Yes, That’s Natasha Lyonne’s Real Dog in the Season 2 Finale of Poker Face

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No matter if she’s portraying Charlie Cale or simply being herself, Natasha Lyonne consistently demonstrates her deep affection for dogs.

In a truly heartwarming touch, Lyonne’s affection for dogs is so profound that her own 15-year-old Malitpoo, Root Beer, made an appearance in the Season 2 finale of Poker Face (stream all 12 episodes on Peacock here). She makes a cameo right at the end of the episode when Charlie, dressed as an FBI agent and attempting to hitch a ride on a snowy highway, is trailed by the adorable dog.

And indeed, Root Beer is actually credited as “the scamp” during the end titles.

Natasha Lyonne on her dog guest-starring in Poker Face Season 2 finale

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In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lyonne humorously referred to Root Beer as a ‘nepo baby’. Although he himself hasn’t experienced it, he’s happy that she does indirectly. She certainly delivers a commendable performance, being the ‘Root Beer’, he added.

In a fun twist, this wasn’t my first time sharing the screen with my human companion. We’ve worked together before, in the 2018 comedy film “Show Dogs,” where we were joined by some pretty cool company – Will Arnett, Ludacris, Gabriel Iglesias, Jordin Sparks, and Stanley Tucci.

When talking with Us Weekly, Lyonne mentioned that her dog exhibited a somewhat similar attitude to that in Lord of the Flies. She compared this behavior to the well-mannered, disciplined dogs on set, which she referred to as “prep school dogs” because they were far more obedient.

For those newcomers or feline enthusiasts, a Malitpoo is a hybrid breed resulting from the combination of a Maltese and a Poodle. Lyonne obtained hers from actor Dave Ransone, who happens to be the brother of James Ransone, known for his role in “The Black Phone”.

For a week, I looked after Dave’s dog. When he returned, I was in tears. I had around 7,000 photos on my iPhone of her. Then he told me he was leaving town again for three weeks while the dog was still a puppy. We were chatting on The Chew, a food talk show with chef Michael Symon, and she reminisced about that time. Afterwards, he came home, and she said, ‘That’s no longer your dog.’ In the end, I ended up getting him two Chihuahuas, and Root Beer is my dog now.

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2025-07-11 18:46