HBO's next potential hit has a lot of familiar faces. How do you know the actress who plays Michelle on Togetherness ? Actress Melanie Lynskey was born in New Zealand, but it's possible that you've never heard her Kiwi accent. However, you've definitely seen her in something before. That woman has had roles in almost all genres, from mainstream American sitcoms to sleepy independent features. She's one of the hardest working actresses out there. I would call her a "character actress" due the the variety of genres he career has placed her in, but the characters she plays aren't particularly loud of goofy. Her quirky career makes her the perfect fit for this comedy from the Duplass Brothers, who the average television viewer might recognize from The Mindy Project or The League (just Mark, on the latter), but are pioneers in independent film and sometimes considered founders of the mumblecore cinema movement. It may be a silly name, but it also brought us Greta Gerwig, so on some level we are always thankful for Mark and Jay Duplass.
In Togetherness, Melanie Lynskey plays the stay at home mom and wife of the protagonist, Brett. The official HBO website describes her character Michelle this way:
Michelle constantly feels exhausted and unfulfilled. Realizing her marriage to Brett is in turbulent waters, she's glad to have her sister Tina around as a sounding board -- even if it means that Tina moves in with Michelle and Brett.
That description doesn't give us much, but I'm sure Melanie Lynskey will bring a lot to the character. Her roles are often sweet, with the potential to turn sinister. Here are just a few of the places where you've seen her before:
Multi-Cam It Up
Your parents might recognize Lynskey from Two and A Half Men reruns, where she plays the family's neighbor Rose. She's a little bit evil, a little bit crazy, and a whole lot of funny. She had guest-starring roles on both Psych and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
The Best Friend
Lynskey has had small but memorable roles in romantic comedies They Came Together, Sweet Home Alabama, and Ever After. Though, I suppose They Came Together is a romantic comedy-comedy. She also played George Clooney's sister in Up In The Air, which I found hilarious but would be considered a romantic drama. She's taking a starring role in We'll Never Have Paris , which looks awesome.
Independent Cinema
Melanie Lynskey's first on-screen role was in the critically acclaimed film Heavenly Creatures alongside Kate Winslet and directed by Peter Jackson. The film is the true story of teenage friends in New Zealand who murdered one of their mothers. It's fascinating to me that this was Lynskey's breakout role, because I don't think I've seen her in anything as dark since then.
She provided comic relief in the film Shattered Glass, the true story of the Stephen Glass scandal. Lynskey was also in But I'm A Cheerleader with Natasha Leone from Orange Is The New Black. Recently, she appeared as Aunt Helen in Perks of Being A Wallflower, and in the mumblecore indie Happy Christmas with Lena Dunham, Anna Kendrick and Joe Swanberg.
Image: Melissa Moseley/HBO; Giphy (2)
