Actor profile

Melanie Lynskey

16th May 1977 New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand Acting

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.

57 Movies 46 TV Shows 1 In Production 106 Credits

Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

Pike River poster

Pike River 30th October 2025 as Anna Osborne

Griffin in Summer poster

Griffin in Summer 29th August 2025 as Helen

Don't Look Up poster

Don't Look Up 8th December 2021 as June Mindy

Lady of the Manor poster

Lady of the Manor 17th September 2021 as Hannah

Sadie poster

Sadie 12th October 2018 as Rae

The Changeover poster

The Changeover 28th September 2017 as Kate Chant

And Then I Go poster

And Then I Go 16th June 2017 as Janice

Little Boxes poster

Little Boxes 14th April 2017 as Gina

1 Mile To You poster

1 Mile To You 7th April 2017 as Coach Rowan

XX poster

XX 17th February 2017 as Mary (segment "The Birthday Party")

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore poster

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore 19th January 2017 as Ruth Kimke

The Intervention poster

The Intervention 26th August 2016 as Annie

Folk Hero & Funny Guy poster

Folk Hero & Funny Guy 16th April 2016 as Becky

The Great & The Small poster

The Great & The Small 31st March 2016 as Margaret

Rainbow Time poster

Rainbow Time 14th March 2016 as Lindsay

Digging for Fire poster

Digging for Fire 21st August 2015 as Squiggy

Behind Over the Garden Wall poster

Behind Over the Garden Wall 8th July 2015 as Self

Goodbye to All That poster

Goodbye to All That 17th December 2014 as Annie Wall

We'll Never Have Paris poster

We'll Never Have Paris 1st October 2014 as Devon

Happy Christmas poster

Happy Christmas 25th July 2014 as Kelly

They Came Together poster

They Came Together 27th June 2014 as Brenda

The Big Ask poster

The Big Ask 30th May 2014 as Hannah

Chu and Blossom poster

Chu and Blossom 31st January 2014 as Miss Shoemaker

A Kiwi Legend poster

A Kiwi Legend 27th January 2013 as Self

The Perks of Being a Wallflower poster

The Perks of Being a Wallflower 20th September 2012 as Aunt Helen

Hello I Must Be Going poster

Hello I Must Be Going 7th September 2012 as Amy

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World poster

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World 22nd June 2012 as Karen Amalfi

Eye of the Hurricane poster

Eye of the Hurricane 10th March 2012 as Amelia Kyte

Touchback poster

Touchback 13th April 2011 as Macy

Win Win poster

Win Win 18th March 2011 as Cindy Timmons

Helena from the Wedding: Cast Interviews poster

Helena from the Wedding: Cast Interviews 8th March 2011 as Self

Helena from the Wedding poster

Helena from the Wedding 12th November 2010 as Alice

Up in the Air poster

Up in the Air 4th December 2009 as Julie Bingham

The Informant! poster

The Informant! 18th September 2009 as Ginger Whitacre

Leaves of Grass poster

Leaves of Grass 13th September 2009 as Colleen

Away We Go poster

Away We Go 5th June 2009 as Munch

A Quiet Little Marriage poster

A Quiet Little Marriage 18th October 2008 as Monique

Show of Hands poster

Show of Hands 14th October 2008 as Jess

Itty Bitty Titty Committee poster

Itty Bitty Titty Committee 28th September 2007 as Pat (uncredited)

Flags of Our Fathers poster

Flags of Our Fathers 19th October 2006 as Pauline Harnois

Say Uncle poster

Say Uncle 23rd June 2006 as Susan

Park poster

Park 12th June 2006 as Sheryl

The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder poster

The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder 2nd April 2004 as Zoe Cadwaulder

Shattered Glass poster

Shattered Glass 14th November 2003 as Amy Brand

Claustrophobia poster

Claustrophobia 18th June 2003 as Lauren

Abandon poster

Abandon 14th October 2002 as Mousy Julie

Sweet Home Alabama poster

Sweet Home Alabama 26th September 2002 as Lurlynn

Shooters poster

Shooters 25th January 2002 as Marie

Snakeskin poster

Snakeskin 1st October 2001 as Alice

Foreign Correspondents poster

Foreign Correspondents 17th September 2001 as Melody

Coyote Ugly poster

Coyote Ugly 30th July 2000 as Gloria

But I'm a Cheerleader poster

But I'm a Cheerleader 7th July 2000 as Hilary

Detroit Rock City poster

Detroit Rock City 13th August 1999 as Beth Bumsteen

The Cherry Orchard poster

The Cherry Orchard 1st January 1999 as Dunyasha

EverAfter poster

EverAfter 31st July 1998 as Jacqueline de Ghent

The Frighteners poster

The Frighteners 19th July 1996 as Deputy

Heavenly Creatures poster

Heavenly Creatures 12th September 1994 as Pauline Parker

Hollywood Squares poster

Hollywood Squares 16th January 2025 as Self

Matlock poster

Matlock 22nd September 2024 as Debra Palmer

The Tattooist of Auschwitz poster

The Tattooist of Auschwitz 2nd May 2024 as Heather Morris

Hot Ones Versus poster

Hot Ones Versus 31st January 2024 as Self

After Midnight poster

After Midnight 17th January 2024 as Self

Poker Face poster

Poker Face 26th January 2023 as Regina Gilvary

The Last of Us poster

The Last of Us 15th January 2023 as Kathleen Coghlan

The Jennifer Hudson Show poster

The Jennifer Hudson Show 12th September 2022

Candy poster

Candy 9th May 2022 as Betty Gore

Yellowjackets poster

Yellowjackets 14th November 2021 as Shauna Sadecki

Mrs. America poster

Mrs. America 15th April 2020 as Rosemary Thomson

The Kelly Clarkson Show poster

The Kelly Clarkson Show 9th September 2019 as Self

Castle Rock poster

Castle Rock 25th July 2018 as Molly Strand

Summer Camp Island poster

Summer Camp Island 7th July 2018 as Sun (voice)

Sunshine poster

Sunshine 18th October 2017 as Zara Skelton

Young Sheldon poster

Young Sheldon 25th September 2017 as Dora Ericson

Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later poster

Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later 4th August 2017 as Laura

Girlboss poster

Girlboss 21st April 2017 as Gail

Easy poster

Easy 22nd September 2016 as Beth

Our Ex-Wife poster

Our Ex-Wife 1st September 2016 as Sara

Future-Worm! poster

Future-Worm! 8th January 2016 as Megan (voice)

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert poster

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 8th September 2015 as Self - Guest

The Late Late Show with James Corden poster

The Late Late Show with James Corden 23rd March 2015 as Self - Guest

Togetherness poster

Togetherness 11th January 2015 as Michelle Pierson

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors poster

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors 21st December 2014 as Self

Over the Garden Wall poster

Over the Garden Wall 3rd November 2014 as Beatrice (voice)

Celebrity Name Game poster

Celebrity Name Game 22nd September 2014 as Self

Late Night with Seth Meyers poster

Late Night with Seth Meyers 25th February 2014 as Self

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon poster

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 17th February 2014 as Self

Mom poster

Mom 23rd September 2013 as Shannon

Key & Peele poster

Key & Peele 31st January 2012 as Fiance

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen poster

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen 16th July 2009 as Self - Guest

The Life & Times of Tim poster

The Life & Times of Tim 28th September 2008 as Becky (voice)

Comanche Moon poster

Comanche Moon 13th January 2008 as Pearl Coleman

Drive poster

Drive 13th April 2007 as Wendy Patrakas

Psych poster

Psych 7th July 2006 as Emily Bloom

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia poster

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia 4th August 2005 as Kate

American Dad! poster

American Dad! 6th February 2005 as Sharon (voice)

House poster

House 16th November 2004 as Natalie Tavares

The L Word poster

The L Word 18th January 2004 as Clea Mason

Two and a Half Men poster

Two and a Half Men 22nd September 2003 as Rose

Jimmy Kimmel Live! poster

Jimmy Kimmel Live! 26th January 2003 as Self

The Shield poster

The Shield 12th March 2002 as Marcy

Rose Red poster

Rose Red 27th January 2002 as Rachel Wheaton

Big Brother poster

Big Brother 5th July 2000 as Self - Actress, 'Two & a ½ Men'

This Morning poster

This Morning 3rd October 1988 as Self

Don't Say Good Luck poster

Coming soon

Don't Say Good Luck 14th August 2026 as Elizabeth Birenbaum