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

• 2026Don't Say Good Luck — Elizabeth Birenbaum
• 2025Griffin in Summer — Helen
• 2025Pike River — Anna Osborne
• Matlock — Debra Palmer
• The Tattooist of Auschwitz — Heather Morris
• Poker Face — Regina Gilvary
• The Last of Us — Kathleen Coghlan
• Candy — Betty Gore
• The Jennifer Hudson Show
• 2021Don't Look Up — June Mindy
• 2021Lady of the Manor — Hannah
• Yellowjackets — Shauna Sadecki
• Mrs. America — Rosemary Thomson
• Castle Rock — Molly Strand
• 2018Sadie — Rae
• Summer Camp Island — Sun (voice)
• 20171 Mile To You — Coach Rowan
• 2017And Then I Go — Janice
• Girlboss — Gail
• 2017I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore — Ruth Kimke
• 2017Little Boxes — Gina
• Sunshine — Zara Skelton
• 2017The Changeover — Kate Chant
• Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later — Laura
• 2017XX — Mary (segment "The Birthday Party")
• Young Sheldon — Dora Ericson
• Easy — Beth
• 2016Folk Hero & Funny Guy — Becky
• Future-Worm! — Megan (voice)
• Our Ex-Wife — Sara
• 2016Rainbow Time — Lindsay
• 2016The Great & The Small — Margaret
• 2016The Intervention — Annie
• 2015Digging for Fire — Squiggy
• Togetherness — Michelle Pierson
• 2014Chu and Blossom — Miss Shoemaker
• 2014Goodbye to All That — Annie Wall
• 2014Happy Christmas — Kelly
• Over the Garden Wall — Beatrice (voice)
• 2014The Big Ask — Hannah
• 2014They Came Together — Brenda
• 2014We'll Never Have Paris — Devon
• Mom — Shannon
• 2012Eye of the Hurricane — Amelia Kyte
• 2012Hello I Must Be Going — Amy
• Key & Peele — Fiance
• 2012Putzel — Sally
• 2012Seeking a Friend for the End of the World — Karen Amalfi
• 2012The Perks of Being a Wallflower — Aunt Helen
• 2011Touchback — Macy
• 2011Win Win — Cindy Timmons
• 2010Helena from the Wedding — Alice
• 2009Away We Go — Munch
• 2009Leaves of Grass — Colleen
• 2009The Informant! — Ginger Whitacre
• 2009Up in the Air — Julie Bingham
• 2008A Quiet Little Marriage — Monique
• Comanche Moon — Pearl Coleman
• 2008Show of Hands — Jess
• The Life & Times of Tim — Becky (voice)
• Drive — Wendy Patrakas
• 2007Itty Bitty Titty Committee — Pat (uncredited)
• 2006Flags of Our Fathers — Pauline Harnois
• 2006Park — Sheryl
• Psych — Emily Bloom
• 2006Say Uncle — Susan
• American Dad! — Sharon (voice)
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia — Kate
• House — Natalie Tavares
• The L Word — Clea Mason
• 2004The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder — Zoe Cadwaulder
• 2003Claustrophobia — Lauren
• 2003Shattered Glass — Amy Brand
• Two and a Half Men — Rose
• 2002Abandon — Mousy Julie
• Rose Red — Rachel Wheaton
• 2002Shooters — Marie
• 2002Sweet Home Alabama — Lurlynn
• The Shield — Marcy
• 2001Foreign Correspondents — Melody
• 2001Snakeskin — Alice
• Big Brother — Self - Actress, 'Two & a ½ Men'
• 2000But I'm a Cheerleader — Hilary
• 2000Coyote Ugly — Gloria
• 1999Detroit Rock City — Beth Bumsteen
• 1999The Cherry Orchard — Dunyasha
• 1998EverAfter — Jacqueline de Ghent
• 1996The Frighteners — Deputy
• 1994Heavenly Creatures — Pauline Parker

Appearances as themselves (17)

• Hollywood Squares — Self
• After Midnight — Self
• Hot Ones Versus — Self
• 2024The Making of The Tattooist of Auschwitz — Self
• The Kelly Clarkson Show — Self
• 2015Behind Over the Garden Wall — Self
• The Late Late Show with James Corden — Self - Guest
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — Self - Guest
• Celebrity Name Game — Self
• Late Night with Seth Meyers — Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — Self
• Variety Studio: Actors on Actors — Self
• 2013A Kiwi Legend — Self
• 2011Helena from the Wedding: Cast Interviews — Self
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen — Self - Guest
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Self
• This Morning — Self