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.

KNOWN FOR

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2023
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2023
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2025
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2022
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2024
American Dad!
2017
House
2012
The Late Late Show with James Corden
2023
Two and a Half Men
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2025
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2023
Young Sheldon
2021

FILMOGRAPHY

All
Movies
TV
Acting
106
2026
Don't Say Good Luck
as Elizabeth Birenbaum
2025
Griffin in Summer
as Helen
2025
Pike River
as Anna Osborne
2025
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self - Guest
2025
After Midnight
as Self
2025
Hollywood Squares
as Self
2025
Hot Ones Versus
as Self
2025
Poker Face
as Regina Gilvary
2025
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self
2025
Matlock
as Debra Palmer
2024
The Making of The Tattooist of Auschwitz
as Self
2024
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
as Heather Morris
2024
The Kelly Clarkson Show
as Self
2024
This Morning
as Self
2023
The Late Late Show with James Corden
as Self - Guest
2023
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2023
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
as Self
2023
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
as Self - Guest
2023
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
as Self
2023
The Last of Us
as Kathleen Coghlan
2022
Late Night with Seth Meyers
as Self
2022
Candy
as Betty Gore
2021
Don't Look Up
as June Mindy
2021
Lady of the Manor
as Hannah
2021
Yellowjackets
as Shauna Sadecki
2021
Young Sheldon
as Dora Ericson
2021
Mom
as Shannon
2020
Mrs. America
as Rosemary Thomson
2019
Easy
as Beth
2018
Sadie
as Rae
2018
Castle Rock
as Molly Strand
2018
Summer Camp Island
as Sun (voice)
2017
Little Boxes
as Gina
2017
1 Mile To You
as Coach Rowan
2017
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
as Ruth Kimke
2017
The Changeover
as Kate Chant
2017
XX
as Mary (segment "The Birthday Party")
2017
And Then I Go
as Janice
2017
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later
as Laura
2017
Girlboss
as Gail
2017
Sunshine
as Zara Skelton
2017
American Dad!
as Sharon (voice)
2016
The Intervention
as Annie
2016
The Great & The Small
as Margaret
2016
Rainbow Time
as Lindsay
2016
Folk Hero & Funny Guy
as Becky
2016
Our Ex-Wife
as Sara
2016
Future-Worm!
as Megan (voice)
2015
Digging for Fire
as Squiggy
2015
Behind Over the Garden Wall
as Self
2015
Togetherness
as Michelle Pierson
2015
Key & Peele
as Fiance
2014
They Came Together
as Brenda
2014
The Big Ask
as Hannah
2014
We'll Never Have Paris
as Devon
2014
Happy Christmas
as Kelly
2014
Goodbye to All That
as Annie Wall
2014
Chu and Blossom
as Miss Shoemaker
2014
Celebrity Name Game
as Self
2014
Over the Garden Wall
as Beatrice (voice)
2013
A Kiwi Legend
as Self
2012
Hello I Must Be Going
as Amy
2012
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
as Aunt Helen
2012
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
as Karen Amalfi
2012
Putzel
as Sally
2012
Eye of the Hurricane
as Amelia Kyte
2012
House
as Natalie Tavares
2011
Touchback
as Macy
2011
Win Win
as Cindy Timmons
2011
Helena from the Wedding: Cast Interviews
as Self
2010
Helena from the Wedding
as Alice
2010
The Life & Times of Tim
as Becky (voice)
2009
Up in the Air
as Julie Bingham
2009
The Informant!
as Ginger Whitacre
2009
Leaves of Grass
as Colleen
2009
Away We Go
as Munch
2009
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
as Kate
2008
Show of Hands
as Jess
2008
A Quiet Little Marriage
as Monique
2008
Psych
as Emily Bloom
2008
The L Word
as Clea Mason
2008
Comanche Moon
as Pearl Coleman
2007
Itty Bitty Titty Committee
as Pat (uncredited)
2007
Drive
as Wendy Patrakas
2006
Flags of Our Fathers
as Pauline Harnois
2006
Park
as Sheryl
2006
Say Uncle
as Susan
2005
Big Brother
as Self - Actress, 'Two & a ½ Men'
2004
The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder
as Zoe Cadwaulder
2003
Shattered Glass
as Amy Brand
2003
Claustrophobia
as Lauren
2003
Two and a Half Men
as Rose
2003
The Shield
as Marcy
2002
Abandon
as Mousy Julie
2002
Sweet Home Alabama
as Lurlynn
2002
Shooters
as Marie
2002
Rose Red
as Rachel Wheaton
2001
Snakeskin
as Alice
2001
Foreign Correspondents
as Melody
2000
But I'm a Cheerleader
as Hilary
2000
Coyote Ugly
as Gloria
1999
Detroit Rock City
as Beth Bumsteen
1999
The Cherry Orchard
as Dunyasha
1998
EverAfter
as Jacqueline de Ghent
1996
The Frighteners
as Deputy
1994
Heavenly Creatures
as Pauline Parker