Melanie Lynskey, born May 16, 1977, is a New Zealand actress best known for her roles in film, television, and theatre productions. She made her acting debut in the feature film Heavenly Creatures in 1994, when she was 17 years old. Lynskey's career began well, with rave reviews for her performance in the film, which led to larger roles in Ever After and Coyote Ugly by the turn of the millennium. That completely altered Lynskey's career, and she eventually relocated to the United States to pursue acting.
It also meant that she landed her first television role, playing Rose Red, in 2002. She also appeared on The Shield before becoming a recurring character on Two and a Half Men for 12 years, ending in 2015. However, her role as a depressed divorcee in Hello I Must Be Going in 2012 steered Lynskey's career in the right direction, and she went on to star in several films after that.
This includes leading roles in Happy Christmas, The Intervention, and I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore. All of this came with its fair share of awards and nominations, with Lynskey receiving nominations for a Primetime Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice Association, and more over the years.
Melanie Lynskey's parents
Melanie Lynskey was born to Tim Lynskey and Kay Barbara in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Her father, Tim, is an orthopedic surgeon. She mentioned in an interview that because her father was in medical school while she was still a child, her family tended to move around a lot. Her mother, Kay Barbara, was a teacher when Melanie was a child and is currently a real estate agent in New Zealand.
A social media post from Kay Barbara in July 2023 revealed that they had been married for 48 years then.
Melanie Lynskey's siblings
Melanie Lynskey is the oldest of five siblings, and she has three brothers and one sister. She has a brother named Sam Lynskey, who is an Orthopaedic Surgeon, and a brother named Josh, although his job is unknown. Furthermore, it is also known that Melanie Lynskey has a sister named Zoey Lynskey, who got married in May 2023.
Not only that, as per an interview, she also revealed that her daughter has sixteen cousins in total and that all four of her siblings have children of their own. However, Lynskey has never been specific about how many children each sibling has, and thus, the information is not available.
Melanie Lynskey's husband
Melanie Lynskey is married to Jason Ritter, and they have been dating since 2013, according to the couple themselves. Ritter, an American actor, is best known for his roles in Gravity Falls, Arcadia, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, Parenthood, and other television shows. The couple met while acting in The Big Ask, began dating soon after, and worked together again a year later in We'll Never Have Paris. The couple announced their engagement in February 2017 and eventually married, with Lynskey confirming in 2022 that they wed in 2020.
Melanie Lynskey's kids
Melanie Lynskey and her husband Jason Ritter have one child, a daughter named Kahikatea Ritter who was born in December 2018, with Lynskey herself making the announcement a month later.
FAQs
A. Melanie Lynskey has a kiwi accent although it is mistaken for an Australian accent sometimes.
A. Melanie Lynskey is a New Zealander.
A. No, Drew Barrymore and Melanie Lynskey aren’t related, although the two actresses did play stepsisters on Ever After.
