Actress Natasha Lyonne has provided a detailed account of the events that led to her being escorted off a Delta Air Lines flight earlier this week, attributing the incident to a sleeping pill she took shortly after boarding.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on April 10, the "Poker Face" and "Russian Doll" star explained she took the prescription sleep aid Lunesta after settling into her seat on a red-eye Delta One flight from Los Angeles to New York City. Her goal was to get some rest before a scheduled appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show" the following morning.
"Boarded seamlessly with just a backpack and sneakers, eager for a nap," Lyonne wrote. "Plan was to be bushy tailed & beauty rested, as I was meant to head straight to glam for a slot with our beloved @DrewBarrymore upon landing."
However, the flight did not go as planned. According to previous reports from Page Six, flight crew on the April 7 flight alleged that Lyonne would not fasten her seatbelt or power down her laptop as the plane prepared for takeoff. The aircraft, which had already begun taxiing, returned to the gate, where Lyonne was removed.
In her social media statement, Lyonne claimed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) became involved. "I guess ICE had other plans & I was detained," she wrote. She also apologized "to any travelers who were delayed" by the incident.
Despite the travel disruption, Lyonne made it to New York in time to attend the April 9 premiere of "Lorne," a documentary about "Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels. She was photographed at the event with Seth Meyers and Sarah Sherman, and later praised the film on X, writing, "Beautiful documentary on Lorne by Morgan Neville. Laughed a whole lot."
Delta Air Lines has not publicly commented on the incident. E! News reported reaching out to the airline for comment but has not received a response.