Melanie Lynskey Refused to Spoil Yellowjackets for Her Husband and Friends

Melanie Lynskey talks about playing a former cannibal on Yellowjackets; her husband, Jason Ritter, attempting to scare her and their daughter; and trying to pull off wigs with Jessica Biel in the series Candy.
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Melanie Lynskey Refused to Spoil Yellowjackets for Her Husband and Friends - Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Melanie Lynskey Refuse...
Late Night with Seth Meyers
/ latenightseth

[@RiRi-df9jt]

I had no idea she was doing an American accent in so many of her roles.

[@jakerattle95]

Neither did I

[@karronlaneNOLA]

she's known for her command of the american accent.

[@emilyeverson2567]

She is from new Zealand

[@Apocketfullofbs]

@@emilyeverson2567 yup

[@91frankthetank]

I think she's faking the Kiwi accent here lol 😂

[@EvanFowler]

She's the best. Been underrated since Heavenly Creatures. She's also got that Christian Bale thing where her American accent is so good that I'm almost surprised every time I hear her speak normally. Super excited that she's finally getting the attention she deserves!

[@leeblock9573]

wait Christian Bale's British????

[@Bridgejonesrox]

Agreed! Heavenly Creatures wasn't even the first thing I saw her in, but she's so brilliant in it. She's an icon.

[@loveinthematrix]

This is something I would say if no one said it first and I’m glad you see her value!! Yes to this!

[@yeah-isaidit9081]

I had no idea, she had me fooled!

[@datgrrl5698]

@@leeblock9573 no ..he is English... not British...yes there is a difference...

[@Mattalica-ss9pj]

It's so nice to hear her natural Kiwi accent in interviews because she never seems to get to do anything other than an American accent in her film/tv roles. 🥝🥝🥝

[@limetreess]

Agreed! The Kiwi accent is my fave and her American accent is impeccable but I’d love to hear her acting with her real voice in some roles too.

[@boogitybear2283]

It’s amazing how they can change their accents like they do!

[@JesusStJamesDR]

She used her natural voice on Psych

[@fashionablechangeling1988]

@@JesusStJamesDR And But I'm a Cheerleader

[@katietoole8345]

There are a few actors that you just think "oh, this is about to get good" when they show up on your screen and she is one of them, just a fantastic actress.

[@loveinthematrix]

Yes!!

[@Sexygirl31ify]

You nailed it. 👍

[@Kristine_202]

Ann Dowd is like that too. I guess some actors just have good instincts when it comes to which projects to work on.

[@ChipCain]

Everything she’s in is better because she’s in it. Brilliant actor.

[@loveinthematrix]

Yes! Poise!!!

[@Sexygirl31ify]

She’s awesome! 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@kmallory100]

Coyote Ugly and Sweet Home Alabama and Rose Red!

[@monkeymallow]

it is ridiculous that this is her first talk show!! she's brilliant and has been brilliant for decades!!

[@patriciabrown380]

she has been acting for soooo long and this is her first talk show? wow she is for sure one of my favorites.

[@naturalvee67]

I remember her from Ever After, my favorite Cinderella story. She was lovely in it.

[@mismissy]

I love that movie!

[@johannaecheverrylopez2386]

I'm just here for the food mother

[@christiexjmdmj]

Same here! Now I need to go watch it for the thousandth time 😂

[@Person1865]

@@johannaecheverrylopez2386 the only time I have ever felt represented onscreen

[@naturalvee67]

@@johannaecheverrylopez2386 Exactly! 😂

[@reneemoreno8030]

She was adorable in Two and a Half Men. Everything she is in she makes it her own and quirky, and very likable.

[@741662027]

And she's wearing a Rose dress!

[@boogitybear2283]

She was the best female character!😂

[@Gavin48]

She's adorable in Yellowjackets

[@hs2874]

She was literally the one good thing about that show.

[@Qliphirot]

@@hs2874 Nah man, Jon and Conchata were great acting as well

[@ahlicake]

I love hearing her talk in her Kiwi accent. I wish she could do a project where she can just use her natural accent! Same with Anna Paquin!

[@wolf-bearchief3705]

She has her natural accent in Happy Christmas.

[@MsVorpalBlade]

Mel uses a NZ accent in Heavenly Creatures (1994) Snakeskin (2001) and Show Of Hands (2008)

[@thecalmingspace7242]

I think Anna Paquin's old New Zealand accent has pretty much disappeared

[@janechoy2073]

I don't know why ML is not on more talk shows. She's delightful and genuine, and her shows are great. What an underrated star.

[@ReviewBoard-uy5nv]

Yeah. In the past, no one wanted to see bigger actresses unless they were crass and funny. Someone as lovely like her was considered boring by Hollywood

[@helenlizzystewart4908]

because she get fat shamed all the time and she is such a great actor

[@kathrynchapman9345]

Candid people with restraint are not boring. Where do these conceptions come from? Surely it's not the audience down voting.

[@karibear6504]

So humble and sweet. It's impossible not to love her.

[@jeffb.6642]

"Are you having an affair with Alan" *Two And A Half Men comes to mind*

[@Iris_Pirus]

I love her! I had no idea she wasn’t American! Her accent in Sweet Home Alabama!! Amazing actress! ❤

[@swankybutters8371]

Yeah, same... This is the first time I'm actually hearing it... Shocker...

[@skipc6467]

Anybody freaked out by her New Zealand accent?

[@Mattalica-ss9pj]

@@skipc6467 -- nope. She's a national treasure who just never gets to use her Kiwi accent. Just a Taranaki girl at heart.

[@carrieblakeslee3602]

So shocked! She’s just a delight. 🥰

[@moodyjenny86]

Surprised she hasn't lost her accent. Some actors do- like Cary Elwes, he's played so many Americans he's lost the British a little bit.

[@ashdstee]

First ever talk show?!? She should’ve been on so many she’s iconic!

[@Jivolt]

3:26 The way she says “text”. Love the accent.

[@ericminch]

Well, of course, she says "tixt". One of the five things to know when learning to speak Kiwi.

[@Epicurus341]

@@ericminch Along with: Australia Six, New Zealand Seven. 😉

[@gerardinecizmar]

She was a big part of what made Two and a Half Men great. I didn't know she was from New Zealand. Her American accent on the show was perfect.

[@SamLanena]

A fine New Zealand export, that lady. Heavenly Creatures, otherwise known as Kate Winslets first film, is an amazing flick. And Melanie is a huge reason why. Jackal 1701

[@THEchiQ]

Well put 🙃👍

[@squallleonhart3286]

She seems so down to earth and absolutely authentic. Such a great versatile actress. She blew me away in Yellowjackets.

[@lone982]

I am absolutely shocked that Rose from Two and a half men is a Kiwi..... Wow she's so amazing at accents.

[@babywah3290]

Mel is one of those fantastic character actors who now is finally getting roles that get her major notice.

[@emsulich]

At first I thought she was faking the accent.. I always thought that she was American, she was plays such Americana characters..

[@laurensegars4504]

Same here lol. I was honestly shocked, it's the first time I've ever heard her speak out of character & I was honestly expecting a southern accent or something bc she does it so well.

[@kjoyutube17]

Same!! I had to Google her to see where she was from!!

[@greyerbaby3323]

@@kjoyutube17 NEW ZEALAND BABY!!!! We are a small nation who get super proud when one of us makes it :)

[@ericminch]

Everybody in the world can do American accents, because USofA movies and TV go everywhere in the world. Probably kids in Hong Kong or Rio de Janeiro can do a better "inner city" accent than most Caucasoid USofAians.

[@Mattalica-ss9pj]

@@greyerbaby3323 - Yis we do :)

[@TommyLellan]

She’ll win an Oscar one day.

[@sahej6939]

If they ever get younger voting members

[@unholygustay]

Yes she will ❤

[@earth5926]

She definitely will ❤.

[@matrixkiwi2]

Nice to see our Kiwi girl has kept her accent, mostly lol. Great actress with a warm loveable persona :)

[@dogtato]

Seth seems like easily the least stressful latenight host to get interviewed by

[@drcl7429]

Not heard of Graham Norton?

[@mepkn]

She has the sweetest voice. One could use as an ASMR.

[@pam0626]

I loved her in the Duplass Brothers’ show, “Togetherness”.

[@faherty87]

She seems like the sweetest person in the world. I love her

[@katdujka4760]

She’s extremely underrated. I love her so much!

[@Epicurus341]

She was amazing in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures back in 1996 and has appeared in several of my favourite films since then: Win Win; Up In The Air; Away We Go. And to top it all she seems like a lovely person too.

[@claudiovega1993]

1992

[@Epicurus341]

@@claudiovega1993 I double checked this and IMDB/WikiPedia say 1994. So I don't know where I got 1996 from. We get to meet in the middle though.😀

[@SenoritaTorres1]

@@claudiovega19931994

[@Sexygirl31ify]

I love her cool New Zealand accent!!!! She’s so awesome. Can’t wait to see the new show Candy! 😎🙏

[@steffie17]

I wasn't familiar with her work before Yellowjackets but omg she's really amazing in it! Can't believe this is her first talk show appearance she was so funny i loved it! 😅

[@GoogleIsAPieceOfShit2023]

If you can find it, Rose Red! It’s an old movie based on a Stephen King novel. It was great all around. Melanie was great too 👍🏻

[@jennifermcgoldrick6323]

A recent film of hers called something like, I don’t feel at home in this world anymore, or almost that lol, with Elijah Wood, was great! It was weird and awesome. I watched it a second time a week after first viewing. Very good film, a bit art house.

[@vortiz3351]

She’s phenomenal in everything she’s done! A matter of time when the right project gets her an Oscar.

[@GoogleIsAPieceOfShit2023]

She’s so cute 🥰 I was there on May 2nd for the taping of this. She’s so funny!

[@janeskey5042]

That’s cool ! 🙂

[@cheylynne4914]

I've always adored her since I was young and watched Rose Red 🥰 it's hard to call her anything other than Sister

[@wednesday88835]

she is EVERYTHING

[@berniecruise9382]

She's soo sweet

[@miket4560]

Wow, I had no idea she was a Kiwi. Some great scenes with Tom Hanks in the Disney flick. Thanks for the clip.

[@karinmoney9592]

So proud of her as a fellow New Zealander.

[@golbetty007]

I am so obsessed with yellow jackets I need the second season to come out

[@daynalein6865]

Wow....I didn't know she was from New Zealand. She is good at an American accent

[@jeffdeboer1679]

I honestly had no idea she was from NZ until she started talking on this segment.

[@christopherlewis2578]

Seth forgot to mention Two And A Half Men in his opening.😂 I love Melanie.

[@lillypatience]

her character was so loveable for being a stalker! her guest appearance on Psych was good too!

[@josephtaylor3221]

Finally, she gets to be on one of the top US TV chat shows. I've been waiting for this moment for two decades...

[@fariayasmin]

I loved her in Yellow jackets. Absolutely stunning performance 💛

[@MarcellinaMoon]

I have been a fan of her and her films since the 90's and had NO IDEA that she had an accent!! OMG. I've loved her since heavenly creatures!

[@parallaxnick637]

She had her kiwi accent in Heavenly Creatures

[@claytonjones6119]

I’ve watched all of two and a half men with my dad and watched yellow jackets with my mom and never knew that she was from New Zealand and had a accent

[@joshfactor1]

it's weird to think we've been watching her on tv since 2003 & never knew she was a kiwi until now

[@Koolumi]

I love her voice

[@mtalhaawais]

I had such a crush on her when I was younger.

[@hs2874]

Her character in Yellowjackets is awesome and her real life accent is cool.

[@SamTemple]

One of my favourite Lynskey moments is in Girlboss when she chokes before saying "Excuse me, i havent spoken out loud today"

[@loveinthematrix]

Her charisma, her energy, damn I’d fall in love with her in a second

[@vaniprod]

Seth needs more Kiwi content!!

[@fenway1740]

Amazing actor ! She is absolutely adorable !

[@vsanchez7158]

She’s so good in every role she plays!

[@stephenwerner6363]

I absolutely adore her...she is a gorgeous woman one of my favorite current female actresses who deserves all the accolades she can get!

[@RHG1967]

She will always be Rose to me.

[@xyzpdq1122]

She is adorable and smart ❤

[@jenniferchandler6511]

She’s so funny and seems so down to earth. Love her! She’s amazing in everything she’s been in

[@musicisgoodforthesoul999]

I forgot she is from New Zealand. I've only heard her with an American accent. she's a great actress 😁

[@marianadenis4780]

I love her so much! I don't understand why people don't know about her

[@rickywarner7444]

She is great in any role, seems very genuine, just love her...so funny off screen as well. 🤗

[@classictalkies]

She should be winning all the awards 😍

[@pennysparkle7220]

i’ve been waiting for an interview since heavenly creatures. she did beautifully :)

[@selispeks]

I've loved her since childhood! ROSE RED, BAYBEEE!!! Been waiting for her to get thr recognition she deserves. She's always been an incredible actress!

[@willseattle8368]

Glad to see her, met her at a party at the Seattle International Film Fest before COVID-19 and she was very charming. A great actress!

[@orlandogutierrez4386]

She seems like such a likable person. I have enjoyed her movies over the years.

[@marcyfan]

gorgeous and brilliant! thanks for having her on.

[@kachuncamia]

She’s the epitome of what you mean when you say, “oh, they’re such a delight.”

[@Ken-1313]

Yellowjackets is so good! And Melanie is great in it. Can't wait to see more!

[@m7bz]

All the characters she plays, she makes them her own. A very talented and beautiful actress.

[@JuiceMyRandomness]

I have followed Melanie’s career since the beginning and seeing her in projects that are getting spoken about is so exciting. She can do any genre! Her character in Away We Go was amazing. There was a particular dance scene she did that was so entrancing and heartbreaking.

[@lenkazajic8509]

She's an absolute delight. In every way. I'm smiling ear to ear. Not to mention what an incredible actress she is. Need to see everything she's in...

[@papapatti1192]

She’s such an underrated actress and an amazing person, I adore her so much!( And her lovely kiwi accent hahaha!!

[@lisakestner4674]

Melanie is absolutely amazing in all her roles and Yellowjacket is fabulous

[@maduly7425]

OMG this is the first time i see her outside of Sweet Home Alabama.. i liked her sweet voice then and more now that i know it is her actual voice..So happy for her sucess.

[@sahej6939]

lol the baby in a bar!

[@jfinny3184]

How is this her first talk show?

[@auldthymer]

Right?

[@adamlane2490]

I know she looked nervous coming out but she was a great interview

[@maetaylor5677]

She is a amazing actress I love her performances!

[@kdholden]

Underated indeed! I can't believe this is her First talkshow!!!?

[@alienmoosestudios]

I absolutely love Melanie and everything she does...faves are Yellow Jackets and Rose Red!!!

[@FreedomofSpeech865]

I just love her. Great body of work

[@loriwagner2766]

Love this girl…wait…she has an accent? I had no idea.

[@lrvt1752]

She is such wonderful actor and love her in natural accent.

[@atiffany83]

I fell in love with her when Rose Red aired in 2002. She is so amazing 👏

[@sahej6939]

What movie?

[@sharonsmith1822]

Love her! Cant wait to see her in more movies!

[@lilykaufman8509]

I have loved her ever since I watched "But I'm a Cheerleader"

[@gardenbun]

I can't believe this is her first talk show! She gave so much dimension to the tv comedy Two and a Half Men. I didn't know she was a Kiwi until recently as her American accent is so on point!

[@fpolende]

omg the humor on her!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@pbintoau666]

She is a pure delight

[@rebecaprat712]

Mel is the best, #Yellowjackets is such a great show, smart amazing cast and the wrighting is so brilliant.

[@SaMoaSix8Five]

Melanie is a wonderful and talented actress. She plays a stalker very well lol She always had me in fits of laughter when she used to stalk Charlie Sheen in 'Two and a Half Men'.

[@jennyw4596]

Ok, I never hear anyone talk about "I don't feel at home in this world anymore" a movie she was in with Elijah Wood and it was just amazing. You should all watch it now.

[@abbyolivia]

And “away we go”!!

[@lydialilli4351]

Wonderful, wonderful actress who is subtle in her acting and yet really knows how to give depth to each character she plays. She's married to John Ritter's son, Jason. I'm watching the Hulu true crime drama she stars in called "Candy" and she's terrific. One of her best portrayals was a number of years ago in the film, "Heavenly Creatures".

[@MkurugenziMwenyekiti]

I love how Seth reacted to "This isn't Ellen DeGeneres". Like he needed more of those comparisons 😂😂

[@doctorf7501]

Mel is awesome

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Wow, something about her accent makes her more attractive than before. And I didn't know that was possible

[@Olive_O_Sudden]

I had no idea that she's from New Zealand.

[@emilpettersson3603]

This is the first time I've actually seen her not as a character and I had no idea she was a new zealander

[@Therealmegalollie]

I love her line “This ones still on the tit so I can cart him anywhere!” 😂

[@moonstoneway2694]

Aced her first talk show!