By David Craig

Published: Tuesday, 12 April 2022 at 12:00 am

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Natasha Lyonne delivered a powerhouse performance in the first season of Russian Doll and looks to do so all over again as the comedy-drama returns for its long-awaited follow-up.

After rising to prominence in supporting roles in American Pie and Orange is the New Black, Lyonne transformed into feisty leading lady Nadia Vulvokov in the hit Netflix series, earning an Emmy nomination in the process.

This time around, she has some new screen partners to bounce off, including acclaimed Schitt’s Creek star Annie Murphy and fan-favourite District 9 alum Sharlto Copley.

Fans can also expect to be reacquainted with some familiar faces from the initial run, including Nadia’s time-hopping companion Alan (Charlie Barnett) and best friend-turned-birthday party planner Maxine (Greta Lee).

Read on for your full guide to the Russian Doll cast, as season 2 finally arrives on Netflix.

Natasha Lyonne plays Nadia Vulvokov

Who is Nadia Vulvokov? Nadia is a video game designer born and raised in New York City. On the night of her 36th birthday, she becomes trapped in a nightmarish time loop that takes her on a journey of intense personal discovery. Along the way, she crosses paths with Alan Zaveri, a mild-mannered man who finds himself in the very same predicament. Together, they help each other find a pathway back to normality. However, four years later, the universe will start messing with them once again.

What else has Natasha Lyonne been in? Lyonne is probably best known for playing inmate Nicky Nichols in seven seasons of prison drama Orange is the New Black, a role which secured her first Emmy nomination. Previously, she was known for her comedy work in the American Pie film series, Scary Movie 2 and cult hit But I’m A Cheerleader.

Charlie Barnett plays Alan Zaveri

Who is Alan Zaveri? Alan is a close friend of Nadia’s, with the pair’s first meeting being in a doomed elevator, where they discovered they were both trapped in time loops. Over the course of the first season, they gradually found a way back to their normal life, but this involved confronting some hard truths about themselves. Four years later, they have sustained the friendship they forged in such adversity and will need each other once again to face what’s to come.

What else has Charlie Barnett been in? Barnett is best known for playing the role of Peter Mills across 70 episodes of US procedural drama Chicago Fire. He went on to bag recurring roles in the DC Comics drama Arrow and Netflix’s psychological thriller You.

Greta Lee plays Maxine

Who is Maxine? Maxine is one of Nadia’s best friends and played a major part in the loop that occurred on her 36th birthday, greeting her with the nickname “sweet birthday baby” after every rebirth. However, she was frequently left frustrated by Nadia’s lack of appreciation for the party she had organised.

What else has Greta Lee been in? Prior to joining the Russian Doll cast, Lee made appearances in a number of high-profile US shows, including Girls, Inside Amy Schumer, New Girl and The Good Fight. Most recently, she joined the cast of glossy Apple TV+ drama The Morning Show, debuting as Stella Bak in the second season.

Elizabeth Ashley plays Ruth ‘Ruthie’ Brenner

Who is Ruth Brenner? Ruth is a therapist who became Nadia’s legal guardian after her birth mother died. They have a cherished relationship, with Nadia still visiting Ruth frequently for advice and information about her mysterious past.

What else has Elizabeth Ashley been in? Ashley’s career dates back to the 1960s, with early projects including epic drama film The Carpetbaggers, which proved to be a major hit among audiences at the time. In more recent years, she has appeared in the television dramas The Bold Type and Better Things as well as 2018 heist film Ocean’s 8.

Rebecca Henderson plays Lizzy

Who is Lizzy? Lizzy is another of Nadia’s close friends and one of the guests at her 36th birthday party. She is an artist, who helped create the visually striking bathroom door which Nadia finds herself locked behind at the start of every loop.

What else has Rebecca Henderson been in? Henderson has been rather busy as of late, bagging recent roles in Netflix true crime series Inventing Anna and comedy-drama Single Drunk Female, which recently debuted on Star on Disney Plus. Her other credits include Westworld and Orange is the New Black.

Annie Murphy plays [TOP SECRET]

Who is Annie Murphy playing in Russian Doll? Sorry, we’re under strict instructions from Netflix not to reveal that information – but you’ll know soon.

What else has Annie Murphy been in? Murphy is best known for playing Alexis Rose in Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek, with her performance earning an Emmy award in 2020. Since the show wrapped up, she has taken the lead role in Prime Video’s comedy drama Kevin Can F**k Himself and appeared as a guest star in Will Arnett’s Netflix comedy Murderville.

Brendan Sexton III plays Horse

Who is Horse? Horse is a homeless man who Nadia first encounters during one of the loops on her 36th birthday. In a somewhat surreal scene, he offers to cut her hair and they end up curling up together in the park. Unfortunately, the sweet moment ends with them freezing to death. While Horse sometimes comes across as insane, some of his mysterious statements imply there’s more to him than meets the eye.

What else has Brendan Sexton III been in? Sexton III played Belko Royce in the first two seasons of crime drama The Killing, while on the big screen he has recently appeared in Three Billboards, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, and Don’t Breathe 2.

Chloë Sevigny plays Lenora

Who is Lenora? Lenora is Nadia’s mother, who passed away when she was a young child. Tragically, she suffered for a long time with severe mental illness, which ultimately led to her taking her own life.

What else has Chloë Sevigny been in? Sevigny earned an Academy Award nomination for her role in hard-hitting biopic Boys Don’t Cry, while she later earned further acclaim after joining the cast of HBO drama Big Love. Her other film credits include American Psycho, Zodiac and The Dead Don’t Die, while on the small screen she’s known for American Horror Story and Netflix’s Bloodline.

Sharlto Copley plays Chezare

Who is Chezare? Chezare is a figure from the Vulvokov family’s past.

What else has Sharlto Copley been in? Copley got his big break after starring in acclaimed sci-fi flick District 9, later reuniting with director Neil Blomkamp for his follow-up movies Elysium and Chappie. He is also known for playing King Stefan in Disney’s Maleficent and Jimmy in first-person action film Hardcore Henry.

Ephraim Sykes plays Derek

Who is Derek? Derek is a fellow New York City resident, who meets Nadia during one of his nights on duty as a member of crime-watching group The Guardian Angels.

What else has Ephraim Sykes been in? Sykes played George Eacker in the original stage production of Hamilton, reprising the role for a professional recording which is available to stream on Disney Plus. On the small screen, he is known for playing Marvin in the short-lived HBO drama Vinyl and Donnie in Marvel’s Luke Cage.

Russian Doll season 2 is available to stream from Wednesday 20th April 2022. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.

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