Welcome back to the article that you have come to expect every Sunday, "Hey, It's That Voice!" Today, we will be looking at my favorite fusion, Smoky Quartz!
Smoky is easily one of my favorite characters ever, and I don't just mean in Steven Universe, I mean in all forms of media. Smoky is a fusion of Steven and the greatest gem of them all Amethyst (remember, I'm bias about this) and it brings out the best of both of them. They are excitable, carefree, humorous (even if it is self-depreciating), and they have a really boss yo-yo as a weapon! Maybe it's because I can relate to Smoky Quartz that I love them so much. But who voices this gem fusion that can walk the dog, sink the dink, and all sorts of other yo-yo tricks? Why, that would be Natasha Lyonne!
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| I bet Smoky knows all sorts of awesome yo-yo tricks. I kinda hope to see "shoot the moon" in their next fight. |
Natasha Lyonne was born April 4, 1979 in New York, New York to Ivette and Aaron Braunstein, who was a race car driver, boxing promoter, and radio host. Lyonne originally grew up on the Upper East Side but moved with her mother to Miami, Florida where she attended and graduated from Miami Country Day School. At the age of six, Lyonne had her first role as Opal in six episodes of Pee-wee's Playhouse. She continued with a few other films, including an uncredited role in Heartburn, her first credited role in A Man Called Sarge, and Dennis the Menace.
After Woody Allen cast Lyonne in the 1996 film Everyone Says I Love You, Lyonne would go on to star in close to 30 films in a single decade. Her main starring film roles include Slums of Beverly Hills, American Pie, Detroit Rock City, Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby, But I'm a Cheerleader, American Pie 2 (reprising her role from the first film), My Suicidal Sweetheart, All About Evil, Addicted to Fresno, and Antibirth. She has also starred in numerous of other films, including Krippendorf's Tribe, Modern Vampires, Scary Movie 2, The Grey Zone, Kate & Leopold, Comic Book Villains, Zig Zag, Night at the Golden Eagle, Die, Mommie, Die!, Party Monster, Madhouse, Blade: Trinity, Robots (for the US release), The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, Goyband, 4:44 Last Day on Earth, Night Club, American Reunion (reprising her role from the first two American Pie films), He's Way More Famous Than You, The Rambler, G.B.F., Girl Most Likely, Loitering with Intent, Sleeping with Other People, Hello, My Name Is Doris, Bloomin Mud Shuffle, #Horror, Yoga Hosers, The Intervention, Adam Green's Aladdin, and Jack Goes Home. There are also a few other films that Lyonne has or is currently working on at the time of the writing of this article.
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| Lyonne (left) and Tara Reid (right) in American Pie. |
Lyonne has also had some time on the small screen as well, mostly in bit roles. They include Will & Grace, If These Walls Could Talk 2, Night Visions, Grounded for Life, The Knights of Prosperity, Loving Leah, New Girl, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Weeds, NTSF:SD:SUV::, Girls, Portlandia, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Inside Amy Schumer, Sanjay and Craig, and The Simpsons.
However, as I am writing this, I am sure some of you are waiting for me to announce the role that Natasha Lyonne is most famously know for, and that is as Nicky Nichols in the Netflix comedy-drama Orange Is the New Black. In the first season of the series, Lyonne's character was a simply a reoccurring character until the second season where Nicky became one of the main characters. It's worth noting that Orange Is the New Black is Lyonne's first time as a series regular. Critical reception of Lyonne's character has been overwhelming positive, praising her wit and "perfectly deadpan delivery". Lyonne was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Nicky (along with Laverne Cox and Uzo Aduba), however she lost to her co-star Aduba.
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| Lyonne as Nicky Nichols in Orange Is the New Black. |
And that will do it for this edition of "Hey, It's That Voice!" Join me next time were we look at a character who almost means some serious "business".
