Profile
Ethnicity
European
Location
Los Angeles, United States of America
Height
176 cm
Age Range
43–53
Also Represented in
United States of America
Website
Career Highlights
Melanie Lynskey is a New Zealand–born, Emmy-nominated actor who was most recently seen in Peacock’s limited series “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” and the New Zealand film “Pike River.” She also stars as a lead in Showtime’s acclaimed series Yellowjackets, currently in pre-production for Season 4, where she has earned two Emmy nominations, a Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, and a Gotham Award nomination for Outstanding Performance in a New Series. Melanie first rose to prominence with her breakout role in Peter Jackson’s celebrated film “Heavenly Creatures”, establishing her as one of New Zealand’s most compelling screen talents. She recently appeared in HBO’s global hit “The Last of Us”, earning an additional Emmy nomination for her guest role, and starred in Hulu’s crime thriller “Candy”, receiving a Critics Choice nomination for her performance. Her extensive film and television career includes standout roles in Mrs. America, Togetherness, “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore”, “Hello I Must Be Going”, “Ever After”, “But I’m a Cheerleader”, “Two and a Half Men”, and Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up”, among many others.
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 |
| 2024 | Pike River | Anna Osborne (Lead) | Dir. Robert Sarkies |
| 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 |
Television.
| 2024 | The Tattooist of Auschwitz | Heather Morris (Core Cast) | Dir. Tali Shalom-Ezer |
| 2024 | Yellowjackets - Season 3 | Shauna Sheridan (Core Cast) | Dir. Karyn Kusama |
| 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 |
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 |