Natasha Lyonne – Orange Is The New Black

Q) What are the recent projects that you have been working on?

A) I am going to do my friend’s movie called Sleeping With Other People. Leslye Headland is directing it and made the movie Bachelorette. I worked on a show with Amy Poehler and we’ll see what happens with that. I just got back from a weird roadtrip, which I can’t talk about. We were sort of shooting in the middle of the country and setting off fireworks. Now, I’m back on “Orange Is The New Black.”

Q) What can you tease is in store for Nicki this season on “Orange Is The New Black?”

A) I definitely get a lot of action this season. There is no shortage of finger-play in Season 2. All the relationships get deeper. If the first season was like a blind date, the second season is like meeting the in-laws. We’re in deep and, obviously, as in life things get more interesting when they get deeper. Things get funnier, darker and more high stakes.

Q) Where is your favorite place to film the show?

A) I guess “fun” is the wrong word, but it sets the tone when we shoot in Rockland at the defunct children’s psychiatric facility. It’s real “eyes in the walls.” There is a certain heaviness in there. You’ll see a pile of abandoned stuffed animals. It’s really wild over there. To film scenes, I guess it’s fun to film in bunks because it’s comfortable. I like lying down under the covers. My ideal role would be someone who is sleeping. I just want to throw that out there for anyone who wants to write it! When we’re in the bunks it’s fun. You can just focus on the role because you don’t have to do any walking or moving, everything that makes acting so confusing. [laughs]

Q) Nicki is such a multilayered character. What is your favorite aspect of portraying her?

A) I do like that I can say whatever. Obviously, we would have been politically correct at the time, but none of that applies to Nicki. I can improv so I can say anything. Like, I probably would not want to be sexualized to the degree that Nicki objectifies women. Obviously, that’s a really problematic aspect of our society, but for the purposes of the show it’s a really enjoyable thing to play. I often have a cloak of shame the morning after, like some sort of emotional hangover from my sick behavior while in character. While I’m doing it it’s really fun, like the filthy things that I come up with to say. I really like that she has got a sense of humor that is based in some good stuff. She’s a very loyal person. She’s a very honest person. She is a complicated person. So, I think it makes it fun if she is not a one note character. They have written a really complex character and I really enjoy playing her. There is a lot of space in there. My only regret is that we can’t be improvising all day long. There are so many insane things to say! The whole room is like a constant stimulus. Every meal they serve us in the prison cafeteria seems like we could do eighteen hours of takes discussing what the mashed potatoes look like or like, “Let me put my sausage in your mashed potatoes.” Everybody is so great to work with and now we know each other so well it’s a real fun place to work. When the shit gets deep, everybody shows up and has the range to go there pretty quickly. It feels like when we get to do those scenes, there is an access to emotional availability that is right there. And that’s never too far away because, remember, we’re locked up in prison.

Q) Nicki has so many memorable moments and quotes from the show. Can you recall your favorite thing you’ve said?

A) I remember when I was drilling a hole in the wall. I said a mouth full there. I can’t quote you a line. The only thing I can quote you from is the Muhammad Ali documentary When We Were Kings.

Q) How do you get into Nicki’s mindset when you are about to film?

A) One of the things that I find useful with this part is to kind of show up in the mood I am however I am that day. These are people in prison so everyday it is like life, you’ll have good days and bad days. If I’m tired and I have a 4am call time, I’ll be tired because I’ve had four hours of sleep. I like to keep that tiredness with me for the day. If I’m really giddy from some crazy text messaging I’ve been up to, I like to bring that energy with me into the scene. Depending on what it is, I like to hold it close so it is like a light touch rather than trying to like force myself to make the scene make sense based on where I am at or force myself into a different state. Of course, when it applies, you have to. Like in Season One in the flashback scenes you use different tools to kind of get into the experience whether it is my version of pain or the right kind of music. For the most part, often times in the scenes, they can become funnier or darker. They can skew it to both sides of the spectrum often times with Nicki. The scenes would make sense if they were played either way. Usually, I just try to keep it pretty organic so that way it doesn’t feel like I’m over acting. I don’t know if it’s working, but that’s what I go with.

Q) You often participate in “Visiting Hours” online through social media. How do you feel about the international attention the show has gotten?

A) It’s wonderful and I just wish people would stop asking me to sit on their face. There are a lot of, “Would you sit on my face,” happening on the Internet right now. I’m flattered, but it’s getting to be a little excessive. It’s wonderful though and I’m overjoyed and so grateful that so many people love the show.