Natasha Lyonne’s epic response after Hollywood A-lister confuses her for Hilary Duff

Appearing on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast, Natasha Lyonne, 45, opened up about the moment, describing it as 'confusing'
PUBLISHED DEC 5, 2024
Natasha Lyonne recently revealed that she was once mistaken for Hilary Duff (Steve Granitz/FilmMagic and Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Natasha Lyonne recently revealed that she was once mistaken for Hilary Duff (Steve Granitz/FilmMagic and Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Natasha Lyonne recently shared a hilarious and puzzling encounter with a Hollywood A-lister and her former 'American Pie' co-star Jennifer Coolidge, who once mistook her for Hilary Duff.

Appearing on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast, the actress, 45, opened up about the moment, describing it as “confusing.”

Natasha Lyonne attends the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on January 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Natasha Lyonne attends the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on January 15, 2024, in Los Angeles, California (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Natasha Lyonne believes ‘I’ve lost my edge' after Jennifer Coolidge mistook her for Hilary Duff

“I remember once I dropped out [of the spotlight] for a while because I was writing all those novels, and Jennifer Coolidge saw me at the Chateau Marmont,” Lyonne told host Josh Horowitz.

“And I had straight hair, and she thought I was Hilary Duff. I was so confused.” Lyonne jokingly added, “I’d rather be mistaken for, like, Keith Richards or something.”

Hilary Duff attends the Below 60° Festive Cocktail Reception at The Maybourne Beverly Hills on December 5, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. Hosted by Chief Brand Director Hilary Duff, the party celebrated the launch of Below 60°, the next generation of air fragrance devices and can be found at www.below60.com (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Below 60°)
Hilary Duff attends the Below 60° Festive Cocktail Reception at The Maybourne Beverly Hills on December 5, 2023, in Beverly Hills, California (Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Below 60°)

The actress admitted she found the mix-up particularly surprising given her starkly different style and career path compared to Duff, 37.

Duff is best known as a bubbly Disney Channel alum, while Lyonne is celebrated as a raspy-voiced indie star with a penchant for edgy roles.

Reflecting on Coolidge’s confusion, Lyonne mused: “I was like, maybe I’ve become too well. You know what I mean? Because whatever I’m projecting is something I’d rather scratch real quick—I have lost my edge.”



 

She continued, “Hilary seems like a lovely person, and sometimes I’ll look at pictures of her and be like, ‘I think maybe this is a good thing. I think they mean this kindly.’”

When asked how long the conversation with Coolidge lasted before the misunderstanding was cleared up, Lyonne laughed, saying, “Not very far. Jennifer moves quickly. She was sort of like, ‘Oh, I thought you were Hilary Duff', and I was like, ‘I’m not', and it was over.”

Jennifer Coolidge attends the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 12, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California.
Jennifer Coolidge attends the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 12, 2023, in Beverly Hills, California (Getty Images)

Interestingly, both Lyonne and Duff have shared the screen with Coolidge in different comedy films.

Lyonne starred alongside Coolidge in the raunchy hit 'American Pie' (1999), while Duff appeared with Coolidge in the rom-com 'A Cinderella Story' (2004).

Natasha Lyonne balances 'Poker Face' success with decades of iconic roles

The podcast appearance comes amid filming for the second season of Natasha Lyonne’s critically acclaimed Peacock series, 'Poker Face'.

The first season of 'Poker Face', which aired in early 2023, was a smash hit, earning a 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Lyonne not only starred as Charlie Cale in the series but also directed one of its episodes.

While 'Poker Face' is her latest project, Lyonne’s career spans decades, with standout roles in 'Orange Is The New Black' and 'American Pie'.

Still from 'Poker Face' (@AmazonPrimeVideos)
Natasha Lyonne in a still from 'Poker Face' (@AmazonPrimeVideos)

She first gained attention as a child actor in the 1993 family film 'Dennis the Menace' and later starred in the indie cult classic 'Slums of Beverly Hills' (1998).

The following year, she earned acclaim for her lead role in the queer comedy 'But I’m A Cheerleader'.

In 2019, Lyonne co-created and starred in the Netflix series 'Russian Doll', where she played Nadia, a game developer caught in a time loop on her 36th birthday.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 08:  Natasha Lyonne attends the Russian Doll LA Tastemaker Event on
Natasha Lyonne attends the Russian Doll LA Tastemaker Event on April 8, 2022 in Los Angeles, California (Getty Images)

The show was a critical success, earning 14 Emmy nominations for its first season.

Although the series aired a second season in 2022, the future of 'Russian Doll' remains uncertain.

Co-creator Leslye Headland provided a hopeful yet vague update earlier this year, saying, “I definitely think there is [a chance for a third season]. I just haven’t heard anything about it.”

On the other hand, Duff's most recent projects include 'How I Met Your Father' (2023) and 'Younger' (2021).

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