Natasha Lyonne pays tribute to Paul Reubens and their 'forever friendship'

Natasha Lyonne has shared a touching tribute to the late Paul Reubens, just moments after it was announced that the Pee-wee Herman performer died after a quiet struggle with cancer.

"Love you so much, Paul," Lyonne wrote on social media. "One in all time. Thank you for my career and your forever friendship all these years and for teaching us what a true original is."

Lyonne's first acting credit came on Reuben's Pee-wee's Playhouse, and she stayed in touch with the beloved actor long after her stint on his show ended. "I love Paul, I see him, we stay in touch," she told EW last year. "Paul Reubens, a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman, sends the best gifs in the biz. Long before they became so accessible via iPhones."

Speaking to EW in 2018, she described Pee-wee's Playhouse as the "child actor job that was really fun." She added, "Nothing makes me feel like legitimately cool quite so much as the fact that I was on this show."

Reubens' death was announced on Monday, with the actor revealing in a posthumous message that he'd been diagnosed with cancer years earlier. "Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," Reubens said. "I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans, and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you."

See old clips of Lyonne's stint on Pee-wee's Playhouse below.

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