Natasha Lyonne, a five-time Emmy nominee, is set to portray the legendary Joan Rivers in “Can We Talk?,” a biopic currently in development at Sony’s 3000 Pictures (via TheInSneider).
While the project is still searching for a director, the script comes from “The Office” writer Amelie Gillette. The real challenge here will be avoiding the usual biopic trappings—flattened arcs, sanitized truths—and instead leaning into the chaos, wit, and pain that made Rivers such a singular force.
The film will trace Rivers’ rise through the unforgiving world of stand-up, her trailblazing appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and her struggle to balance groundbreaking success with personal loss, motherhood, and the cutthroat reality of hosting her own talk show.
Rivers wasn’t just controversial—she was confrontational. Her comedy was fast, furious, and fearless, built on self-deprecation and taboo-smashing punchlines delivered with surgical precision. She made audiences laugh by saying what no one else dared to, wielding discomfort like a weapon.
Lyonne stepping into this role is a gutsy swing. The question isn’t whether she can “do funny”—she can—but whether she can tap into the raw, volcanic rhythm of Rivers’ comedy, the kind that left no one—including herself—unscathed. Lyonne has been quietly attached to the project for months, with Melissa Rivers not only giving her blessing but also joining as a producer.
Currently, Lyonne stars in Peacock’s Poker Face, the Rian Johnson mystery series that’s drawn critical acclaim. She also turned heads last year in Azazel Jacobs’ His Three Daughters, playing the weed-smoking misfit sibling with her usual deadpan fire. Whether “Can We Talk?” becomes just another awards-season play or something more alive and daring will depend on how deep it’s willing to go.
Back in 2021, Noah Baumbach signed a multi-year deal with Netflix that committed him to writing and directing several films for the streamer over the following years. He made two, and now he's gone.