Acting
Melanie Lynskey
Born May 16, 1977 · New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand
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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Acting
Don't Say Good Luck
2026
Comedy · Music · Drama
Pike River
2025
Drama
Griffin in Summer
2025
Comedy
Matlock
2024
Drama · Crime
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
2024
Drama · War & Politics
Poker Face
2023
Crime · Mystery
The Last of Us
2023
Drama
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
Talk
Candy
2022
Drama · Crime
Don't Look Up
2021
Comedy · Science Fiction · Drama
Yellowjackets
2021
Drama · Mystery
Lady of the Manor
2021
Comedy · Fantasy
Mrs. America
2020
Drama
Sadie
2018
Drama
Castle Rock
2018
Mystery · Drama
Summer Camp Island
2018
Animation · Comedy · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Sunshine
2017
Crime · Drama
The Changeover
2017
Fantasy · Thriller · Horror
Young Sheldon
2017
Comedy · Family · Drama
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later
2017
Comedy
And Then I Go
2017
Drama
Girlboss
2017
Comedy
Little Boxes
2017
Comedy · Drama
1 Mile To You
2017
Drama · Romance
XX
2017
Horror
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
2017
Thriller · Drama · Crime
Easy
2016
Comedy · Drama
Our Ex-Wife
2016
Comedy
The Intervention
2016
Comedy · Drama
Folk Hero & Funny Guy
2016
Comedy · Drama · Music
The Great & The Small
2016
Drama
Rainbow Time
2016
Comedy · Drama
Future-Worm!
2016
Animation · Family
Digging for Fire
2015
Comedy · Drama
Behind Over the Garden Wall
2015
Documentary
Togetherness
2015
Comedy · Drama
Goodbye to All That
2014
Comedy · Drama · Romance
Over the Garden Wall
2014
Mystery · Sci-Fi & Fantasy · Animation
We'll Never Have Paris
2014
Comedy · Romance
Happy Christmas
2014
Comedy · Drama
They Came Together
2014
Comedy
The Big Ask
2014
Comedy · Drama
Chu and Blossom
2014
Comedy
Mom
2013
Comedy · Drama
A Kiwi Legend
2013
Comedy
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
2012
Drama
Hello I Must Be Going
2012
Drama · Comedy · Romance
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
2012
Comedy · Drama · Romance
Eye of the Hurricane
2012
Family · Adventure · Drama
Key & Peele
2012
Comedy
Touchback
2011
Drama · Family · Fantasy
Win Win
2011
Drama · Comedy
Helena from the Wedding: Cast Interviews
2011
Documentary
Helena from the Wedding
2010
Comedy · Drama · Romance
Up in the Air
2009
Drama · Romance
The Informant!
2009
Drama · Comedy · Crime
Leaves of Grass
2009
Comedy · Crime · Thriller
Away We Go
2009
Drama · Comedy · Romance
A Quiet Little Marriage
2008
Drama
Show of Hands
2008
Romance · Comedy · Drama
The Life & Times of Tim
2008
Animation · Comedy
Comanche Moon
2008
Drama · Western
Itty Bitty Titty Committee
2007
Comedy
Drive
2007
Action & Adventure · Drama
Flags of Our Fathers
2006
War · Drama · History
Psych
2006
Drama · Comedy · Crime
Say Uncle
2006
Comedy · Drama
Park
2006
Comedy · Drama
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
2005
Comedy
American Dad!
2005
Animation · Comedy
House
2004
Drama
The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder
2004
The L Word
2004
Drama · Soap
Shattered Glass
2003
Drama · History
Two and a Half Men
2003
Comedy
Claustrophobia
2003
Horror · Thriller
Abandon
2002
Drama · Mystery · Thriller
Sweet Home Alabama
2002
Comedy · Romance
The Shield
2002
Crime · Drama · Action & Adventure
Rose Red
2002
Mystery · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Shooters
2002
Action · Thriller
Snakeskin
2001
Adventure · Fantasy · Drama
Foreign Correspondents
2001
Drama · Mystery · Romance
Coyote Ugly
2000
Comedy · Drama · Music
But I'm a Cheerleader
2000
Comedy · Drama · Romance
Detroit Rock City
1999
Comedy · Music · Adventure
The Cherry Orchard
1999
Drama · Comedy
EverAfter
1998
Drama · Romance · Comedy
The Frighteners
1996
Horror · Comedy
Heavenly Creatures
1994
Drama · Fantasy