'Russian Doll' Star Natasha Lyonne Reveals Story behind Her Break up with Fred Armisen

Actress Natasha Lyonne and Fred Armisen's relationship lasted several years. However, when they finally split, it was over a "mundane" reason.

After achieving worldwide fame for playing Nicky Nichols in "Orange Is the New Black," Natasha Lyonne immersed herself in "Russian Doll," a TV series she co-created, wrote, directed, and starred in.

"Russian Doll" follows the life of Nadia Vulvokov (Lyonne), a game developer trapped in a time loop where she keeps dying. The first season was so outstanding that it received four Emmy nominations.

ALL-FEMALE WRITERS' ROOM FOR "RUSSIAN DOLL"

The second season premiered on April 20, 2022, showing Nadia falling into another time loop. This time, she traveled back to 1982 with basically no information about what to do to return to the present.

Lyonne is thrilled about having the "best lady writers" working in the show. Like the first season, they have an all-female writers' room, and they are most likely thinking of the third season already.

The multi-hyphenate artist explained that the main characters, Nadia and Alan (Charlie Barnett), explored being self-destructive in the first season. In the second, it's all about learning how to start living after they finally stop dying.

OPPOSITES ATTRACT – FOR A WHILE

While Natasha Lyonne's Hollywood career is steadily rising, her love life had a significant setback: she and her longtime partner Fred Armisen parted ways. Although they never married, they were together for eight years.

Lyonne and Armisen's relationship surprised the world because they are very different. Even Conan O'Brien described Armisen as quieter and "more tightly packed" and Lyonne as "broad" and sometimes loud.

Armisen admitted they were similar but opposite – she liked to have noise in their home, while he preferred silence, and she loved the beach, but he hated it. Armisen confessed he reluctantly went to Hawaii only to please her.

THE "MUNDANE" REASON THEY SPLIT

In the long run, those seemingly harmless disagreements made the difference. In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, Lyonne revealed she and Armisen were no longer together.

Lyonne considers she is living her "divorced dad era."

Lyonne explained that they parted ways because she wanted a swimming pool, and he didn't. Although they still love each other profoundly and talk all the time, they can no longer be a couple. Lyonne added:

"It might seem like a mundane reason for a breakup, but during that pandemic, you've got to get your laps. […] So, I got myself a house with a pool out in Los Angeles."

Lyonne considers she is living her "divorced dad era." She has a no-dependence lifestyle and is focused on her job while also allowing herself to party and enjoy her spare time.

Maybe through "Russian Doll," wherein she starred alongside Charlie Barnett, Natasha Lyonne recognized we spend too much time worrying about the "dumbest [expletive] ever" even though we only have a limited time on Earth. It's time for a change, and Fred Armisen won't be with her to watch. Only because of a swimming pool.