It's hard for fans to believe that Natasha Lyonne was ever on a kids' (wait, was it for kids?!) show, but it's true. Eons ago, long before 'American Pie,' the actress was a lot younger and a lot more innocent.
These days, of course, she's shared things about her 'checkered' past, like that time she spent a night in jail. But she's also not shy about the IMDb item so far down on her resume that fans have to scroll for days... And it's a few recurring appearances on 'Pee Wee's Playhouse.'
Natasha Lyonne Was On 'Pee Wee's Playhouse' For 6 Episodes
There's a lot to learn about "Pee Wee's" past, and apparently, his dating life was pretty interesting. But in terms of what Natasha Lyonne did while she was on the show? That's a lot more tame.
At the time, Natasha was seven years old and played a girl named Opal on the show. There isn't much to report about her time on the TV show, actually -- it seems like a very small blip on Lyonne's radar.
And with only six appearances through six episodes in a single year, young Natasha probably didn't earn her acting chops on the show. In fact, it was her second gig ever, though the first was uncredited.
Why Did Natasha Lyonne Leave 'Pee-Wee's Playhouse'?
Like a lot of child actors, Natasha Lyonne probably aged out of some of her earlier roles. So it makes sense that she didn't stick around 'Pee Wee's Playhouse' for very long. In fact, one of her next roles was on 'Dennis the Menace.'
'American Pie,' of course, was still more than a decade off. But it's interesting that Natasha started her career on one of the most jeered at shows on TV, and yet she's successful today. It's almost the opposite story of many child stars whose shows were super popular, but then the stars themselves 'burned out.'
Of course, 'Pee Wee's Playhouse'Â was a hit with a lot of families, with fans on IMDb reporting that they only had fond memories of watching the show. So while some looked sideways at Pee Wee's exuberance for friends and fun, it wasn't a bad first gig for a young actress looking to make her way.
And looking back, it was probably the best launchpad for Lyonne's career, too. At least, it sure is fun for fans to go back and pore over pics of the redhead on set with Pee Wee.