The following is a list of awards and nominations received by New Zealand actress Melanie Lynskey. Since winning her first accolade (Best Actress, 1995) at the New Zealand Film Awards for her portrayal of Pauline Parker in Heavenly Creatures, Lynskey has received various awards for her work in film and on television, including three Critics' Choice Awards, a HCA Award, a Gracie, a Hollywood Film Award and a Sundance Special Jury Award, as well as nominations for three Primetime Emmys, three Gothams, two Satellite Awards, an Independent Spirit Award, one Golden Nymph, and one Screen Actors Guild Award.
Lynskey was nominated for the 2015 Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work on HBO's Togetherness. She won the 2022 Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series for playing Shauna on Showtime's Yellowjackets, and later earned two Primetime Emmy nominations (Lead Actress in a Drama Series; 2022, 2023) for the same role. She received another Critics' Choice nomination (Supporting Actress in a Miniseries, 2023) for co-starring as Betty Gore in Candy, and a further Emmy nomination (Guest Actress in a Drama Series, 2023) for her role as Kathleen on the first season of HBO's The Last of Us.
Major associations
+ Primetime Emmy AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result2022 Yellowjackets Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series 2023 Yellowjackets Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The Last of Us Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
+ Screen Actors Guild AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result2022 Don't Look Up Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Critics awards
+ Central Ohio Film Critics AssociationYear Nominated work Category Result 2010 Up in the Air Best Ensemble
+ Critics' Choice Super AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result2022 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Horror Series 2024 The Last of Us Best Villain in a Series, Limited Series or Made-For-TV Movie Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Horror Series, Limited Series or Made-For-TV Movie 2025 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Horror Series, Limited Series or Made-For-TV Movie
+ Critics' Choice Television AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result2015 Togetherness Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 2022 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Drama Series 2023 Candy Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
+ Denver Film Critics SocietyYear Nominated work Category Result 2010 Up in the Air Best Acting Ensemble
+ Dorian AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Best TV Performance 2023 Yellowjackets Best TV Performance – Drama
+ Hollywood Creative AllianceYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series – Drama Candy Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series 2023 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series – Drama The Last of Us Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series 2025 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Drama Series
+ San Diego Film Critics Society AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result2012 The Perks of Being a Wallflower Best Performance by an Ensemble
+ TCA AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Individual Achievement in Drama
+ Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result2009 Up in the Air Best Ensemble
Festival awards
+ Chicago Alt.Film FestYear Nominated work Category Result 1999 Foreign Correspondents Best Actress
+ Fargo Film FestivalYear Nominated work Category Result 2014 Putzel Best Actress
+ Monte-Carlo Television FestivalYear Nominated work Category Result 2018 Sunshine Outstanding Actress (Long Fiction Program)
+ Newport Beach TV FestYear Nominated work Category Result 2025 Yellowjackets Outstanding Drama Ensemble
+ Sundance Film FestivalYear Nominated work Category Result2016 The Intervention Individual Performance
Miscellaneous awards
+ "An Irish Person" TV AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Outstanding Leading Actress in a Drama Series Yellowjackets Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series
+ Autostraddle TV AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Outstanding Performance by a Straight Actress in a Straight Role 2023 Yellowjackets Outstanding Performance by a Straight Actress in a Straight Role
+ Awards Circuit Community AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2009 Up in the Air Best Cast Ensemble 2012 The Perks of Being a Wallflower Best Cast Ensemble
+ Awards Daily Cooler AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series 2023 Yellowjackets Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
+ Behind the Voice Actors AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2014 Over the Garden Wall Best Vocal Ensemble in a New Television Series (People's Choice) Over the Garden Wall Best Vocal Ensemble in a New Television Series Over the Garden Wall Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in a Television Series – Comedy/Musical
+ Year Nominated work Category Result 2011 Away We Go Best Supporting Actress – International Competition
+ Gold Derby AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2010 Up in the Air Ensemble Cast 2022 Don't Look Up Best Ensemble Yellowjackets Best Actress – Drama 2023 Yellowjackets Best Actress – Drama The Last of Us Best Guest Actress – Drama 2026 Matlock Best Guest Actress – Drama
+ Gotham Independent Film AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result2012 Hello I Must Be Going Breakthrough Actor 2017 I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore Best Actress 2022 Yellowjackets Outstanding Performance in a New Series
+ Gracie AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Actress in a Leading Role – Drama
+ Independent Spirit AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result2023 Yellowjackets Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series
+ International Online Cinema AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Drama Series
+ Just About Write AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Outstanding Lead Actress – Drama 2023 Yellowjackets Outstanding Lead Performance – Drama
+ Lady Parts TV AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
+ New Zealand Film and Television AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 1995 Heavenly Creatures Best Actress 2001 Snakeskin Best Actress 2009 Show of Hands Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film
+ Online Film & Television AssociationYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Drama Series 2023 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Drama Series The Last of Us Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
+ Pena de PrataYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Best Lead Acting in a Drama Series Yellowjackets Best Ensemble in a Drama Series
+ Satellite AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2023 Candy Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film 2024 Yellowjackets Best Actress – Television Series Drama
+ Saturn AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2022 Yellowjackets Best Actress in a Network/Cable Series
+ Tell-Tale TV AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2023 Yellowjackets Favorite Performer in a Cable or Streaming Drama Series 2024 Yellowjackets Favorite Performer in a Cable or Streaming Drama Series
+ Visa Entertainment Screen AwardsYear Nominated work Category Result 2010 The Informant! Best New Zealand Actress in a Film
Honours
+ CinEuphoria AwardsYear Nominee Category Result 2024 Melanie Lynskey Merit – Honorary Award
+ Hollywood Film AwardsYear Nominee Category Result 2009 Melanie Lynskey Spotlight Award
+ Miami Film FestivalYear Nominee Category Result 2025 Melanie Lynskey Precious Gem Award
+ RiverRun International Film FestivalYear Nominee Category Result 2014 Melanie Lynskey Emerging Master
+ Visa Entertainment Screen AwardsYear Nominee Category Result 2010 Melanie Lynskey Best New Zealand Export
References