The pandemic disrupted the natural arc of many successful series, and the second season of Russian Baby finally landed more than three years after the first. Netflix released it on Wednesday the 20th, bringing a leaner, big budget free production into the spotlight. The charm of this existential comedy lies less in explosive moments and more in its compact, agile delivery of ideas about death, regeneration, determinism, and redemption.
The show found one standout venue above all others: Nadia Vulvokov’s 36th birthday party, a moment where the protagonist, a video game engineer, faces a literal death and a literal afterlife loop. Natasha Lyonne returns as the centerpiece of the series, delivering a performance that blends vulnerability with edge. Her work on the project grew beyond acting when she helped shape the creation alongside Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland, managing writing, production, and direction with a distinctive, intense energy. Lyonne makes philosophical abstraction visually striking, turning complex ideas into accessible, resonant scenes.
Lyonne continued to multitask in the second season, taking on a leading role while taking on new responsibilities. She stepped in for Headland and contributed as a writer for four episodes and a director for three. In a recent profile, Lyonne spoke about directing as a new, exhilarating horizon. She described directing as a space that makes her flaws into strengths, a place where relentless energy becomes a creative advantage.
Some busy parents
Lyonne now headlines a project that is distinctly hers, yet her path has never been simple. Raised between New York and Israel, she grew up amid the strong personalities of a boxing promoter father and a mother with ballet dreams. Although her family later supported her career, she often points to her upbringing as the spark that pushed her into the entertainment world at a very young age. The early break came in 1986 when she appeared on screen as a young relative in a project that opened doors to a wider acting life. A stint with a famous ensemble followed, and she became known for a fearless approach to roles like Meryl Streep’s character in Cake Out and for joining a dynamic group in Pee-wee’s Playhouse.
By the late 1980s, Lyonne was living independently with her mother and attending a private Jewish school. She faced a setback when she was expelled for selling marijuana, an episode that underscored her stubborn, independent streak. At sixteen, she already understood the power of self-direction, and a significant paycheck from a Woody Allen project helped her secure an apartment and move forward with her career.
In the busiest years of her professional life, she balanced mainstream projects such as Scary Movie 2, Blade: Trinity, and American Pie with independent films like Hanging in Beverly Hills and But I’m a Cheerleader, choosing work that challenged expectations and expanded her range.
Decline and resurrection
Hollywood vane pressures and personal struggles led to an understandable downturn. Lyonne faced legal and health challenges, including an arrest in 2001 and a late 2005 incident that brought media scrutiny. A difficult period followed, marked by health scares and a retreat from public life as she navigated recovery. Yet resilience proved stronger than the setbacks, and she reemerged with a determined focus on reclaiming her star power.
Entering a rehab program in late 2006, she spent years rebuilding and recalibrating her career. A breakthrough came with the Netflix release of Orange Is the New Black in 2013, where Lyonne played a pivotal role as the philosophical, resilience-driven Nicky Nichols. The performance established her as not only a magnetic actress but a respected creative force who shapes projects with a bold, unapologetic voice. Today, she is widely regarded as a true icon in contemporary television and film, admired for her talent and her fearless approach to characters and storytelling.