Who Is The Actress From The New Old Navy Commercial & Where You've Seen Her Before
Taking a compliment can be difficult, but sometimes your clothes scream for them, and Old Navy wants you to flaunt your style. This message comes through in the new commercial "The Taylor Pant," featuring Natasha Lyonne strutting down a sidewalk in her Old Navy outfit. When a bystander compliments her pants, the actress admits, "Compliments are tough, but you just gotta own it," and reveals the origins of her perfectly styled trousers are none other than the American clothing retailer.
While her pants could easily distract most viewers, some may recognize Lyonne from somewhere but not quite be able to place her. The actress entered the industry in the late '80s, but her breakout performance came as Jessica in "American Pie." She went on to reprise the role in its sequels, "American Pie 2" and "American Reunion."
Although it doesn't get more iconic than "American Pie," Lyonne's career has had a recent resurgence, partnering with Netflix for two of the streamer's biggest releases. In 2013, she joined "Orange Is the New Black," playing inmate Nicky Nichols and earning herself an Emmy nomination. After the show's conclusion, Lyonne got her spotlight playing Nadia Vulvokov in Netflix's "Russian Doll," scoring even more award-season recognition. As if that weren't enough, Lyonne recently was the lead in Rian Johnson's critically acclaimed "Poker Face," playing the lie-detecting waitress Charlie Cale.
Lyonne is enjoying the new stage of her career
While she's now showing off the wonderful pants available at Old Navy, Natasha Lyonne's recent resurgence is one of Hollywood's best stories. After she appeared as a child star in projects opposite the likes of Woody Allen and Paul Reubens, a nasty drug addiction kept her away from the camera. However, since she's gotten sober, Lyonne's career revival has propelled her into the spotlight as one of Hollywood's most talented leading ladies.
"It feels like a much better use of the way I'm wired," Lyonne told The Hollywood Reporter, describing the current status of her career. "I'm much more relaxed. I'm less on edge because I don't feel like I'm constantly being asked to play this game that I'm just not very [good at]. I was always a terrible ingenue. It just was not my trip. I feel much more comfortable here. More than anything, I'm so in love with directing."
Despite having a rough past, Lyonne credits her experiences for shaping her current career, saying that, regardless of how scary it was at times, she got "the full spectrum of human experience." Now, she's a multifaceted leading lady in Hollywood, with her work in front of and behind the camera more than speaking for itself. Before the SAG-AFTRA strike, she received her fifth Emmy nomination in nine years. While it's a familiar position for the actress, getting award recognition for "Poker Face" — which she dedicated a portion of her life to creating with Rian Johnson — brings her career resurgence full circle.