The actress has long been candid about her struggles with substances.
Gerrard Kaonga
Warning: This article contains discussions of alcoholism and drug addiction that some readers may find distressing.
Natasha Lyonne has openly shared her experiences with rehab and her ongoing determination to overcome drug and alcohol addiction. Unlike some celebrities who manage to keep their battles with substances private, Lyonne has been vocal about her journey
However, some celebrities, like Poker Face actor Natasha Lyonne, have been candid about their struggles throughout their careers, dating back to her rise to fame in the 1990s.
Most recently, Lyonne revealed on social media that she had relapsed, though she did not provide explicit details. Writing on X on January 23, she stated: “Took my relapse public, more to come.”
Fans responded with messages of support, many sharing their own experiences with drug and alcohol addiction. In turn, Lyonne offered words of encouragement, emphasizing the importance of resilience and self-compassion on the road to recovery.
natasha Lyonne was met with encouragement when she admitted she relapsed (Maya Dehlin Spach/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty Images)
She added: “If no one told ya today, I love you. No matter how far down the scales we have gone, we will see how our experience may help another. Keep going, kiddos. Don’t quit before the miracle. Wallpaper your mind with love. Rest is all noise and baloney.”
Despite the relapse, many fans remain confident that Lyonne will get back on track, as she has done before.
Following her rise to fame in the 1990s after American Pie, Lyonne told The Guardian that she fell into the unfortunate pattern of child actors who struggle with substance abuse. Much of the early 2000s tabloid coverage focused on her alcohol- and drug-related scandals, from driving under the influence to being hospitalized in intensive care in New York in 2005.
At the time, she admitted, she was pushing herself so far she didn’t care about the consequences for her career. Doctors warned her that she had Hepatitis C, a collapsed lung, and a heart infection caused by prolonged heroin use, sometimes called “heroin heart.”
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Lyonne reflected on how close she came to death: “Listen, I did not think I was coming back… so I didn’t really care. When you go as deep into the belly of the beast as I went, there’s a whole other world going on, and something like show business becomes the dumbest thing on planet Earth. I was definitely as good as dead, you know? A lot of people don’t come back. That makes me feel wary and self-conscious. I wouldn’t want to feel prideful about it.”
Lyonne has previously spoken about the challenges of portraying a recovering heorine addict on screen (Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
With support from her friend and fellow actress Chloë Sevigny, as well as a court order to enter rehab, Lyonne was able to get clean in 2006.
She has since experienced occasional setbacks and has spoken about the challenges of portraying her character, recovering heroin addict Nicky Nichols, on Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black.
Speaking to Daily News about the role, she explained: “It can be problematic for me to play those scenes because I do know them so intimately. Of course, I have so many of the same feelings; maybe the violence in which I used to act out in terms of self-destruction has gone. So I sort of have to get back to that feeling in a real way.”
For anyone seeking confidential support regarding drugs, the American Addiction Centers are available 24/7 at (313) 209-9137 or through their website.
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