Profile

Ethnicity
Location
Los Angeles, United States of America
Height
178 cm
Age Range
41–51
Also Represented in
United States of America
Website
Career Highlights
New Zealand born Melanie Lynskey's first role came in 1994 with her award winning performance in Peter Jackson's “Heavenly Creatures” opposite Kate Winslet. Since then, she has amassed a number of credits in both features and television. Her film credits include Steven Soderbergh's “The Informant”, Tom McCarthy's “Win Win”, Billy Ray's “Shattered Glass”, Sam Mendes' “Away We Go”, Jason Reitman's “Up In The Air”, Andy Tennant's “Ever After” and “Sweet Home Alabama”, Jamie Babbit’s “But I’m A Cheerleader”, Clint Eastwood's “Flags Of Our Fathers”, Joe Swanberg’s “Happy Christmas”, and Angus MacLachlan's “Goodbye To All That”.
In 2012, Lynskey played the lead role in Todd Louiso's film “Hello I Must Be Going”. The film opened the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and was rated one of the “Top Ten Independent Films” of the year by the National Board of Review. Lynskey’s performance earned her critical praise and a nomination for a 2012 Gotham Independent Film Award in the category of Breakthrough Actor.
At Sundance in 2016, Lynskey won the US Special Jury Prize for Individual Performance for her portrayal of a meddling alcoholic in Clea DuVall’s debut feature, The Intervention.
On the small screen, Lynskey’s next project is the highly anticipated Hulu series Castle Rock, opposite André Holland, Sissy Spacek and Bill Skarsgård. She was recently seen in Netflix’s “Wet Hot American Summer” and “Girlboss”. Lynskey also starred in the Duplass brothers' critically acclaimed HBO show, “Togetherness”, for which she was nominated for a Critic's Choice Award; and she voiced the character Beatrice in Cartoon Network's 'Over The Garden Wall', which won the 2015 Emmy for Best Animated Program.
From 2003-2015, Lynskey had a popular recurring role as Rose in the hit TV show “Two And A Half Men”.
Most recently, she appeared opposite Anthony LaPaglia in the Australian SBS TV Drama “Sunshine Kings”. Lynskey was nominated for Outstanding Actress at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival for her role in the mini-series.
Last year, Lynskey starred opposite Elijah Wood in Macon Blair’s “I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore”, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. Lynskey was nominated for a 2017 Gotham Award for Best Actress for her role in the film.
Upcoming films include “Sadie”, directed by Megan Griffiths, in which she stars opposite John Gallagher Jr and she is currently starring in television series "Yellowjacket" for Showtime.
Awards.
2001 | New Zealand Film Awards - Nomination - Best Actress - Snakeskin | ||
1994 | New Zealand Film Awards - Winner - Best Actress - Heavenly Creatures |
Feature Film Film.
2021 | Dont Look Up | June | Hyperobject Industries Dir. Adam McKay |
Feature Film.
2021 | Lady of the Manor | Hannah (Lead) | Dir. Justin Long, Christian Long |
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 | 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 |
Film Film.
2017 | 1 Mile to you | Coach Rowan (Lead) | Dir. Leif Tilden |
Feature Film.
2008 | Show of Hands | Jess (Lead) | Endurance Film Production Ltd NZ Dir. Antony McCarten |
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.
2021 | Mom | Shannon (Guest) | Dir. James Widdoes |
2021 | Yellowjackets | 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 |
2017 | American Dad | Guest Voice Over | Fox |
2017 | Girlboss | Recurring | Netflix Series |
2017 | Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later | Recurring | Netflix Series |
2016 | Animals - Squirrels Part 2 | Linda (voice) | HBO |
2016 | Future Worm | Megan (voice) | Disney |
2016 | Our Ex-Wife | Sara | BBC Dir. Pilot Lead |
2015 | The Lion Guard | Guest Voice Over | |
2014 | Over the Garden Wall | Beatrice (voice) | Cartoon Network Studios |
2014 | Togetherness | Michelle Pierson (Lead) | Duplass Brothers Productions/HBO Dir. Jay and Mark Duplass |
2013 | Chu and Blossom | Miss Shoemaker | Baked Industries Dir. Charles Chu and Gavin Kelly |
2012 | House M.D | Natalie Tavares | Heel & Toe Films Dir. Various |
2012 | Key & Peele | Guest | |
2012 | The Life & Times of Tim | Becky | Good Humor Television Dir. Various |
2010 | Memphis Beat | Annaliese Jones | Smoke House Dir. Various |
2009 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Kate | Bluebush Productions Dir. Various |
2008 | Psych | Emily Bloom | GEP Productions Inc |
2008 | The L Word | Clea Mason | Anonymous Content |
2007 | Comanche Moon | Pearl Coleman | CBS, USA Dir. Simon Wincer |
2006 | Drive Series 1 | Wendy Patrakas | 20th Century Fox |
2003 | The Shield | Marcy | Fox Television Network |
2003 | Two and a Half Men | Rose | CBS/USA Dir. Lee Aronsohn & Chuck Lorre |
2002 | Stephen King's Rose Red | Rachel Wheaton | ABC, USA Dir. Craig R. Baxley |