Profile
Ethnicity
Location
Los Angeles, United States of America
Height
176 cm
Age Range
42–52
Also Represented in
United States of America
Website
Career Highlights
New Zealand-born and Emmy Nominated actor Melanie Lynskey was recently seen in Peacock’s new limited series THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ . She is currently in production on Season 3 of Showtime’s hit series YELLOWJACKETS, where Melanie has received two Emmy Nominations, a Critic’s Choice Award win for Best Actress in a Drama Series and a Gotham Award nomination for Outstanding Performance in a New Series. Lynskey recently appeared in HBO’s critically acclaimed THE LAST OF US, where she picked up a Guest Actress Emmy nomination for her role. She also starred in the Hulu crime thriller CANDY where she received a Critic’s Choice nomination for her performance. Past credits film & TV credits include: MRS. AMERIC, TOGETHERNESS, I DON’T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE, HELLO I MUST BE GOING, EVER AFTER, BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER and TWO AND A HALF MEN to name a few.
Awards.
| 2024 | Astra TV Awards - Nominee - Best Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2024 | Astra TV Awards - Nominee - Best Guest Actress - The Last of Us | ||
| 2024 | CCA Super Awards - Nominee - Best Actress in Horror Series - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2024 | CCA Super Awards - Winner- Best Villain in TV Series - The Last of Us | ||
| 2024 | CinEuphoria Awards - Winner - Merit Honorary Award - The Last of Us | ||
| 2024 | Satellite Awards - Nominee - Best Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2024 | Tell-Tale TV Awards - Nominee - Favorite Performer - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2023 | Autostraddle TV Awards - Winner - Outstanding Performance - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2023 | Critics Choice Awards - Nominee - Best Supporting Actress - Candy | ||
| 2023 | Daily Cooler Awards - Nominee - Outstanding Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2023 | Dorian TV Awards - Nominee - Best TV Performance - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2023 | Film Independent Spirit Awards - Nominee - Best Lead Performance - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2023 | Gold Derby Awards - Nominee - Best Guest Actress - The Last of Us | ||
| 2023 | Gold Derby Awards - Nominee - Best Lead Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2023 | Just About Write Awards - Nominee - Outstanding Lead Performance - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2023 | OFTA - Nominee - Best Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2023 | OFTA - Nominee - Best Guest Actress - The Last of Us | ||
| 2023 | Primetime Emmy Awards - Nominee - Outstanding Guest Actress - The Last of Us | ||
| 2023 | Primetime Emmy Awards - Nominee - Outstanding Lead Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2023 | Satellite Awards - Nominee - Best supporting Actress - Candy | ||
| 2023 | Tell-Tale TV Awards - Nominee - Favorite Performer - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | "An Irish Person" TV Awards - Winner - Outstanding Ensemble - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | "An Irish Person" TV Awards - Winner - Outstanding Leading Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA - Nominee - Best Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Autostraddle TV Awards - Nominee - Outstanding Performance - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | CCA Super Awards - Winner - Best Actress in Horror Series - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Critics Choice Awards - Winner- Best Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Daily Cooler Awards - Winner - Outstanding Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Dorian TV Awards - Winner - Best TV Performance - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Gold Derby Awards - Nominee - Best Ensemble Cast - Don't Look Up | ||
| 2022 | Gold Derby Awards - Nominee - Drama Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Gotham Awards - Nominee - Outstanding Performance - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Gracie Allen Awards - Winner - Actress in Leading Role - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Hollywood Critics Association Awards - Nominee - Best Supporting Actress - Candy | ||
| 2022 | Hollywood Critics Association Awards - Winner - Best Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | International Online Cinema Awards - Winner - Best Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Just About Write Awards - Nominee - Outstanding Lead Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Lady Parts TV Awards - Nominee - Best Supporting Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | OFTA - Winner- Best Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Pena de Prata - Nominee - Best Ensemble - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Pena de Prata - Nominee - Best Lead Acting - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Primetime Emmy Awards - Nominee - Outstanding Lead Actress - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2022 | Screen Actors Guild Awards - Nominee - Outstanding Cast Performance - Don't Look Up | ||
| 2022 | TV Critics Association Awards - Nominee - Individual Achievement in Drama - Yellowjackets | ||
| 2018 | Monte-Carlo TV Festival - Nominee - Outstanding Actress - Sunshine | ||
| 2017 | Gotham Awards - Nominee - Best Actress - I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore | ||
| 2016 | Sundance Film Festival - Winner - Special Jury Prize - The Intervention | ||
| 2015 | Behind the Voice Actors Awards - Nominee - Best Female Vocal Lead - Over the Garden Wall | ||
| 2015 | Behind the Voice Actors Awards - Winner - Best vocal Ensemble - Over the Garden Wall | ||
| 2015 | Critics Choice TV Awards - Nominee - Best Supporting Actress - Togetherness | ||
| 2014 | Fargo Film Festival - Nominee - Best Actress - Putzel | ||
| 2014 | RiverRun International Film Festival - Winner - Emerging Master | ||
| 2012 | ACCA - Nominee - Best Cast Ensemble - The Perks of Being a Wallflower | ||
| 2012 | Gotham Awards - Nominee - Breakthrough Actor - Hello I Must Be Going | ||
| 2012 | SDFCS Awards - Winner - Best Ensemble Performance - The Perks of Being a Wallflower | ||
| 2011 | CinEuphoria Awards - Winner - Best Supporting Actress - Away We Go | ||
| 2010 | COFCA Awards - Nominee - Best Ensemble - Up in the Air | ||
| 2010 | DFCS - Nominee - Best Acting Ensemble - Up in the Air | ||
| 2010 | Gold Derby Awards - Nominee - Best Ensemble Cast - Up in the Air | ||
| 2010 | New Zealand Screen Awards - Nominee - Best NZ Actress - The Informant! | ||
| 2010 | New Zealand Screen Awards - Nominee - Best NZ Export | ||
| 2009 | ACCA - Nominee - Best Cast Ensemble - Up in the Air | ||
| 2009 | Hollywood Film Awards - Winner - Spotlight Award | ||
| 2009 | WAFCA Awards - Nominee - Best Ensemble - Up in the Air | ||
| 2001 | New Zealand Film Awards - Nomination - Best Actress - Snakeskin | ||
| 1999 | Chicago Alt. Film Fest - Nominee - Best Actress - Foreign Correspondents | ||
| 1994 | New Zealand Film Awards - Winner - Best Actress - Heavenly Creatures | ||
Feature Film.
| 2024 | Griffin in Summer | Helen (Core Cast) | Dir. Nicholas Colia |
| 2021 | Dont Look Up | June | Hyperobject Industries Dir. Adam McKay |
| 2021 | Lady of the Manor | Hannah (Lead) | Dir. Justin Long, Christian Long |
| 2017 | 1 Mile to you | Coach Rowan (Lead) | Dir. Leif Tilden |
| 2017 | And Then I Go | Janice | Dir. Vince Grashaw |
| 2017 | I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore | Ruth | Netflix Dir. Macon Blair |
| 2017 | Sadie | Rae (Lead) | Dir. Megan Griffiths |
| 2017 | The Changeover | Kate Chant | Changeover Films Limited Dir. Miranda Harcourt and Stuart McKenzie |
| 2016 | Folk Hero & Funny Guy | Becky | Spitfire Studios Dir. Jeff Grace |
| 2016 | Little Boxes | Gina | Kid Noir Productions Dir. Rob Meyer |
| 2016 | Rainbow Time | Lindsay | Duplass Brothers Productions Dir. Linas Phillips |
| 2016 | The Great & The Small | Margaret | Cervidae Films Dir. Dusty Bias |
| 2016 | The Intervention | Annie | Burn Later Productions Dir. Clea DuVall |
| 2015 | Digging for Fire | Squiggy | Garrett Motion Pictures Dir. Joe Swanberg |
| 2014 | Chu and Blossom | Miss Shoemaker | Baked Industries Dir. Charles Chu, Gavin Kelly |
| 2014 | Goodbye to All That | Annie Wall | Epoch Films Dir. Angus MacLachlan |
| 2014 | Happy Christmas | Kelly | Lucky Coffee Productions Dir. Joe Swanberg |
| 2014 | We'll Never Have Paris | Devon | Bifrost Pictures Dir. Simon Helberg, Jocelyn Towne |
| 2013 | Four Saints | Mairi Chrisholm | White Wing Enterprise Dir. Jean-Pierre Isbouts |
| 2013 | Teddy Bears | Hannah | Covert Productions/Sparkhouse Media Dir. Thomas Betty / Rebecca Fishman |
| 2013 | The Big Ask | Hannah | Tribeca Film Dir. Thomas Beatty, Rebecca Fishman |
| 2013 | They Came Together | Actress | Lionsgate Dir. David Wain |
| 2012 | Eye of the Hurricane | Amelia Kyte | Braveart Films/Havensfoot Entertainment Dir. Jesse Wolfe |
| 2012 | Putzel | Sally | Stouthearted Films Dir. Jason Chaet |
| 2012 | Seeking A Friend for the End of the World | Karen | Anonymous Content/Indian Paintbrush /Mandate Pictures Dir. Lorene Scafaria |
| 2012 | The Perks of Being A Wallflower | Aunt Helen | Summit Entertainment Dir. Stephan Chbosky |
| 2011 | Touchback | Macy | Freedom Films Dir. Don Handfield |
| 2011 | Win Win | Actress (Lead) | Everest Entertainment/Fox Searchlight Pictures Dir. Thomas McCarthy |
| 2010 | Helena from the Wedding | Alice (Support) | Beech Hilm Films Dir. Joseph Infantolino |
| 2010 | Up in the Air | Julie Bringham (Major Support) | Paramount Pictures Dir. Jason Reitman |
| 2009 | Away We Go | Munch (Support) | Big Beach Films/Focus Features Dir. Sam Mendes |
| 2008 | Leaves of Grass | Colleen (Support) | Class 5 Films/Nu Image Films Dir. Tim Blake Nelson |
| 2008 | Show of Hands | Jess (Lead) | Endurance Film Production Ltd NZ Dir. Antony McCarten |
| 2008 | The Informant | Ginger Whitacre (Lead) | Warner Bros. Pictures Dir. Steven Soderbergh |
| 2008 | This Must Be The Place | Munch | Focus Films Dir. Sam Mendes |
| 2007 | Big Stan | Crystal Skye Pictures Dir. Rob Schnieder | |
| 2007 | Itty Bitty Titty Committee | Plastic Surgery Lady | Power Up Films Dir. Jamie Babbit |
| 2006 | Flags of Our Fathers | Pauline Harnois | DreamWorks SKG/Warner Bros. Pictures/Amblin Entertainment/Malpaso Productions Dir. Clint Eastwood |
| 2006 | Park | Sheryl | Mello Pictures LLC Dir. Kurt Voelker |
| 2005 | Say Uncle | Susan | Best Little Boy Productions Dir. Peter Paige |
| 2003 | Claustrophobia | Lauren | Cassava Films/Greenstem Productions Dir. Mark Tapio Kines |
| 2003 | Shattered Glass | Amy Brand | Lions Gate Films &Cruise/Wagner Productions Dir. Billy Ray |
| 2002 | Abandon | Mousy Julie | Bedford Falls Productions/Lynda Obst Productions/Paramount Pictures/Spyglass Entertainment Dir. Stephen Gaghan |
| 2002 | Shooters | Marie | Catapult Productions/Cool Beans Limited/PFG Entertainment Dir. Glenn Durfort & Colin Teague |
| 2002 | Sweet Home Alabama | Lurlynn | Touchstone & Buena Vista Pictures Dir. Andy Tennant |
| 2001 | Snakeskin | Alice | CowGirl Productions Dir. Gillian Ashurst |
| 2000 | Coyote Ugly | Gloria | Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Touchstone Pictures Dir. David McNally |
| 1999 | But I'm a Cheerleader | Hilary Vandermuller | Cheerleader LLC/HKM Films/Ignite Entertainment/Kushner Dir. Jamie Babbit |
| 1999 | Detriot Rock City | Beth Bumsteen | Base 12 Productions/Corrupter Production Service Ltd/KISS Nation/New Line Cinema/Takoma Entertainment Group Dir. Adam Rifkin |
| 1999 | Foreign Correspondents | Melody | Cassava Films/Greenstem Productions Dir. Mark Tapio Kines |
| 1999 | The Cherry Orchard | Dunyasha | Melanda Film Productions Dir. Michael Cacoyannis |
| 1998 | Ever After | Jacqueline De Ghent | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Dir. Andy Tennant |
| 1996 | The Frighteners | Deputy | Universal Pictures/WingNut Films Dir. Peter Jackson |
| 1994 | Heavenly Creatures | Pauline Yvonne Parker Rieper | New Zealand Film Commission/WingNut Films Dir. Peter Jackson |
Short Film.
| 2004 | The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder | Zoe Cadwaulder | Power Up Films Dir. Buboo Kakati |
| 1999 | Measureless to Man | Nicola Cliff | Quintillion Dir. Adam Larkin |
Television.
| 2024 | The Tattooist of Auschwitz | Heather Morris (Core Cast) | Dir. Tali Shalom-Ezer |
| 2023 | HouseBroken (Animation) | Pinky / Memory Sheep | Dir. Multiple |
| 2023 | The Last of Us (Season 1) | Kathleen Coghlan | HBO Dir. Multiple |
| 2023 | Yellowjackets (Season 2) | Shauna Sheridan (Core Cast) | Dir. Karyn Kusama |
| 2022 | Candy | Betty Gore (Core Cast) | Dir. Michael Uppendahl, Jennifer Getzinger, Ben Semanoff, Tara Nicole Weyr |
| 2021 | Mom | Shannon (Guest) | Dir. James Widdoes |
| 2021 | Yellowjackets (Season 1) | Shauna Sheridan (Core Cast) | Dir. Karyn Kusama |
| 2021 | Young Sheldon | Professor Ericson | CBS Dir. Jaffar Mahmood |
| 2020 | Mrs. America | Rosemary Thomson | FX Network Dir. Anna Boden |
| 2019 | Easy | Beth | Sparrow Grass / Netflix Dir. Joe Swanberg |
| 2018 | Castle Rock | Molly Strand (Lead ) | Dir. Michael Uppendahl |
| 2018 | Summer Camp Island (Season 1) (Animation) | Sun | Cartoon Network Dir. Niki Yang |
| 2017 | American Dad (Animation) | Sharon (Guest) | Fox Network Dir. Multiple |
| 2017 | Girlboss | Gail | Netflix Series Dir. Christian Ditter |
| 2017 | Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later | Recurring | Netflix Dir. David Wain |
| 2016 | Animals (Animation) | Linda (Guest) | HBO Dir. Mike Luciano, Phil Matarese |
| 2016 | Future Worm (Animation) | Megan | Disney Dir. Pete Michels |
| 2016 | Our Ex-Wife | Sara | BBC Dir. Pilot Lead |
| 2016 | Togetherness | Michelle Pierson (Lead) | HBO Dir. Jay and Mark Duplass |
| 2015 | Key & Peele | Fiance (Guest) | Dir. Payman Benz |
| 2015 | Two and a Half Men (Season 1 - 12) | Rose (Core Cast) | CBS USA Dir. Lee Aronsohn & Chuck Lorre |
| 2014 | Chu and Blossom | Miss Shoemaker | Baked Industries Dir. Charles Chu, Gavin Kelly |
| 2014 | Over the Garden Wall (Animation) | Beatrice (Lead) | Cartoon Network Studios Dir. Nate Cash |
| 2012 | House | Natalie Tavares (Guest) | Heel & Toe Films Dir. Various |
| 2012 | The Life & Times of Tim (Animation) | Becky | Good Humor Television Dir. Various |
| 2010 | Memphis Beat | Annaliese Jones (Guest) | Smoke House Dir. Various |
| 2009 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Kate (Guest) | FX Dir. Various |
| 2008 | Comanche Moon | Pearl Coleman | CBS USA Dir. Simon Wincer |
| 2008 | Psych | Emily Bloom | GEP Productions Inc |
| 2008 | The L Word | Clea Mason | Anonymous Content |
| 2007 | Drive (Season 1) | Wendy Patrakas | 20th Century Fox Dir. Various |
| 2003 | The Shield | Marcy Lindhoff | Fox Television Network Dir. Various |
| 2002 | Rose Red (Stephen King) | Rachel Wheaton | ABC USA Dir. Craig R. Baxley |