Full name Melanie Jayne Lynskey
Place of birth New Plymouth, New Zealand
Date of birth 16 May, 1977 (star sign: Taurus)
Height 5' 7" (1.70m)
Marital status Married (spouse: Jimmi Simpson)
Career
In 1993, high school student Melanie was whisked out of class – after being spotted during a nationwide talent hunt led by film producer Fran Walsh – and cast alongside a pre-fame Kate Winslet in Peter Jackson's hypnotic fusion of fantasy, romance and crime drama, Heavenly Creatures. Described as "perfect...fearless in embodying teenage hysteria" by TIME and "extraordinary" by Entertainment Weekly, Lynskey's portrayal of an awkward adolescent whose relationship with her best friend spirals dangerously out of control earned her a Best Actress prize at the 1995 New Zealand Film and TV Awards. But it was her English co-star – confident, charming and blessed with movie-star good looks – who attracted the lion's share of attention; Lynskey, meanwhile – younger, inexperienced and plagued with all the usual teenage insecurities – spent a disheartening few weeks in Los Angeles (auditioning alongside "skinny, gorgeous, terrifying girls," as she recalls) before dashing home to NZ to finish school and immerse herself back into normality.
Two years later, however, Melanie – now at college studying theatre – received a letter from Mark Tapio Kines, an aspiring filmmaker from California who, having been impressed by her work in Heavenly Creatures, wanted to cast her as the principal female in his self-penned directional debut, Foreign Correspondents. After speaking with Kines and reading his script, she agreed to play the part, not knowing that the experience would snag her a fairytale opportunity: during the making of Foreign Correspondents, she auditioned for – and landed – a pivotal role in 20th Century Fox's Ever After, a contemporary spin on the Cinderella story starring Drew Barrymore, which put a newly confident Melanie firmly on Hollywood's radar when it opened to rave reviews in the summer of '98.
After a busy two years spent relocating to the US and landing various film roles (Detroit Rock City; But I'm a Cheerleader; The Cherry Orchard; Coyote Ugly), Melanie returned to New Zealand to star in Snakeskin, an offbeat road movie in the vein of Thelma & Louise, which garnered glowing reviews ("An excellent lead performance from Lynskey" – Variety) and a clutch of awards. She then swapped the big screen for television with a part in Stephen King's supernatural horror series Rose Red; co-starred opposite Reese Witherspoon in southern-fried romcom Sweet Home Alabama; appeared with Katie Holmes in psychological thriller Abandon; and played Hayden Christensen's envious colleague in Shattered Glass, an "astute, gripping drama" (The New York Times) about political journalism. In addition, she landed the part of Rose – Charlie Sheen's endearingly zany neighbour – on Two and a Half Men, an instant hit for CBS that fast became the highest-rated sitcom on television.
Since leaving her regular slot on the show in 2005 (she returns occasionally when her schedule allows), Melanie has continued to demonstrate her versatility with a vast range of film and TV appearances: following small but substantial parts in Clint Eastwood's acclaimed WWII project Flags of Our Fathers and epic western Comanche Moon, she joined the cast of the action-packed – but sadly short-lived – Fox series Drive; headlined Kiwi dramedy Show of Hands (for which she received a 2009 Qantas Film nomination for Best Actress); guested on cult Showtime series The L Word; and broke audiences' hearts with her portrayal of a wannabe mom left devastated by a string of miscarriages ("Quiet, moving...the best performance in the movie" – The Boston Globe) in Sam Mendes' funny and poignant Away We Go. She then earned praise as Matt Damon's doting spouse ("Lynskey...splendid" – Rolling Stone) in Steven Soderbergh's wonderfully weird tale of corporate crime, The Informant!; cameoed as Edward Norton's redneck boo in Leaves of Grass; and helped big brother George Clooney attain emotional maturity in Jason Reitman's 2010 Best Picture Oscar nominee, Up in the Air ("A rare and sparkling gem of a movie" – Entertainment Weekly).
As well as voicing a recurring role on HBO's wacky animated comedy series The Life and Times of Tim, recent projects have included the independent drama Helena from the Wedding ("The actors form a seamless ensemble, but [the film] belongs to Lynskey" – The Hollywood Reporter), and a major role opposite Paul Giamatti in Fox Searchlight's Win Win ("Lynskey...wonderful in Away We Go, The Informant! and Up in the Air...[in Win Win] she gives a very different kind of performance and is even better" – TIME). In addition to a starring role in Eye of the Hurricane, an intimate drama about a small town's struggle in the wake of a devastating tropical storm, she'll next appear in sports drama Touchback alongside Kurt Russell; Focus Features' Seeking a Friend for the End of the World opposite Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley; an adaptation of Stephen Chbosky's cult novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower; and in the independent feature Hello, I Must be Going.
Awards
2010 - Nomination - Best New Zealand Export - Visa Entertainment Screen Awards
2010 - Nomination - Best Actress (The Informant!) - Visa Entertainment Screen Awards
2010 - Nomination - Best Acting Ensemble (Up in the Air) - Denver Film Critics Society
2010 - Winner - Best Ensemble (Up in the Air) - Central Ohio Film Critics Association
2009 - Winner - Spotlight Award - Hollywood Film Festival Awards Gala
2009 - Nomination - Best Actress (Show of Hands) - Qantas Film & Television Awards
2001 - Nomination - Best Actress (Snakeskin) - New Zealand Film and TV Awards
1999 - Nomination - Best Actress (Foreign Correspondents) - Chicago Alt.Film Fest
1995 - Winner - Best Actress (Heavenly Creatures) - New Zealand Film and TV Awards
Trivia
Is a vegetarian
Has a dog called Mouse, a chihuahua-dachshund mix
Married US actor Jimmi Simpson on 14 April 2007 in Queenstown, New Zealand
Has tattoos on her left shoulder and right ankle
One of her best friends is Emily Deschanel, star of TV's "Bones"
An avid supporter of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
Auditioned for Cameron Diaz's role in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York
Counts David Lynch, Steven Soderbergh and Cameron Crowe among her favourite directors
Her favourite film is Mike Leigh's 1993 drama Naked
Lived in London for two years before moving permanently to Los Angeles in 2001
Has three younger brothers and a younger sister.
Contact info
Melanie Lynskey
c/o The Susan Smith Company
121A N. San Vicente Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
USA
Place of birth New Plymouth, New Zealand
Date of birth 16 May, 1977 (star sign: Taurus)
Height 5' 7" (1.70m)
Marital status Married (spouse: Jimmi Simpson)
Career
In 1993, high school student Melanie was whisked out of class – after being spotted during a nationwide talent hunt led by film producer Fran Walsh – and cast alongside a pre-fame Kate Winslet in Peter Jackson's hypnotic fusion of fantasy, romance and crime drama, Heavenly Creatures. Described as "perfect...fearless in embodying teenage hysteria" by TIME and "extraordinary" by Entertainment Weekly, Lynskey's portrayal of an awkward adolescent whose relationship with her best friend spirals dangerously out of control earned her a Best Actress prize at the 1995 New Zealand Film and TV Awards. But it was her English co-star – confident, charming and blessed with movie-star good looks – who attracted the lion's share of attention; Lynskey, meanwhile – younger, inexperienced and plagued with all the usual teenage insecurities – spent a disheartening few weeks in Los Angeles (auditioning alongside "skinny, gorgeous, terrifying girls," as she recalls) before dashing home to NZ to finish school and immerse herself back into normality.
Two years later, however, Melanie – now at college studying theatre – received a letter from Mark Tapio Kines, an aspiring filmmaker from California who, having been impressed by her work in Heavenly Creatures, wanted to cast her as the principal female in his self-penned directional debut, Foreign Correspondents. After speaking with Kines and reading his script, she agreed to play the part, not knowing that the experience would snag her a fairytale opportunity: during the making of Foreign Correspondents, she auditioned for – and landed – a pivotal role in 20th Century Fox's Ever After, a contemporary spin on the Cinderella story starring Drew Barrymore, which put a newly confident Melanie firmly on Hollywood's radar when it opened to rave reviews in the summer of '98.
After a busy two years spent relocating to the US and landing various film roles (Detroit Rock City; But I'm a Cheerleader; The Cherry Orchard; Coyote Ugly), Melanie returned to New Zealand to star in Snakeskin, an offbeat road movie in the vein of Thelma & Louise, which garnered glowing reviews ("An excellent lead performance from Lynskey" – Variety) and a clutch of awards. She then swapped the big screen for television with a part in Stephen King's supernatural horror series Rose Red; co-starred opposite Reese Witherspoon in southern-fried romcom Sweet Home Alabama; appeared with Katie Holmes in psychological thriller Abandon; and played Hayden Christensen's envious colleague in Shattered Glass, an "astute, gripping drama" (The New York Times) about political journalism. In addition, she landed the part of Rose – Charlie Sheen's endearingly zany neighbour – on Two and a Half Men, an instant hit for CBS that fast became the highest-rated sitcom on television.
Since leaving her regular slot on the show in 2005 (she returns occasionally when her schedule allows), Melanie has continued to demonstrate her versatility with a vast range of film and TV appearances: following small but substantial parts in Clint Eastwood's acclaimed WWII project Flags of Our Fathers and epic western Comanche Moon, she joined the cast of the action-packed – but sadly short-lived – Fox series Drive; headlined Kiwi dramedy Show of Hands (for which she received a 2009 Qantas Film nomination for Best Actress); guested on cult Showtime series The L Word; and broke audiences' hearts with her portrayal of a wannabe mom left devastated by a string of miscarriages ("Quiet, moving...the best performance in the movie" – The Boston Globe) in Sam Mendes' funny and poignant Away We Go. She then earned praise as Matt Damon's doting spouse ("Lynskey...splendid" – Rolling Stone) in Steven Soderbergh's wonderfully weird tale of corporate crime, The Informant!; cameoed as Edward Norton's redneck boo in Leaves of Grass; and helped big brother George Clooney attain emotional maturity in Jason Reitman's 2010 Best Picture Oscar nominee, Up in the Air ("A rare and sparkling gem of a movie" – Entertainment Weekly).
As well as voicing a recurring role on HBO's wacky animated comedy series The Life and Times of Tim, recent projects have included the independent drama Helena from the Wedding ("The actors form a seamless ensemble, but [the film] belongs to Lynskey" – The Hollywood Reporter), and a major role opposite Paul Giamatti in Fox Searchlight's Win Win ("Lynskey...wonderful in Away We Go, The Informant! and Up in the Air...[in Win Win] she gives a very different kind of performance and is even better" – TIME). In addition to a starring role in Eye of the Hurricane, an intimate drama about a small town's struggle in the wake of a devastating tropical storm, she'll next appear in sports drama Touchback alongside Kurt Russell; Focus Features' Seeking a Friend for the End of the World opposite Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley; an adaptation of Stephen Chbosky's cult novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower; and in the independent feature Hello, I Must be Going.
Awards
2010 - Nomination - Best New Zealand Export - Visa Entertainment Screen Awards
2010 - Nomination - Best Actress (The Informant!) - Visa Entertainment Screen Awards
2010 - Nomination - Best Acting Ensemble (Up in the Air) - Denver Film Critics Society
2010 - Winner - Best Ensemble (Up in the Air) - Central Ohio Film Critics Association
2009 - Winner - Spotlight Award - Hollywood Film Festival Awards Gala
2009 - Nomination - Best Actress (Show of Hands) - Qantas Film & Television Awards
2001 - Nomination - Best Actress (Snakeskin) - New Zealand Film and TV Awards
1999 - Nomination - Best Actress (Foreign Correspondents) - Chicago Alt.Film Fest
1995 - Winner - Best Actress (Heavenly Creatures) - New Zealand Film and TV Awards
Trivia
Is a vegetarian
Has a dog called Mouse, a chihuahua-dachshund mix
Married US actor Jimmi Simpson on 14 April 2007 in Queenstown, New Zealand
Has tattoos on her left shoulder and right ankle
One of her best friends is Emily Deschanel, star of TV's "Bones"
An avid supporter of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
Auditioned for Cameron Diaz's role in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York
Counts David Lynch, Steven Soderbergh and Cameron Crowe among her favourite directors
Her favourite film is Mike Leigh's 1993 drama Naked
Lived in London for two years before moving permanently to Los Angeles in 2001
Has three younger brothers and a younger sister.
Contact info
Melanie Lynskey
c/o The Susan Smith Company
121A N. San Vicente Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
USA
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