Melanie Lynskey
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.
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Films (60)
Ne dis pas bonne chance
2026 · Elizabeth Birenbaum
Pike River
2025 · Anna Osborne
Griffin in Summer
2025 · Helen
The Making of The Tattooist of Auschwitz
2024 · Self
Don't Look Up : Déni cosmique
2021 · June Mindy
La dama de la mansión
2021 · Hannah
Sadie
2018 · Rae
The Changeover
2017 · Kate Chant
And Then I Go
2017 · Janice
Little Boxes
2017 · Gina
Corazón de un corredor
2017 · Coach Rowan
XX
2017 · Mary (segment "The Birthday Party")
Ya no me siento a gusto en este mundo
2017 · Ruth Kimke
Cómo Interferir en un Matrimonio
2016 · Annie
Folk Hero & Funny Guy
2016 · Becky
The Great & The Small
2016 · Margaret
Rainbow Time
2016 · Lindsay
En Busca de Nosotros
2015 · Squiggy
Behind Over the Garden Wall
2015 · Self
Goodbye to All That
2014 · Annie Wall
We'll Never Have Paris
2014 · Devon
Happy Christmas
2014 · Kelly
Se unieron
2014 · Brenda
The Big Ask
2014 · Hannah
Chu and Blossom
2014 · Miss Shoemaker
A Kiwi Legend
2013 · Self
Putzel
2012 · Sally
Le Monde de Charlie
2012 · Aunt Helen
Hola, debo irme
2012 · Amy Minsky
Jusqu'à ce que la fin du monde nous sépare
2012 · Karen Amalfi
Eye of the Hurricane
2012 · Amelia Kyte
Una visita al pasado
2011 · Macy
Les Winners
2011 · Cindy Timmons
Helena from the Wedding: Cast Interviews
2011 · Self
Helena from the Wedding
2010 · Alice
In the Air
2009 · Julie Bingham
¡El desinformante!
2009 · Ginger Whitacre
Escroc(s) en herbe
2009 · Colleen
Away We Go
2009 · Munch
A Quiet Little Marriage
2008 · Monique
Show of Hands
2008 · Jess
Itty Bitty Titty Committee
2007 · Pat (uncredited)
Mémoires de nos pères
2006 · Pauline Harnois
Say Uncle
2006 · Susan
Le Carrefour du parc
2006 · Sheryl
The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder
2004 · Zoe Cadwaulder
Le Mystificateur
2003 · Amy Brand
Claustrophobia
2003 · Lauren
Abandon
2002 · Mousy Julie
Fashion victime
2002 · Lurlynn
Shooters
2002 · Marie
Snakeskin
2001 · Alice
Foreign Correspondents
2001 · Melody
Coyote Girls
2000 · Gloria
But I'm a Cheerleader
2000 · Hilary
Detroit Rock City
1999 · Beth Bumsteen
The Cherry Orchard
1999 · Dunyasha
EverAfter
1998 · Jacqueline de Ghent
The Frighteners
1996 · Deputy
Heavenly Creatures
1994 · Pauline Parker
Séries (47)
Hollywood Squares
2025 · Self
Matlock
2024 · Debra Palmer
Le Tatoueur d'Auschwitz
2024 · Heather Morris
Hot Ones Versus
2024 · Self
After Midnight
2024 · Self
Poker Face
2023 · Regina Gilvary
The Last of Us
2023 · Kathleen Coghlan
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
Candy : Meurtre au Texas
2022 · Betty Gore
Yellowjackets
2021 · Shauna Sadecki
Mrs. America
2020 · Rosemary Thomson
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019 · Self
Castle Rock
2018 · Molly Strand
La Colo Magique
2018 · Sun (voice)
Sunshine
2017 · Zara Skelton
El Joven Sheldon
2017 · Dora Ericson
Wet Hot American Summer : 10 Years Later
2017 · Laura
Girlboss
2017 · Gail
Easy
2016 · Beth
Our Ex-Wife
2016 · Sara
Future-Worm!
2016 · Megan (voice)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015 · Self - Guest
The Late Late Show with James Corden
2015 · Self - Guest
Entre nous
2015 · Michelle Pierson
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014 · Self
La Forêt de l'étrange
2014 · Beatrice (voice)
Celebrity Name Game
2014 · Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014 · Self
Le Tonight Show
2014 · Self
Mom
2013 · Shannon
Key & Peele
2012 · Fiance
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009 · Self - Guest
Las desventuras de Tim
2008 · Becky (voice)
Comanche Moon
2008 · Pearl Coleman
Drive
2007 · Wendy Patrakas
Psych : Enquêteur malgré lui
2006 · Emily Bloom
Philadelphia
2005 · Kate
American Dad
2005 · Sharon (voice)
Dr. House
2004 · Natalie Tavares
Elles
2004 · Clea Mason
Mon oncle Charlie
2003 · Rose
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003 · Self
El Escudo
2002 · Marcy
Le manoir maudit
2002 · Rachel Wheaton
Big Brother
2000 · Self - Actress, 'Two & a ½ Men'
This Morning
1988 · Self
Mushroom Murders
· Erin Patterson, Executive Producer