Profile via TMDB · Courtesy of TMDB
Film & TV
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,…
Known for
- Don't Say Good Luck — Elizabeth Birenbaum2026
- Griffin in Summer — Helen2025
- Pike River — Anna Osborne2025
- Hollywood Squares — Self2025
- The Making of The Tattooist of Auschwitz — Self2024
- The Tattooist of Auschwitz — Heather Morris2024
- After Midnight — Self2024
- Hot Ones Versus — Self2024
- Matlock — Debra Palmer2024
- The Last of Us — Kathleen Coghlan2023
via TMDB
Key facts
- Born
- Melanie Jayne Lynskey , ( 1977-05-16 ) 16 May 1977 (age 49) , New Plymouth , New Zealand
- Alma mater
- Victoria University of Wellington
- Occupation
- Actress
- Years active
- 1994–present
- Works
- Full list
- Spouses
- Jimmi Simpson , ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 2007 ; divorced</span>"}]]}'>div. 2014 ) Jason Ritter , ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 2020 )
- Awards
- Full list
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Given name
- Melanie
- Gender
- female
- Citizenship
- New Zealand
- Place of birth
- New Plymouth
- Spouse
- Jason Ritter
- Occupation
- television actor
- Educated at
- Victoria University of Wellington
- Languages spoken
- English language
- Hair colour
- brown hair
- Image
- Melanie Lynskey 2025.jpg
- Number of children
- 1
- Residence
- Los Angeles
Show 6 more facts
- name in native language
- Melanie Lynskey
- Commons category
- Melanie Lynskey
- start of work period
- 1993-00-00
- date of birth
- 1977-05-16
- social media followers
- 164619
Sources (11)
via Wikidata · CC0
~40 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Melanie Jayne Lynskey (/ˈlɪnski/ LIN-skee; born 16 May 1977) is a New Zealand actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women and her command of American accents, she works predominantly in independent films and television. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including three Critics' Choice Awards and nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards.
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.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Melanie Lynskey” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.