Melanie Lynskey

Known for: Acting

Born: 1977-05-16 (age 49)

From: 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 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.

Filmography (106)

MOVIE
Don't Say Good Luck
2026
MOVIE★ 6.4
Pike River
2025
as Anna Osborne
MOVIE★ 6.8
Griffin in Summer
2025
as Helen
TV★ 4.0
Hollywood Squares
2025
as Self
TV★ 7.1
Matlock
2024
as Debra Palmer
MOVIE
The Making of The Tattooist of Auschwitz
2024
as Self
TV★ 8.0
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
2024
as Heather Morris
TV★ 8.8
Hot Ones Versus
2024
as Self
TV★ 5.5
After Midnight
2024
as Self
TV★ 7.4
Poker Face
2023
as Regina Gilvary
TV★ 8.4
The Last of Us
2023
as Kathleen Coghlan
TV★ 5.6
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
TV★ 7.1
Candy
2022
as Betty Gore
MOVIE★ 7.1
Don't Look Up
2021
as June Mindy
TV★ 7.5
Yellowjackets
2021
as Shauna Sadecki
MOVIE★ 5.6
Lady of the Manor
2021
as Hannah
TV★ 7.3
Mrs. America
2020
as Rosemary Thomson
TV★ 6.3
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.9
Sadie
2018
as Rae
TV★ 7.2
Castle Rock
2018
as Molly Strand
TV★ 7.8
Summer Camp Island
2018
as Sun (voice)
TV★ 8.0
Sunshine
2017
as Zara Skelton
MOVIE★ 5.6
The Changeover
2017
as Kate Chant
TV★ 8.0
Young Sheldon
2017
as Dora Ericson
TV★ 6.4
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later
2017
as Laura
MOVIE★ 6.3
And Then I Go
2017
as Janice
TV★ 6.6
Girlboss
2017
as Gail
MOVIE★ 6.2
Little Boxes
2017
as Gina
MOVIE★ 6.5
1 Mile To You
2017
as Coach Rowan
MOVIE★ 5.1
XX
2017
as Mary (segment "The Birthday Party")
MOVIE★ 6.6
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
2017
as Ruth Kimke
TV★ 6.0
Easy
2016
as Beth
TV★ 6.8
Our Ex-Wife
2016
as Sara
MOVIE★ 5.9
The Intervention
2016
as Annie
MOVIE★ 5.2
Folk Hero & Funny Guy
2016
as Becky
MOVIE★ 6.1
The Great & The Small
2016
as Margaret
MOVIE★ 5.3
Rainbow Time
2016
as Lindsay
TV★ 6.2
Future-Worm!
2016
as Megan (voice)
TV★ 6.1
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Guest
MOVIE★ 5.2
Digging for Fire
2015
as Squiggy
MOVIE
Behind Over the Garden Wall
2015
as Self
TV★ 5.1
The Late Late Show with James Corden
2015
as Self - Guest
TV★ 6.7
Togetherness
2015
as Michelle Pierson
TV★ 4.2
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014
as Self
MOVIE★ 4.9
Goodbye to All That
2014
as Annie Wall
TV★ 8.6
Over the Garden Wall
2014
as Beatrice (voice)
MOVIE★ 4.8
We'll Never Have Paris
2014
as Devon
TV★ 5.3
Celebrity Name Game
2014
as Self
MOVIE★ 5.1
Happy Christmas
2014
as Kelly
MOVIE★ 5.6
They Came Together
2014
as Brenda
MOVIE★ 5.0
The Big Ask
2014
as Hannah
TV★ 5.1
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self
TV★ 5.8
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self
MOVIE★ 4.0
Chu and Blossom
2014
as Miss Shoemaker
TV★ 7.3
Mom
2013
as Shannon
MOVIE
A Kiwi Legend
2013
as Self
MOVIE★ 1.0
Putzel
2012
as Sally
MOVIE★ 7.8
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
2012
as Aunt Helen
MOVIE★ 5.9
Hello I Must Be Going
2012
as Amy
MOVIE★ 6.6
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
2012
as Karen Amalfi
MOVIE★ 7.3
Eye of the Hurricane
2012
as Amelia Kyte
TV★ 7.7
Key & Peele
2012
as Fiance
MOVIE★ 6.6
Touchback
2011
as Macy
MOVIE★ 6.8
Win Win
2011
as Cindy Timmons
MOVIE
Helena from the Wedding: Cast Interviews
2011
as Self
MOVIE★ 4.1
Helena from the Wedding
2010
as Alice
MOVIE★ 6.9
Up in the Air
2009
as Julie Bingham
MOVIE★ 6.2
The Informant!
2009
as Ginger Whitacre
MOVIE★ 6.0
Leaves of Grass
2009
as Colleen
TV★ 5.0
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
MOVIE★ 6.7
Away We Go
2009
as Munch
MOVIE★ 5.1
A Quiet Little Marriage
2008
as Monique
MOVIE★ 6.7
Show of Hands
2008
as Jess
TV★ 7.3
The Life & Times of Tim
2008
as Becky (voice)
TV★ 7.1
Comanche Moon
2008
as Pearl Coleman
MOVIE★ 5.5
Itty Bitty Titty Committee
2007
as Pat (uncredited)
TV★ 6.1
Drive
2007
as Wendy Patrakas
MOVIE★ 6.9
Flags of Our Fathers
2006
as Pauline Harnois
TV★ 7.9
Psych
2006
as Emily Bloom
MOVIE★ 5.4
Say Uncle
2006
as Susan
MOVIE★ 4.9
Park
2006
as Sheryl
TV★ 8.3
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
2005
as Kate
TV★ 7.0
American Dad!
2005
as Sharon (voice)
TV★ 8.6
House
2004
as Natalie Tavares
MOVIE★ 4.0
The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder
2004
as Zoe Cadwaulder
TV★ 7.7
The L Word
2004
as Clea Mason
MOVIE★ 7.0
Shattered Glass
2003
as Amy Brand
TV★ 7.5
Two and a Half Men
2003
as Rose
MOVIE★ 4.0
Claustrophobia
2003
as Lauren
TV★ 5.3
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self
MOVIE★ 4.9
Abandon
2002
as Mousy Julie
MOVIE★ 6.4
Sweet Home Alabama
2002
as Lurlynn
TV★ 8.2
The Shield
2002
as Marcy
TV★ 6.8
Rose Red
2002
as Rachel Wheaton
MOVIE★ 5.5
Shooters
2002
as Marie
MOVIE★ 5.4
Snakeskin
2001
as Alice
MOVIE★ 7.0
Foreign Correspondents
2001
as Melody
MOVIE★ 6.3
Coyote Ugly
2000
as Gloria
MOVIE★ 7.1
But I'm a Cheerleader
2000
as Hilary
TV★ 4.9
Big Brother
2000
as Self - Actress, 'Two & a ½ Men'
MOVIE★ 6.8
Detroit Rock City
1999
as Beth Bumsteen
MOVIE★ 5.0
The Cherry Orchard
1999
as Dunyasha
MOVIE★ 7.4
EverAfter
1998
as Jacqueline de Ghent
MOVIE★ 7.0
The Frighteners
1996
as Deputy
MOVIE★ 7.0
Heavenly Creatures
1994
as Pauline Parker
TV★ 5.2
This Morning
1988
as Self