Melanie Lynskey
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 16, 1977 (age 49)
- Birthplace
- New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand
Biography
Melanie Jayne Lynskey (born May 16, 1977) is a New Zealand actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women and her command of American dialects, she works predominantly in independent films. Lynskey made her film debut at age 17 portraying Pauline Parker in Heavenly Creatures (1994). She went on to establish herself as a character actress through supporting parts in Ever After (1998); But I'm a Cheerleader (1999); Coyote Ugly (2000); Sweet Home Alabama (2002); Shattered Glass (2003); Flags of Our Fathers (2006); Away We Go; Up in the Air; The Informant! (all 2009); Win Win (2011); The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012); and Don't Look Up (2021). Her starring role in Hello I Must Be Going (2012) proved to be a turning point in Lynskey's career, with subsequent lead parts in Happy Christmas (2014), The Intervention (2016), and I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017) highlighting her as a prominent figure in independent cinema. On television, Lynskey played Rose in Two and a Half Men (2003-2015), Shauna in Yellowjackets (2021-2026) and Kathleen in The Last of Us (2023). Lynskey is the recipient of two Critics' Choice Awards, a HCA Award, a Gracie, a New Zealand Film Award, a Hollywood Film Award, and a Sundance Special Jury Award, as well as Gotham, Satellite, Saturn, Golden Nymph, Independent Spirit, Screen Actors Guild, and Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Mushroom Murders
TV · as Erin Patterson · 6 eps
Don't Say Good Luck
Movie · as Elizabeth Birenbaum
Griffin in Summer
Movie · as Helen
Pike River
Movie · as Anna Osborne
Hollywood Squares
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Making of The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Movie · as Self
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
TV · as Heather Morris · 6 eps
After Midnight
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Hot Ones Versus
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Matlock
TV · as Debra Palmer · 2 eps
The Last of Us
TV · as Kathleen Coghlan · 2 eps
Poker Face
TV · as Regina Gilvary · 1 ep
Candy
TV · as Betty Gore · 5 eps
The Jennifer Hudson Show
TV · 1 ep
Don't Look Up
Movie · as June Mindy
Lady of the Manor
Movie · as Hannah
Yellowjackets
TV · as Shauna Sadecki · 39 eps
Mrs. America
TV · as Rosemary Thomson · 9 eps
The Kelly Clarkson Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Sadie
Movie · as Rae
Castle Rock
TV · as Molly Strand · 10 eps
Summer Camp Island
TV · as Sun (voice) · 4 eps
Little Boxes
Movie · as Gina
1 Mile To You
Movie · as Coach Rowan
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
Movie · as Ruth Kimke
The Changeover
Movie · as Kate Chant
XX
Movie · as Mary (segment "The Birthday Party")
And Then I Go
Movie · as Janice
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later
TV · as Laura · 2 eps
Young Sheldon
TV · as Dora Ericson · 2 eps
Girlboss
TV · as Gail · 3 eps
Sunshine
TV · as Zara Skelton · 4 eps
The Intervention
Movie · as Annie
The Great & The Small
Movie · as Margaret
Rainbow Time
Movie · as Lindsay
Folk Hero & Funny Guy
Movie · as Becky
Our Ex-Wife
TV · as Sara · 1 ep
Easy
TV · as Beth · 1 ep
Future-Worm!
TV · as Megan (voice) · 60 eps
Digging for Fire
Movie · as Squiggy
Behind Over the Garden Wall
Movie · as Self
Togetherness
TV · as Michelle Pierson · 16 eps
The Late Late Show with James Corden
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
They Came Together
Movie · as Brenda
The Big Ask
Movie · as Hannah
We'll Never Have Paris
Movie · as Devon
Happy Christmas
Movie · as Kelly
Goodbye to All That
Movie · as Annie Wall
Chu and Blossom
Movie · as Miss Shoemaker
Celebrity Name Game
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Late Night with Seth Meyers
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Over the Garden Wall
TV · as Beatrice (voice) · 10 eps
A Kiwi Legend
Movie · as Self
Mom
TV · as Shannon · 1 ep
Hello I Must Be Going
Movie · as Amy Minsky
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Movie · as Aunt Helen
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Movie · as Karen Amalfi
Putzel
Movie · as Sally
Eye of the Hurricane
Movie · as Amelia Kyte
Key & Peele
TV · as Fiance · 1 ep
Touchback
Movie · as Macy
Win Win
Movie · as Cindy Timmons
Helena from the Wedding: Cast Interviews
Movie · as Self
Helena from the Wedding
Movie · as Alice
Up in the Air
Movie · as Julie Bingham
The Informant!
Movie · as Ginger Whitacre
Leaves of Grass
Movie · as Colleen
Away We Go
Movie · as Munch
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Show of Hands
Movie · as Jess
A Quiet Little Marriage
Movie · as Monique
Comanche Moon
TV · as Pearl Coleman · 3 eps
The Life & Times of Tim
TV · as Becky (voice) · 1 ep
Itty Bitty Titty Committee
Movie · as Pat (uncredited)
Drive
TV · as Wendy Patrakas · 6 eps
Flags of Our Fathers
Movie · as Pauline Harnois
Park
Movie · as Sheryl
Say Uncle
Movie · as Susan
Psych
TV · as Emily Bloom · 1 ep
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
TV · as Kate · 1 ep
American Dad!
TV · as Sharon (voice) · 1 ep
The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder
Movie · as Zoe Cadwaulder
The L Word
TV · as Clea Mason · 2 eps
House
TV · as Natalie Tavares · 1 ep
Shattered Glass
Movie · as Amy Brand
Claustrophobia
Movie · as Lauren
Two and a Half Men
TV · as Rose · 85 eps
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Abandon
Movie · as Mousy Julie
Sweet Home Alabama
Movie · as Lurlynn
Shooters
Movie · as Marie
Rose Red
TV · as Rachel Wheaton · 3 eps
The Shield
TV · as Marcy · 2 eps
Snakeskin
Movie · as Alice
Foreign Correspondents
Movie · as Melody
But I'm a Cheerleader
Movie · as Hilary
Coyote Ugly
Movie · as Gloria
Big Brother
TV · as Self - Actress, 'Two & a ½ Men' · 1 ep
Detroit Rock City
Movie · as Beth Bumsteen
The Cherry Orchard
Movie · as Dunyasha
EverAfter
Movie · as Jacqueline de Ghent
The Frighteners
Movie · as Deputy
Heavenly Creatures
Movie · as Pauline Parker
This Morning
TV · as Self · 1 ep