Natasha Lyonne’s Flight Incident and Her Journey of Recovery
Natasha Lyonne, the 47-year-old actress known for her role in Orange Is the New Black, recently shared her experience of being removed from a flight, claiming she was “detained” by authorities. The incident occurred when she was traveling from Los Angeles to New York to appear on The Drew Barrymore Show.
Lyonne explained that she had taken a prescription sleep aid before boarding the red-eye flight, hoping to be “bushy tailed & beauty rested” for the interview. However, the situation took an unexpected turn. She posted on X (formerly Twitter) that ICE agents were involved, stating, “I guess ICE had other plans & I was detained instead. Sign of the times, I guess.” She also apologized to fellow passengers for any delays caused.
ICE agents have been present at American airports to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) due to staff shortages caused by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown. According to reports from Page Six, Lyonne was escorted off the flight after allegedly failing to follow crew instructions, including fastening her seatbelt ahead of takeoff. The aircraft had already begun taxiing before returning to the gate, where Lyonne was asked to leave, causing a delay of more than an hour.
In response to Lyonne’s account, officials challenged parts of her story. A representative for DHS, which oversees both ICE and TSA, stated, “Neither ICE nor TSA escorted or detained Natasha Lyonne.” Despite the disruption, Lyonne ultimately arrived in New York and was later seen at the premiere of a documentary about Lorne Michaels.
She also appeared to brush off concern about her well-being in a follow-up post, joking that “are you okay” is her “least favourite” small talk question. “Pretty grateful and doing pretty good,” she wrote. “Been surfing a lot. Writing a lot. Seeing theatre.”
A Recent Relapse and Openness About Recovery
This incident comes just weeks after Lyonne made a candid admission about her personal life, revealing she had recently relapsed after years of sobriety. “Recovery is a lifelong process. Anyone out there struggling, remember you’re not alone. Grateful for love & smart feet,” the Poker Face star said. “Stay honest, folks. Sick as our secrets. If no one told ya today, I love you.”
Lyonne has always been open about her journey, sharing in a 2017 interview, “I’m such an open book that I have no problem talking about it and speaking freely, but I’ve sort of said my piece on the subject. The truth is, at the back of that addiction are feelings that so many of us have, that don’t go away.”
Upcoming Projects and Personal Life
Lyonne mentioned she’s “Gonna do it for baby Bambo,” referring to her upcoming project about hockey player Sophie “Bambo” Braverman that she is writing and directing. The actress had battled drug and alcohol addiction issues in the early 2000s, though she had not used drugs since 2006, when she entered a drug and alcohol treatment centre for heroin addiction.
If you or someone you know is in need of support for mental ill health, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. For substance abuse support, contact the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.
