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.
as Erin Patterson(6 eps)
as Elizabeth Birenbaum
as Anna Osborne
as Helen
as Self(1 ep)
as Debra Palmer(2 eps)
as Heather Morris(6 eps)
as Self(1 ep)
as Self(1 ep)
as Regina Gilvary(1 ep)
as Kathleen Coghlan(2 eps)
as Betty Gore(5 eps)
as June Mindy
as Shauna Sadecki(39 eps)
as Hannah
as Rosemary Thomson(9 eps)
as Self(1 ep)
as Rae
as Molly Strand(10 eps)
as Sun (voice)(4 eps)
as Zara Skelton(4 eps)
as Kate Chant
as Dora Ericson(2 eps)
as Laura(2 eps)
as Janice
as Gail(3 eps)
as Gina
as Coach Rowan
as Mary (segment "The Birthday Party")
as Ruth Kimke
as Beth(1 ep)
as Sara(1 ep)
as Annie
as Becky
as Margaret
as Lindsay
as Megan (voice)(60 eps)
as Self - Guest(1 ep)
as Squiggy
as Self
as Self - Guest(1 ep)
as Michelle Pierson(16 eps)
as Self(1 ep)
as Annie Wall
as Beatrice (voice)(10 eps)
as Devon
as Self(1 ep)
as Kelly
as Brenda
as Hannah
as Self(1 ep)
as Self(2 eps)
as Miss Shoemaker
as Shannon(1 ep)
as Self
as Sally
as Aunt Helen
as Amy Minsky
as Karen Amalfi
as Amelia Kyte
as Fiance(1 ep)
as Macy
as Cindy Timmons
as Alice
as Julie Bingham
as Ginger Whitacre
as Colleen
as Self - Guest(1 ep)
as Munch
as Monique
as Jess
as Becky (voice)(1 ep)
as Pearl Coleman(3 eps)
as Pat (uncredited)
as Wendy Patrakas(6 eps)
as Pauline Harnois
as Emily Bloom(1 ep)
as Susan
as Sheryl
as Kate(1 ep)
as Sharon (voice)(1 ep)
as Natalie Tavares(1 ep)
as Zoe Cadwaulder
as Clea Mason(2 eps)
as Amy Brand
as Rose(85 eps)
as Lauren
as Self(1 ep)
as Mousy Julie
as Lurlynn
as Marcy(2 eps)
as Rachel Wheaton(3 eps)
as Marie
as Alice
as Melody
as Gloria
as Hilary
as Self - Actress, 'Two & a ½ Men'(1 ep)
as Beth Bumsteen
as Dunyasha
as Jacqueline de Ghent
as Deputy
as Pauline Parker
as Self(1 ep)