Actress Natasha Lyonne exhibited concerning behavior during a panel discussion at the Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday, slurring her words and making bizarre comments while moderating a question-and-answer session with filmmakers.
Lyonne took the stage to interview directors Dione Roach and Steve Happi about their documentary "Jail Time Records," which won Best Documentary Feature at the festival. Video footage from the event shows the filmmakers visibly struggling at times to comprehend Lyonne's questions.
In one particularly unusual moment captured on camera, Lyonne interrupted her interview to address the audience directly. "Hey, freakazoids. Go Knicks, alright?" she said, according to TMZ.com, before pausing and turning back to the directors. Her words became inaudible as she waved the microphone erratically before bringing it back to her face to praise the film, stating, "This movie is gorgeous."
The documentary in question examines a music recording studio operating within New Bell Prison in Cameroon, a severely overcrowded facility designed to house 800 inmates but currently holding approximately 6,000 people.
This incident follows a pattern of concerning public appearances for the "Pokerface" star. Earlier this year, Lyonne was removed from a flight after appearing disoriented. She later attributed that episode to taking Lunesta, a prescription sleep medication, before boarding.
Lyonne has been candid about her struggles with sobriety. In since-deleted tweets from January, she acknowledged experiencing a recent relapse. By March, she informed her followers on X that she was "back on her feet," though the flight incident occurred just weeks after that statement.
Representatives for Lyonne have not responded to requests for comment regarding the Tribeca Film Festival appearance. The actress has built a successful career with acclaimed performances in various projects, making her recent public struggles particularly notable to industry observers and fans alike.