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Melanie Lynskey

Melanie Lynskey

Actor · Born May 16, 1977 (49) · New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand

Primetime Emmy nominee · Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 3 other major award bodies

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.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 16, 1977 (49)
From
New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand
Works as
Actor
Titles
76 on MovieCove · 88 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 5% in 30 days

What are Melanie Lynskey's films like?

Across their 55 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy22 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Short2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Short movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
37%
Bonds
28%
Survival
13%
Morality
8%
Society
7%
Ideas
4%
Power
3%
Self-worth15 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds14 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship11 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity11 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age9 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage5 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 42 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 19 · Serious 15 · Dark 8

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 30 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 12 · Charged 25 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 19 · Shifting 22 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 21 · Funny 7

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 24 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 22 · Engaged 18 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 20 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 10

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 29 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

27 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 8 of 27 analyzed roles.

Ally
8 of 27
Hero
8 of 27
Shapeshifter
5 of 27
Mentor
3 of 27
Shadow
2 of 27
Threshold guardian
1 of 27
Show the 27 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
24
Melancholic
20
Bittersweet
16
Dread
11
Warm
14
Other
63

How their films linger

Bittersweet23 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet27
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous14
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Melanie Lynskey's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 58 of their 76 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Melanie Lynskey's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

88 credits, 76 with a MovieCove page; 19 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Don't Say Good Luck(2026)

    as Elizabeth Birenbaum

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Pike River(2025)

    as Anna Osborne

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Griffin in Summer(2024)

    as Helen

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Matlock(2024)

    Show 2 episodes · as Debra Palmer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The Tattooist of Auschwitz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · as Heather Morris

  • Poker Face(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Regina Gilvary

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Last of Us(2023)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kathleen Coghlan

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • The Jennifer Hudson Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Candy(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Betty Gore

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Don't Look Up(2021)

    as June Mindy

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Yellowjackets(2021)

    Show 39 episodes · as Shauna Sadecki

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Lady of the Manor(2021)

    as Hannah

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Mrs. America(2020)

    Show 9 episodes · as Rosemary Thomson

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Sadie(2018)

    as Rae

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Castle Rock(2018)

    Show 10 episodes · as Molly Strand

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Summer Camp Island(2018)

    Show 4 episodes · as Sun (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Sunshine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 4 episodes · as Zara Skelton

  • The Changeover(2017)

    as Kate Chant

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Young Sheldon(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dora Ericson

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Laura

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • And Then I Go(2017)

    as Janice

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Girlboss(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Gail

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Little Boxes(2016)

    as Gina

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • 1 Mile to You(2017)

    as Coach Rowan

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • XX(2017)

    as Mary (segment "The Birthday Party")

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore(2017)

    as Ruth Kimke

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Easy(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Beth

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Our Ex-Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Sara

  • The Intervention(2016)

    as Annie

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Folk Hero & Funny Guy(2016)

    as Becky

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Great & The Small (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Margaret

  • Rainbow Time(2016)

    as Lindsay

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Future-Worm!(2016)

    Show 60 episodes · as Megan (voice)

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Digging for Fire(2015)

    as Squiggy

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Togetherness(2015)

    Show 16 episodes · as Michelle Pierson

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Goodbye to All That(2014)

    as Annie Wall

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Over the Garden Wall(2014)

    Show 10 episodes · as Beatrice (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • We'll Never Have Paris(2014)

    as Devon

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Happy Christmas(2014)

    as Kelly

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • They Came Together(2014)

    as Brenda

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Big Ask(2013)

    as Hannah

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Chu and Blossom(2014)

    as Miss Shoemaker

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Mom(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Shannon

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Putzel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Sally

  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower(2012)

    as Aunt Helen

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Hello I Must Be Going(2012)

    as Amy

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Seeking a Friend for the End of the World(2012)

    as Karen Amalfi

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Eye of the Hurricane(2012)

    as Amelia Kyte

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Key and Peele(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Fiance

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Touchback(2011)

    as Macy

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Win Win(2011)

    as Cindy Timmons

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Helena from the Wedding(2010)

    as Alice

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Up in the Air(2009)

    as Julie Bingham

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Informant!(2009)

    as Ginger Whitacre

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Leaves of Grass(2009)

    as Colleen

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Away We Go(2009)

    as Munch

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • A Quiet Little Marriage(2008)

    as Monique

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Show of Hands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Jess

  • The Life & Times of Tim(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Becky (voice)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Comanche Moon(2008)

    Show 3 episodes · as Pearl Coleman

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Itty Bitty Titty Committee(2007)

    as Pat (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Drive(2007)

    Show 6 episodes · as Wendy Patrakas

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Flags of Our Fathers(2006)

    as Pauline Harnois

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Psych(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Emily Bloom

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Say Uncle(2005)

    as Susan

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Park(2006)

    as Sheryl

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Kate

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • American Dad!(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Sharon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • House(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Natalie Tavares

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Zoe Cadwaulder

  • The L Word(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Clea Mason

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Shattered Glass(2003)

    as Amy Brand

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Two and a Half Men(2003)

    Show 85 episodes · as Rose

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Claustrophobia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Lauren

  • Abandon(2002)

    as Mousy Julie

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Sweet Home Alabama(2002)

    as Lurlynn

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Shield(2002)

    Show 2 episodes · as Marcy

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Rose Red(2002)

    Show 3 episodes · as Rachel Wheaton

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Shooters(2002)

    as Marie

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Snakeskin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Alice

  • Foreign Correspondents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Melody

  • Coyote Ugly(2000)

    as Gloria

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • But I'm a Cheerleader(1999)

    as Hilary

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Detroit Rock City(1999)

    as Beth Bumsteen

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Cherry Orchard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Dunyasha

  • Ever After: A Cinderella Story(1998)

    as Jacqueline de Ghent

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Frighteners(1996)

    as Deputy

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Heavenly Creatures(1994)

    as Pauline Parker

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 88 titles from 1994 to 2026; peak year 2016.

Biggest box office

Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

$181M worldwide

Highest rated

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Two and a Half Men (2003)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19942026

Peak 2016 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 16 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting88 of 88: 88 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score62nd

By decade

1990s5 · acting2000s31 · acting2010s39 · acting2020s13 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 14% of 36 roles
940414

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

2 major awards from 8 major nominations, 2016–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series
  2. 2022
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Actress in a Drama Series
  3. 2016
    • Sundance award, won · Dramatic

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Melanie Lynskey's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 48; across their 42 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 54th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Reach · how many have seen their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Midcredits score across 76 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up28
  • 50th to 74th19
  • 25th to 49th21
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

35 of their 76 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser35
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed21

Most divisive · actor

Future-Worm! (2016)

92nd percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 39 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Melanie Lynskey's work okay for kids?

Across up to 31 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films and violence & gore lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore20 titles3–77 · median 31 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity31 titles20–59 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity22 titles25–77 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs18 titles18–61 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense20 titles10–77 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Melanie Lynskey work with?

People who share at least 2 of Melanie Lynskey's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Tony Hale shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles