New Zealander Melanie Lynskey first gained acclaim when she starred in the 1994 film Heavenly Creatures at just 16 years old. The film, directed by Peter Jackson and costarring Kate Winslet, earned Lynskey the Best Actress award at the 1995 New Zealand Film and TV Awards.

Since her breakout role, Lynskey has amassed a solid resume in both film and television. Her first Hollywood film came in 1998, when she played one of the stepsisters in the Drew Barrymore-starring Cinderella retelling Ever After. In 2002, Lynskey appeared in Sweet Home Alabama alongside Reese Witherspoon. That same year, she made her television debut in the Stephen King miniseries Rose Red. The following year, Lynskey was cast in Two and A Half Men. Though she left the cast in 2005, she continued to make guest appearances until the show ended in 2015. The later 2000s brought more film roles, including Flags of Our Fathers and Up in the Air, as well as guest spots on shows including Psych, The L Word, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and House M.D.

Lynskey currently stars in the HBO series Togetherness. She was nominated for a Critic's Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for her performance as Michelle Pierson.