Melanie Lynskey | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lynskey in 2016 | |
| Born | 16 May 1977[1] New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand |
| Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Signature | |
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Melanie Jayne Lynskey (/ˈlɪnski/ LIN-skee;[2] born 16 May 1977) is a New Zealand actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women and her command of American accents,[3][4] she works predominantly in independent films and television. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including three Critics' Choice Awards and nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards.
Lynskey made her film debut at age 17 in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures (1994), earning critical acclaim for her portrayal of murderer Pauline Parker. She later had supporting roles in Ever After (1998), But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), and Coyote Ugly (2000). After moving to the United States, Lynskey became known as a character actress through parts in 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 as a depressed divorcee in Hello I Must Be Going (2012) proved to be a turning point in Lynskey's career,[5] with subsequent lead roles in Happy Christmas (2014), The Intervention (2016), and I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017) establishing her as a prominent figure in independent cinema.[6]
On television, Lynskey appeared as Rose on the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men (2003–2015). Her other credits include HBO's Togetherness (2015–2016) and Hulu's Castle Rock (2018), as well as the miniseries Mrs. America (2020) and Candy (2022). Since 2021, she has played Shauna on Showtime's Yellowjackets, winning the 2022 Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress and being nominated twice for the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress (2022, 2023). She received a further Emmy nomination (Guest Actress, 2023) for her work on HBO's The Last of Us. Lynskey is married to actor Jason Ritter, with whom she has a daughter.
- ^ "Melanie Lynskey". TV Insider. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ As pronounced by Lynskey in the following:
- Melanie Lynskey Emmy Breakout: #selfieinterview. YouTube. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ "Melanie Lynskey Reveals What It Was Like Working With Jessica Biel In Candy – Exclusive". The List. 9 May 2022. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
- ^ "The Good, the Bad, and the Overly Proper: Dialect Coaches Rank the American Accents of TV's Foreign Actors". Vulture. 6 January 2016. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ James, Maris (4 September 2012). "The Playlist Profile: Melanie Lynskey Talks Hollywood, 'Hello I Must Be Going,' 'Heavenly Creatures' & More". The Playlist. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ Strauss, Bob (24 February 2017). "How Melanie Lynskey's risky instincts brought her to Netflix". Daily News. Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.