Natasha Lyonne Offers ‘Russian Doll’ Update

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Despite being canceled by Netflix in 2022 after two seasons, Natasha Lyonne, the star and co-creator of Russian Doll, has confirmed she still intends to continue the story of her character, Nadia. She’s even described the show’s potential future as similar to the long and unconventional journey of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Originally debuting in 2019 and co-created with Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) and Leslye Headland (Star Wars: The Acolyte), Russian Doll gained popularity quickly, and its audience grew even larger during the 2020 pandemic when people were looking for new shows to watch on Netflix. While Lyonne admits it might take a long time – potentially decades – to see more episodes, the possibility of a continuation is still exciting for fans.

Lyonne shared the news with The Hollywood Reporter, noting that she remains closely connected to her character, Nadia.

I’m planning to release my work in a similar way to David Lynch – starting with a standalone piece like ‘Fire Walk With Me’ and then a larger, more expansive project like ‘Twin Peaks: The Return.’ I’m working on getting it to Netflix, though I don’t have a timeline yet. It’s a process I fit in between other writing commitments – I have several drafts due and also plan to write a memoir eventually. The project is ready to go on my computer, and I’ll need to formally pitch it to Netflix. Whether they’ll approve my vision remains to be seen. I honestly don’t know when it will happen – it could be in a few years, or much further down the line. Ideally, I’d like to be able to upload my consciousness to the cloud while maintaining my individuality, which has been a long-held ambition of mine – I’ve even joked about wanting to be a brain in a jar!

The time-loop premise of Russian Doll offers a strong possibility for future seasons, no matter how long they take. The first season followed Nadia, who kept dying on her 36th birthday and then reliving the same night, trying to figure out why. She discovered Alan was going through the same thing. Season two moves ahead a few years and focuses on Nadia experiencing time travel, finding herself in her mother’s body ten days before her 40th birthday. Now, as her mother, Nadia tries to alter the past and change her mother’s life.

Lyonne’s Other Two-Season Series


Peacock

After finishing the show Russian Doll, Natasha Lyonne quickly appeared in Poker Face on Peacock, a mystery series created by Rian Johnson, the creator of Knives Out. Poker Face also received great reviews, but the streaming service canceled it earlier in 2024. Unexpectedly, Rian Johnson has announced plans to revive the show, but this time with Peter Dinklage as the lead actor.

Honestly, when I heard the show was jumping from one streaming service to another, and potentially with a new lead, my first thought was, ‘How’s Natasha Lyonne taking this?’ It was a natural question, given how central she is to the series. But she’s actually expressed a real desire to shift her focus towards filmmaking, which makes a lot of sense and seems to be where her priorities lie now.

I’m a huge fan of Peter Dinklage. While I love Game of Thrones, I admire Peter as a person even more. Everything feels positive right now. I’m really determined to start directing films – I’ve been talking about it for ages! I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to direct and write for television, and I genuinely love my work. Time passes quickly, though, so I need to focus on making these movies happen. I’m also really excited about a new sci-fi comedy show I’m working on with Matt Berry called Force & Majeure – it’s got a retro feel.

Lyonne, who is also a producer on Poker Face, is helping to find a new network or streaming service for the show. She shared, “I’m definitely involved in that process, working behind the scenes, and we’re exploring our options. I don’t have any news to share right now, though!”

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2025-12-25 00:39