viewed as the weak neediness of women, and that pretty much sucks for us,” Lyonne said at the time. But she added that she has no problems with commitment. “I am a super loyal person with my friends and in relationships, so for me it’s not so much a level of commitment or monogamy as it is the fact that there are very few people I like on the planet.”

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