12 Behind-The-Scenes Secrets Melanie Lynskey Spilled When We Asked Her To React To Her Iconic Roles

Now that's an introduction to Leonardo DiCaprio!

Recently, we got the privilege to sit down with the ICON that is Melanie Lynskey.

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I mean, who doesn't love this woman!

Melanie was in town promoting the series that has us all in a chokehold, Yellowjackets! We had the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane and discuss her previous iconic roles!

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From But I'm A Cheerleader to more recently The Last Of Us, here's everything we learnt about her career so far.

1. Some people fainted while filming Heavenly Creatures.

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Melanie's very first film, Heavenly Creatures was with Kate Winslet and directed by Peter Jackson. It was actually her first acting job, as she’d only done school plays before that. 

Based on the infamous Parker-Hulme murder case set in Christchurch, New Zealand, the film includes magical worlds that Melanie and Kate's characters mentally escape to. While a lot was greenscreen, the costumes were not, and Melanie shared that a couple of actors passed out due to the heat and heaviness of the clay man costumes especially.

2. That was an Australian accent for But I'm A Cheerleader.

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Despite being a Kiwi, Melanie used an Australian accent for But I'm A Cheerleader. We'll never know why she chose that accent, but she shared she had so much fun doing it and is grateful for the role because that's where she got to meet her now best friend Clea DuVall.

3. Melanie struggled to be taken seriously whilst on Two and a Half Men.

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Two and a Half Men was once one of the most popular shows in America, so it can be hard for people to see you as any other role. While being on the show, like most actors, Melanie auditioned for other roles but was surprised when a big director was shocked she could act. The director implied that by being part of a sitcom, she wasn't a real actor. Melanie thought to herself “Oh God is this how people are thinking of people that are on sitcoms?" With that, she decided to leave the show and guest star on occasion.

4. Permanent cast members on sitcoms sometimes have nothing to do.

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When Melanie initially auditioned for Two and a Half Men it was for a guest role, but Rose was quickly a fan favourite and she became a permanent cast member. Melanie revealed that sometimes she would only have one funny line in an episode but would have to be on set all week, which can get tiring. Luckily her transition to guest star meant episodes were written with her in mind and her time could be used more effectively every time she was on set.

5. She almost quit the film where she met her husband, Jason Ritter.

Tribeca Film

While filming The Big Ask, Melanie was coming out of a big breakup. We've all been there, and the last thing you want to do when you're heartbroken is work. Depressed and overwhelmed with emotion almost led her to quit the film multiple times, stating that if she weren't offered the role without auditioning she would never have worked on it. Luckily she powered through and managed to meet the love of her life Jason Ritter and the rest is history.

6. Jason and Melanie haven't watched the film they met on.

Tribeca Film

If I had a film showing the moments I fell in love with my husband I would watch it all the time, but Melanie shared that they haven’t watched it together yet. She is hoping one day they can show their daughter, however, they would have to fast forward passed their sex scene.

7. I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore was the greatest experience of her life.

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After having her daughter, Melanie expressed how much love she has for I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore and how much love she has for Elijah Wood. The whole cast and director still have a group chat that they message on daily – that’s how fun it was to shoot this underrated classic.

8. The first time she met Leonardo DiCaprio she had to throw pills at his head.

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Don’t Look Up has stars on stars on stars, so there wasn’t always time for an introduction. In the scene where Melanie's character confronts her husband (Leonardo DiCaprio) for cheating on her with Cate Blanchett's character (I told you…STARS) Melanie’s character launches pill bottles at his head and according to Melanie, this was the first time they had ever met. What an introduction!

9. Cate Blanchett is more comforting than you might think.

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Being part of a large ensemble cast isn’t easy. You have the biggest names in the industry putting on their best for a movie, but some moments can be comforting. Melanie shared “Once upon a time if someone said you would be comforted by the presence of Cate Blanchett on a set, I would’ve been like what are you talking about” but that is exactly what happened. Between takes, Melanie and Cate would lie on hotel beds and talk for hours. Sleepover antics never die out.

10. She had no idea The Last Of Us was going to be as successful as it is.

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Melanie instantly loved the story and was a fan of Craig M, but knows nothing about video games, so couldn't grasp what the series meant to people. Apart from it being her husband's favourite game, she had no idea about the fanbase beforehand, but feels incredibly lucky to be a part of it.

11. She doesn’t know the phrases you’re tweeting at her.

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If you previously tweeted “Melanie Lynskey is so MOTHER” unfortunately she didn’t understand what you were talking about. Now we’ve explained to Melanie what “Mother” actually means, she's very happy!

12. This season of Yellowjackets is going to be EMOTIONAL!

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When reading the script for season two Melanie confessed she cried because it was THAT upsetting, it was haunting her daily life. The series is already super stressful, so what else could possibly happen?!

You can watch the new season of Yellowjackets on Paramount+ now!