<p id=”par-1_67″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/natasha-lyonne-struggled-to-find-her-next-big-role-following-russian-doll.html/”>Natasha Lyonne made headlines</a> in 2026 for being escorted off a flight after not responding to flight attendants trying to get her attention. The incident brought attention back to her past health journey, which has included heart valve damage and surgery, hepatitis C, and long-term addiction. So, what has Lyonne opened up about in the past in terms of her personal health? Here’s what to know. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-natasha-lyonne-appeared-disoriented-on-a-plane-following-the-euphoria-season-3-premiere”>Natasha Lyonne appeared disoriented on a plane following the ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 premiere</h2>
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<p id=”par-2_77″>In April 2026, Natasha Lyonne made headlines after an unusual incident aboard a flight departing Los Angeles, just hours after she appeared at the premiere of the <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/everything-to-know-about-euphoria-season-3.html/”>HBO series <em>Euphoria</em></a>. According to reports from <a href=”https://pagesix.com/2026/04/09/celebrity-news/natasha-lyonne-kicked-off-delta-flight-after-hbos-la-euphoria-premiere/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Page Six</a>, Lyonne was seated in first class on a Delta flight bound for New York when flight attendants began preparing the cabin for takeoff. She reportedly appeared disoriented and did not respond when asked to fasten her seatbelt and close her laptop.</p>
<p id=”par-3_53″>Crew members reportedly made repeated attempts to get her attention. However, she had a confused reaction when approached. The plane had already begun taxiing when concerns escalated, and it returned to the gate. Airline staff then boarded and asked Lyonne if she needed medical assistance before ultimately requesting that she leave the airplane.</p>
<p id=”par-4_43″>The actress exited the plane without incident, reportedly calm, even stopping briefly before deplaning. The flight later departed after a delay of more than an hour. The pilot later explained to passengers that a traveler had been removed for not following safety directions.</p>
<p id=”par-5_34″>The episode quickly drew attention due to its timing. Just months earlier, Lyonne had publicly discussed a relapse in her sobriety journey. No official cause for her behavior on the flight was confirmed. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-russian-doll-actress-has-talked-about-her-past-drug-addiction”>The ‘Russian Doll’ actress has talked about her past drug addiction</h2>
<p id=”par-6_78″>Natasha Lyonne has opened up about her past drug addiction. According to <a href=”https://ew.com/article/2012/03/30/natasha-lyonne-american-reunion-drugs/?_gl=1*8axzmi*_ga*MTk0NzE3NTI1OC4xNzUxNTUyMTE0*_ga_DK3GDWHWJH*czE3NzQwMDc2NzUkbzExMyRnMSR0MTc3NDAwODY1NCRqMTEkbDAkaDA.” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Entertainment Weekly</a>, she was arrested for a DUI in 2001 and charged with mischief, trespassing, and harassment of a neighbor in 2004. Lyonne entered rehab for heroin addiction in 2006. After completing treatment, she managed to maintain sobriety for many years and gradually rebuilt both her health and her career. She eventually achieved a major comeback with roles in projects like <em>Orange Is the New Black</em>.</p>
<p id=”par-7_55″>“Spiraling into addiction is really, really scary,” she told the publication. “Some things have a very A-to-B scientific effect. Like, alcohol is a depressant. Cocaine is a stimulant. And then: Cocaine plus heroin is bad! That’s the point of my story, that’s the moral. Coke plus heroin equals speedball. And speedball equals bad, you know?”</p>
<p id=”par-8_65″> According to <a href=”https://www.tvinsider.com/1253118/poker-face-natasha-lyonne-health-update-alcohol/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>TV Insider</a>, Lyonne posted to social media in January 2026 about relapsing. “Took my relapse public more to come,” she posted. In another message, she wrote, “Recovery is a lifelong process. Anyone out there struggling, remember you’re not alone. Grateful for love & smart feet. Stay honest, folks. Sick as our secrets. If no one told ya today, I love you [sic].”</p>
<p id=”par-9_15″>In March 2026, she posted to <a href=”https://x.com/nlyonne/status/2034708443727372728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2034708443727372728%7Ctwgr%5E48790403325c1e42da1bba099dab5c6767ece7b3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tvinsider.com%2F1253118%2Fpoker-face-natasha-lyonne-health-update-alcohol%2F” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>X</a> that she was doing “a whole lot better.”</p>
<p id=”par-10_64″>“Proud to report this kid is doing a whole lot better & back on her feet,” she wrote. “Want to thank our recovery communities & the fans who stood by & were so supportive. Aiming to keep the journey somehow private, but look forward to sharing my experience, strength & hope as makes sense. My heart is with everyone ever going through it [sic].”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-natasha-lyonne-dealt-with-hepatitis-c-in-2005″>Natasha Lyonne dealt with hepatitis C in 2005</h2>
<p id=”par-11_71″>Natasha Lyonne’s experience with hepatitis C was a central part of the severe health crisis she faced in the mid-2000s. In 2005, she was admitted to a New York hospital under a pseudonym after her condition became critical. During that hospitalization, she was diagnosed with hepatitis C, a viral infection that affects the liver, alongside other serious complications. These included a heart infection (endocarditis) and a collapsed lung, according to <a href=”https://www.today.com/id/wbna9013110″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Today</a>.</p>
<p id=”par-12_26″>Reports from that period described Lyonne as being in life-threatening condition. Her hepatitis C diagnosis was closely tied to her intravenous drug use at the time.</p>
<p id=”par-13_37″>The seriousness of hepatitis C in Lyonne’s case was compounded by the fact that, during the early 2000s, treatment options were more limited and often difficult to tolerate. And her extended hospitalization became a turning point. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-actress-needed-open-heart-surgery-in-2012″>The actress needed open-heart surgery in 2012</h2>
<p id=”par-14_53″>Natasha Lyonne’s open-heart surgery in 2012 was a direct consequence of the severe health complications she experienced years earlier. In 2005, Lyonne had been hospitalized with a range of life-threatening conditions, including endocarditis. That infection caused lasting damage to her heart valves. These gradually worsened over time and ultimately made surgical intervention necessary.</p>
<p id=”par-15_32″>By 2012, doctors determined that Lyonne needed open-heart surgery to repair the damage. The procedure was complex and invasive, involving the replacement or reconstruction of her heart valve to restore proper function.<a href=”https://x.com/nlyonne/status/2034708443727372728″></a></p>