Jason Ritter Gushed About Wife Melanie Lynskey’s Long Overdue Success After Almost 3 Decades In Hollywood

Mar 29, 2023

Melanie Lynskey is one of the most promising character actresses in Hollywood. The native New Zealander is well-known for portraying complex female characters and has a good grasp and command of various American dialects. 

Although she has worked predominantly in independent films, Lynskey is a force to be reckoned with in the acting department. She is a recipient of a New Zealand Film Award, a Hollywood Film Award, a Sundance Special Jury Award, an HCA Award, a Gracie Award and even two Critics’ Choice Awards. She has also earned nominations from the Satellite, Gotham, Golden Nymph, Independent Spirit and Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as a prestigious Primetime Emmy nomination.

She is known for her series like “Mrs. America,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Castle Rock,” “Coyote Ugly,” “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Up in the Air,” among many others. Lynskey has also starred in films such as her 1994 debut, “Heavenly Creatures,” “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World,” “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore” and the star-studded film “Don’t Look Up.”

Despite her vast filmography, it wasn’t until “Yellowjackets” that Lynskey gained significant prominence to a wider audience. Thanks to the show, Lynskey earned her very first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. 

The recognition was the start of something bigger for Lynskey, and it even opened up more opportunities for her, including her addition to the star-studded cast of HBO’s “The Last of Us.” Her husband, Jason Ritter, is one with her in celebrating her success. In an interview with E! News, Ritter gushed about the attention that his lovely wife has received so far. Read on to learn more about RItter’s thoughts on his wife's success!

In 2017, Lynskey got engaged to Ritter. Three years after, they went on to tie the knot after having their first child in 2018. Ritter and Lynskey have shown that they make a great team, and the loving husband is always there to be with his wife through the ups and downs. 

In a December 2022 article from Variety, it was revealed that Ritter would be joining his wife on “Yellowjackets” as a guest star on the Showtime thriller’s second season. When asked by E! News about his experiences in filming for the upcoming season, Ritter had this to say: 

"It was so much fun to film, I can say that. I heard so many stories about some of the crew members that Melanie loves and I only ever met her fellow castmates. So, it was nice to actually be there and meet people, person to person, and go, 'Oh my gosh, Melanie loves you.'”

Ritter is also a self-confessed “Yellowjackets” fan. Now that he's had inside access to the writer’s room and possibly knows the story that's to come, Ritter said working on the show was a “real thrill,” as it is a super fan’s dream to be included in it. 

However, the two haven’t shot any scenes together – which was particularly difficult for both of them as they have to be parents to their 4-year-old daughter. 

"I didn't have any interaction with him, so it was difficult because we had to figure out childcare," Lynskey told E! News in a different interview. "I was like, 'Oh, I get some time off I guess.' And they said, 'No, you've got to go do all this publicity.' So then I had to bring my daughter with me cause he was working."

Despite the difficulties that shooting a series together posed for the couple, Ritter cannot help but be proud of his wife, who finally, after decades of being in the industry, has gotten her big breakthrough. 

"It's so satisfying, it's so incredible. She's just been so wonderful for so long and she never really put a lot of thought process into anything else aside from her work. That was always the most important thing to her,” Ritter told E! News.

Critics have praised Lynskey for her role in “Yellowjackets,” noting that her performance was “unpredictable in its own subtler ways.” 

“Nearly three decades into Lynskey’s career, it’s hardly news that she’s a versatile actor, able to move between sweet and spiky, hilarious and heartbreaking with seeming effortlessness. In Yellowjackets, Lynskey plays all those notes and then some, layered into a single thrilling symphony,” The Hollywood Reporter wrote. 

But Ritter has always seen his wife as an incredible actor and said that she has been doing this since she was 15 years old. 

"It's amazing to see all of this attention, and I hope that new fans of Melanie will go back and watch some of the independent movies and other shows that she's been a part of,” he added.

On the other hand, Lynskey seemed to find the recognition and acclaim she's been receiving as something new. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she confessed that she didn’t know if she had been part of something with this huge a response. 

“I never expect anything to blow up. I never expect anything to take off. I’ve learned to not have any expectations at all,” Lynskey confessed. “It’s very different for me.”

Are you a fan of Melanie Lynskey? What can you say about Jason Ritter's feelings toward his wife’s success? Do you think the actress deserves all the attention and recognition she's getting? Let us know and pass this on to your family, friends and other Melanie Lynskey fans!