Natasha Lyonne Swore off TV, Here’s What Changed Her Mind
Four-time Emmy-nominated actress Natasha Lyonne nearly left tv behind for other creative pursuits before an opportunity came along she couldn’t pass up. Lyonne is known for her roles on hit shows like Orange is the New Black and Russian Doll. Now, thanks to Knives Out writer/director Rian Johnson, she stars in the new Peacock series, ‘Poker Face.’
Natasha Lyonne stars in ‘Poker Face’
Premiering on January 26th, Poker Face follows Lyonne’s Charlie Cale, who has the ability to tell when people are lying with 100% accuracy. Cale uses her gift to investigate the mysterious death of her best friend, but she is not the only one who knows about her ability. Her boss at the casino (played by Adrien Brody) is also bent on putting her skills to good use. Going on the run, Cale begins solving crimes in every town she hits along the way, all while trying to evade Brody’s Sterling Frost Jr.
The series is the first episodic venture from Knives Out’s Rian Johnson who calls the series a throwback to the weekly crime shows of time gone by like Magnum P.I.; Murder, She Wrote, and Columbo.
Rian Johnson brought Natasha Lyonne back to television
Lyonne, who had previously decided to leave tv behind, tells Today that she is still looking forward to directing a feature film in the near future as well as trying to write for Russian Doll season 3.
But, having a long-standing friendship with Johnson, Lyonne felt Poker Face was too good of an opportunity to pass up, even though she had previously sworn off doing another TV poject. Add to that a cast that Lyonne calls “people [she] really love[s]” and Lyonne was ready to put a pin in her television retirement (much to fans’ relief).
‘Poker Face’ may be Peacock’s first major hit
Poker Face has been called “Peacock’s first must-see show,” according to The Verge. And while the series seems like a homerun, Johnson describes his new mystery as having been met with some hesitation despite his recent successes. “We did get a lot of blank stares,” Johnson told The Hollywood Reporter. “I just kept coming back and hammering the notion that all the shows that I grew up watching were not about the cliffhanger at the end. They were about wanting to come back to hang out with this character that you love and see them win, and that’s equally addictive.”
The first four episodes of Poker Face are now available on Peacock, and new episodes of the old-school, crime-stopping fun will hit the streamer on a weekly basis.
