Melanie Lynskey

Melanie Lynskey is an Emmy-nominated actress. As a child, the New Zealand native was heavily involved with her school’s drama program. She made her big screen debut as a teenager in the Oscar-nominated crime drama Heavenly Creatures (1994), in which her performance was highly acclaimed. The actress stepped out of the spotlight to briefly attend college, eventually dropping out to pursue acting full time.

Lynskey returned to acting with roles in Ever After (1998), But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) and Sweet Home Alabama (2002). She quickly gained a reputation as a scene stealer, and this contributed to her transitioning into a cast member of the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men after a brief guest appearance. The actress left the cast in 2005 to focus on film and went on to star in Flags of Our Fathers (2006) and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012).

She was a principal cast member of HBO’s Togetherness from 2015 to 2016, and her role as Michelle Pierson earned her a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. Lynskey boasts appearances in shows like Young Sheldon and The Last of Us and has previously taken on minor voice acting roles.

In 2021, the New Zealander signed on to the Showtime thriller Yellowjackets as Shauna. Her role was well-received by audiences and critics alike, earning her two Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress and a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.

Lynskey began dating The Big Ask costar Jason Ritter in 2013. The pair welcomed a daughter in 2018 and have kept her name private. The couple tied the knot in 2020.