‘Russian Doll’s Natasha Lyonne & Amy Poehler Talk Going Deeper In Time & Character In Season 2 — Contenders TV
09.04.2022 - 22:27
/ deadline.com
Russian Doll Season 2 introduces a new time bending aspect to the Netflix comedy, which also speaks Nadia’s (Natasha Lyonne) new life crisis. Lyonne and co-creator/EP Amy Poehler spoke about the upcoming season on a Deadline Contenders panel on Saturday.
In season 1, Nadia repeated her birthday every time she died. In season 2, she travels back in time.
“Season 1 is very much about a character who moves from nihilism and [being] a lone wolf, finds a connection and therefore a way out,” Lyonne said. “Season 2 is sort of a deeper level, a smaller doll in which the question is: now that I’ve figured out that catch, how do I go about living? What does it mean to have a meaningful life where you show up and are a participating member of society?”
Lyonne, who also co-created the show and executive produces, wrote and directed many season 2 episodes. Poehler credited Lyonne with delving deeper into the time bending premise of Russian Doll.
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“Natasha’s writing and performance in season 2 is really about going deeper,” Poehler said. “The show also goes underground in a really interesting way. Everyone’s going a little under, getting a little deeper, excavating. We’re taking off another layer trying to figure out what that little tiny last piece is.”
Lyonne referenced the guru Ram Dass’s philosophies. She said the time travel in Russian Doll represents the baggage everyone carries from their past.
“It’s almost impossible to be in this present moment they keep pitching you in therapy and self help books when you’re so bogged down by the past,” Lyonne said. “You go through life and throw all the discomfort in the backseat. Then you slam on the breaks and it all comes crashing to the front.”
Nadia