Rian Johnson Sets TV Debut with Natasha Lyonne-Starring Mystery ‘Poker Face’ for Peacock

Kristen Lopez
·2 min read
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Rian Johnson’s new mystery television series has found a home and a star. Fresh off the success of “Russian Doll,” actress Natasha Lyonne will star in the series, “Poker Face,” which has received a 10-episode straight-to-series order from NBC’s streaming service Peacock.

There’s no details on what the show will be about but Johnson did said in a statement, “I’m very excited to dig into the type of fun, character driven, case-of-the-week mystery goodness I grew up watching. It’s my happy place. Having Natasha as a partner in crime is a dream, and we’ve found the perfect home at Peacock.”

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This marks the first foray into television for Johnson, who recently came off a hot streak with “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and “Knives Out.” The latter, a murder mystery feature with a large ensemble cast, could be an indication of what this series is about (or it could be a means of throwing us off the trail). Johnson also will serve as writer and director of the series, and will executive produce with his T-Street partner Ram Bergman and company television president Nena Rodrigue.

“Rian Johnson’s distinct sensibility and talent for telling edge-of-your-seat mysteries is a massive gift for Peacock, and we can’t wait for audiences to delve into each case,” said Lisa Katz, President, Scripted Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming in a statement. “Paired with the acting genius of Natasha Lyonne, this series will be entertaining and addictive.”

“Rian is a gifted writer and director who draws you in with his unique approach to mystery and we’re so proud to partner with him, and Ram, and to have Natasha Lyonne as our lead, and land this phenomenal show at Peacock with a talented team,” MRC Television President Elise Henderson said.

For Lyonne, this is one of several upcoming projects. She will continue to serve as co-creator, writer, director, and executive producer of Netflix’s “Russian Doll,” which recently announced Emmy-winning actress Annie Murphy would join the cast for Season 2. She also directed and executive produced “Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine” and made an appearance in the Hulu feature “United States vs. Billie Holiday” which secured a Golden Globe win and Oscar nomination for actress Andra Day.

There’s currently no word on when “Poker Face” will enter production.

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