Happy Sad Confused - Melanie Lynskey

Episode Date: April 20, 2023

If you've got any taste you already know what the world is discovering, Melanie Lynskey is one of the greats. And she's so sweet and cool to boot as you'll discover in this chat with Josh. From HEAVENLY CREATURES to YELLOWJACKETS and THE LAST OF US, enjoy this conversation with the always excellent Melanie Lynskey. UPCOMING LIVE EVENTS! Jim Gaffigan -- 4/27 at 92NY in NYC. Virtual tickets available! ⁠Get your tickets here!⁠ John Cena -- 5/15 at 92NY in NYC. Virtual tickets available. ⁠Get your tickets here!⁠ SUPPORT THE SHOW BY SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! HONEY--Get PayPal Honey for FREE at JoinHoney.com/HSC BABBEL -- Right now, when you purchase a 3-month Babbel subscription, you’ll get an additional 3 months for FREE. That’s 6 months, for the price of 3! Just go to BABBEL.com and use promo code HSC. To watch episodes of Happy Sad Confused, subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh's youtube channel here⁠⁠⁠⁠! Check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Happy Sad Confused patreon here⁠⁠⁠⁠! We've got discount codes to live events, merch, early access, exclusive episodes of GAME NIGHT, video versions of the podcast, and more! For all of your media headlines remember to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Wakeup newsletter here⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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one of our great actors, Melanie Winski hits her stride with Yellow Jackets and The Last of Us. Hey guys, I'm Josh Harrow. It's welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Yes, we've got Melanie Linsky as the main event on the pod today. Technically not a first-time guest. If you really dig through the archives, you'll find an episode probably five-ish years ago, five, six years ago, where I did a bunch of mini-episodes at Sundance. And I chatted with Melanie and her once and future co-star, now again on Yellow Jackets, Elijah Wood, about a great film, actually, if you haven't checked it out. I don't feel at home in this world. I think I have that title,

right? It's on Netflix, and she was fantastic in that. It didn't get enough attention at the time. But that's the whole point of this conversation. Melanie Nguinsky is now getting all the attention. She deserves a nearly 30-year career, and she's kind of getting her her due at last. And it couldn't be going to a more deserved, a lovely individual. So Melanie Lindski, the main event on the podcast today. More on that in a second. Other things to mention. A couple of live events coming up for you guys. As I always want to give you guys the heads up on those. April 27th, coming

very soon in about a week, Jim Gaffigan and I are going to be chatting at 92 NY about his comedy, about his acting, about the new Peter Pan film he's in. It's going to be a fun night. Jim Gaffigan, one of the funniest men working today and just like another like truly decent individual. So excited for that one. Then on May 15th, we have a ginormous star in every conceivable definition of the word John Sina joining me at 92 NY talking fast 10. Yes. We're going to talk about everything, the wrestling career, the acting career. the Fast franchise, the Peacemaker TV series and Future. John is going to be a really fun guest. He's been on the podcast before, so I can say that with the utmost authority.

What else that I want to mention to you guys? I've been trying to catch up on some theater lately. I don't think I've mentioned. I saw our old buddy Jessica Chastain in a doll's house on Broadway. It's a limited engagement. This is a tough ticket to get, guys. See it if you can. I mean, this is not exactly.

me touting a you know a little known show that needs support but as you might expect a new interpretation of a doll's house starring jessica chastain yeah that delivers and she is just spectacular in the show um man jessica just is like racking up every award the last few years i mean talk about one of our great actors whether it's oscars or you know now she's in the mix for George and Tammy coming up. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Tony in her future as well. So, yeah, seat if you can. I was, like, seated in the second row,

which is almost, like, too close to the stage in a way. And if you see the show, you'll see what I'm talking about. Prior to the show, and I don't think this, like, reveals anything, Jessica gets into a seat in character, and it's basically spinning around the stage for about 15 minutes, minutes staring an unbroken stare into the audience. And it was unnerving. And I felt like she was staring right at me. And I'm like, oh, God, I'm going to ruin her concentrate. Like the ego in me like, I'm going to ruin her concentration. Jessica knows me. And I'm going to mess her up.

No, she was fine. She was more than fine. She was amazing. I corresponded with her afterwards. And I was like, I was like, you were amazing. And it's like, I'm sorry if I, you know, distracted you. She's like, I didn't see you there. So there you go. If you ever think you're the focus of someone's attention, big movie star, theater stars attention, not so much. They're professionals. They're heads in the game.

I wouldn't expect anything less. I also saw a show called Fat Ham, which is getting great reviews and undeservedly show it on the Pulitzer in 2021. It was at the public theater and now it's on Broadway. It's a reinterpretation of Hamlet with an all-black cast. It's kind of a cookout setting and a much different take on Hamlet. Quentin Tarantino would be proud. I'll say that. Meaning, you know, the ending might not be the ending you remember of Hamlet. Very entertaining. Stellar ensemble can't recommend it enough. Yeah, a lot of good stuff on the stage. If you can get to New York and you have the means, there's a lot out there.

Of course, I still haven't seen Prima Fashi, Prima Fichi, Prima Fachi, you know, the Jodi Comer show. I'm hopefully going to see that soon. Some other stuff I'm excited about. So, yeah, little culture in my life, little theater. TV-wise, Barry, you guys, I've seen the first seven of eight episodes of the new season. No spoilers here, don't worry. It's the final season of Barry. Fantastic. Again, not surprising in any way. And I will say we have a very exciting upcoming guest related to Barry in the very near future on happy, sad, confused.

Okay, so back to Melanie Winski. She is the main event today. This is a career conversation. We go way back. She is, of course, a New Zealand native. She came to prominence in that fantastic Peter Jackson film, Heavenly Creatures, her alongside Kate Winslet. we reminisce about that, and she's really candid and open about talking about her friendship and collaboration with Peter, but also with Kate Winslet at the time that felt like, you know, it was going to last a lifetime, as any early relationship feels like it will, and just the realities of the business and how they've kind of gone on different paths. I found that very striking and poignant. And it was also just fun to talk to Melanie, who was so soft-spoken and Sweet who is just, I mean, she is, as any actor or kind of person with good taste knows, honestly, she's been killing it for nearly 30 years.

Like, she is a character, actor, extraordinary. She can do anything. She can be the lead. She can be the supporting player. She can do comedy and drama. She can be a badass as evidenced by The Last of Us. So it's really exciting to see her get her just rewards and the attention she deserves for, this latest run of roles. We did talk a bit about Last of Us. We did talk a lot about

Yellow Jackets, which is now in its second season. If you're worried about spoilers, don't worry. We didn't get into the particulars. This was actually taped just as the second season was getting going. I didn't want to get into particulars about the new season because why ruin it for folks? But it's a great chat with a smart, just like amazingly humble actor who who, you know, deserves to not be humble. She's truly one of the best in the business, and I'm thrilled to say she is front and center on happy, say, I'm confused at last.

Remember to review rate and subscribe to the podcast. Check us out on Spotify. You can watch us on Spotify. Check out the Patreon page where you can get access to all of our episodes a little bit early and discount codes to the live events and swag and all that fun stuff at patreon.com happy, sad, confused. Okay, here we go, the main event, the star of Yellow Jackets, a key supporting player in this season of The Last of Us and too many other roles to mention. Here she is, the one and only, Melanie Winski.

Melanie, welcome to the podcast. You've kind of been on before, but I feel kind of remiss. Like you, we did a small thing years ago, you and Elijah. Yeah. But I feel like I fucked up. You deserved your front and center moment long ago. So I'm making up for lost time now. Welcome to the podcast officially. Thank you for having me.

I'm so honored. First of all, any moment I get to hang out with Elijah is a good one. So that was a very fun time. I remember it. And that was a great movie. I'd like to get into that one again too. Did you have anything to do with getting Elijah in on the Yellow Jackets Fund this season? Or was that just Kismet or what?

I had no idea. And he didn't, we text every single day, basically. We're still on a text thread from, I don't feel at home in this world anymore. So we're always in contact. And then at a certain point, he said, see you in, whenever we were going, see you in August or whatever, it was like two weeks out. I was like, what are you talking about? He hadn't tipped you off that they were talking. He just was like, hey, by the way, I'm in your show.

He never said, you know, I'm having a meeting. Right. What is it like? Just, here I come. But it was great. It's so great to have him, yeah. A nice surprise. Yeah, he's, he's pure goodness and light in the universe. So, okay, so talk to me about, look, it's weird to talk in these terms about someone who's basically been working consistently for 25 or 30 years. But to some on the outside looking in, it's like, oh, they've discovered Melanie Lewinsky in the last two years. It's like you're having this moment when like all the cool kids know you've been doing. amazing work for a long time. But like, give me a sense of what it's been like for you, having ridden the ups and downs of a career to kind of have this, what must feel like an interesting moment. I mean, does it feel like a strange time? It does. And I love that you're saying that also because it is funny to have like a 30 year career, be kind of, you know,

I've read some interviews where people are like, blah, blah, blah. She did a bunch of stuff. But now, Well, let's not throw all that out. Yeah. I'm proud of my career. I worked really hard. I was a working actor, you know, like, to me, that was all I ever wanted. So my dreams had already come true. I had done all this work and felt really good about it.

I was making a living. I didn't expect to suddenly be in this position. I mean, I'm not complaining. It's wonderful. But it's a big surprise at this point. Well, look, I mean, you're more aware of this than anybody. But like you've had this fascinating career where like it does feel like, look, actors love

and appreciate you, filmmakers love and appreciate you, critics love and appreciate you. And then like, then there's even like the kind of the broad like two and a half men world loves you, right? And then there's this like gray area in between it all that maybe doesn't like, like, which is kind of like what you're now like tapping into, I think. Because you're in what you haven't, I guess, had are like these zeitgeisty kind of shows, like two and a half men. is a huge show, but Yellow Jackets, Last of Us, are like the shows that like engage Twitter, engage the media, engage conversation. So I guess that's the difference. Yeah, I think you're right.

That is the thing that I have not had before. Like two and a half men was the number one show on television, but it wasn't about me. I, you know, I had a small role. I came and went. I wasn't on it all the time. So I don't think people really associate me with that. show and also this is a different like the zeitgeist thing that you're talking about is like very new for me is it well because i know you're someone that's that's always kind of been

plugged into like into the social media world like you like we all know you through social media and in person and you're like you've always been like very kind of accessible and nice and normal like oh this is someone that loves what we do and we we vice versa right and and again these shows like spawn these conversations so i'm curious like what's it like to be in something like Yellow Jackets the last couple years where like you're in that show where it's like the Reddit board, the Twitter threads, the conversation, like, have you engaged in that? Has it been fun for you to kind of like experience that? The Twitter stuff has been very fun. It's very fun to be part of two different shows where

people are reacting in the moment, like reacting as it's airing. That's a completely new thing and so, so, so fun. And, you know, most of the time when people are reaching out to say something to you on Twitter, it's positive. I don't sort of obsessively, like, look up the shows or my name or anything. I'm not trying to see anything that I don't need to see. Yeah. When people are saying things to me, I enjoy it.

I looked on Reddit a little bit. It's not for me. It's too. I'm with you. I'm with you. It's too much. It's a level. It's a level beyond what I can handle myself.

Yeah. There's so many awesome people, it seems like, in fun theories and stuff like that. But then it's hard to not see a lot of negativity. So I just, I was like, it's better for me to not look. Do the lines ever get blurry because you do like know a lot of, I mean, you engage with journalists and stuff like that? Like, and by and large, they all love you and they're going to say nice things. But like, have you ever had that instance where like someone you follow, write something and you're like, oh, like, do you. can that get a little weird in a way

when you have relationships with folks that are commenting on it? About that, I think everybody who I do have relationships with and I do like follow and admire, it's such genuine like fan girling on my part. Like I really admire like people's work, like your work and so many other people.

I just, it's something I'm very, very passionate about. And everybody who I truly love, I think just their ethics are too good to have them be clouded by like enjoying someone on a personal level. So I would really, really hope that anyone who I've had any kind of interaction

with on social media or in real life or whatever, if they saw me do something that wasn't good, I hope they'd say like, that wasn't great. I really believe that people would. I don't know. There's been, I remember a few years, ago I was in a movie and David Rooney who's a critic that I really love and admire wrote a review and said that I was not great in the movie and he was right. He was absolutely right. It was a bad

experience for me and I wasn't I held something back. I just feeling so vulnerable in the environment and I just wasn't I wasn't good and it just made me respect him even more. I was like oh wow I love that he can see that. Like it was a very gracious way that he said it um but i felt very seen i felt very you know i was like he's a great critic well there's a difference between yeah just you know shitting on people for no reason and actual thoughtful criticism and and you know taking in the scope of someone's work and understanding that an attempt was made and not making it up something mean and criticism i think is it's so fascinating and so worthy.

And I read, if I love something or I don't love something, I'll read every review I can. It doesn't matter. Like, I want to see, it just takes on it. I want to see the conversation. I want to see what people who are much smarter than me have to say about it. So, you know, the same goes from my work. I read every review.

And some of them are good and some of them are not as good. What about taking compliments from peers or filmmakers you admire? I let's let's let's let's let's receive a compliment for a second because I'm sure you've had moments where you're working side by side with someone and you have them say something that must melt your brain that like this person that I've admired for decades has seen me as you say and and has accepted it and and enjoyed what I've done can you pinpoint is there a moment or two that jumps out at you of like oh wow I I I'm up here and I and I've earned the accolates from this person I mean when I did Mrs. America with Kate Blanchett, the greatest actor, she gave me a hug. When I met her, she gave me a hug and she was like, finally, I've wanted to work with you for so long. And I just was kind of, I didn't even expect her to really have a concept of who I am. And I said, oh, I didn't even think you would know who I was.

And she was like, are you joking? She couldn't really believe. She was like, we came up together. And I was like, that's the case. I think that the trajectories were kind of different, but very kind of you to put it that way. So that was a moment where I was really like, oh gosh, you know. Yeah. Well, it's funny, yeah, in a much different way.

And this is not about a compliment for me, but like I had this recently because I've been around for a bit. And it's like you see people through different stages. stages and you kind of like they have an association with you. It's like I saw Anthony Mackey at something. I've known him for 15 years. And he like, he brings me in for a hug. He's like, we came up together, man. I'm like, Anthony, you're Captain America. Like what do you? I've been talking into the same microphone for 15 years. Like, I feel like I'm like stuck in like a cage and they're all ascending. But it's, it's very sweet when, yeah, when you kind of feel connection with somebody that you really admire in that way. And they, yeah. And you're so

memorable. I mean, you're always like, it's always such a great conversation and I'd love to like listen to you have conversations with other people. Every time I've talked to you, it's been great. It's, yeah. And it's always, it's not surface level. It's always, you know, you're getting to the heart of something. It's always. Well, it, well, I appreciate it. We don't need to make it about me, but it's legitimate love, as you know. Like, I like yourself, I love this stuff. So like, you know. For most of us learning a second language in high school or college was not exactly a high point in our academic careers. I know it wasn't for me. I tried Italian, I tried French, and none of it stuck. But now, thanks to Babel, the language learning app that sold more than 10 million

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oh because she you've you've blown her up yeah you've so for context. This is a psychic. Did you know her prior to that? Like it was this like a one-off or? No, I've been talking to her for a long time. Not that often. Every, every few months, I'll check in. There's always some insight. I check in at the beginning of a job because she's very good at telling me how to navigate people, how to talk to different people. She's very good at that stuff. So before I go into something, she's given me some very good tools about how to be with certain people because I have a lot of social anxiety. she yeah just in the middle of the pandemic she just said no this huge time is about to happen to you you're going to be having a moment in your career that you thought because it didn't happen when you were 25 that it was never going to happen and I just was like I don't think that was possible I don't think that's a thing yeah and when you when you read yellow jackets how does that read on the page. I mean, is it's, are you a good judge on the first read of something that like

there's something special here? I'm really good. It's my one real talent. And sometimes people will ask me to read things. My friends sometimes will be like, can you just read this and tell me if it's good or not? Just on a gut level, you can usually respond to something and know. I just know if the writing is good. There have been a couple of times where I've gotten scripts, you know, that we're going to be made by big filmmakers, really great filmmakers. And I've gone, this isn't very good.

You know? Wow. Yeah. And I have to say, this is not great. Like, I understand I can't pass on an audition for Bababaaba filmmaker, but. And was the proof in the pudding?

Did those films generally turn out? Yeah. That's amazing. It's one thing that I am really good at. so I knew it would be I knew it was good I knew it was really good and then I saw that Karen Kusama was going to direct the pilot and I was like oh well then it's going to be great it's going to be great just the elements that were so much was going on in the pilot and the kind of horror female relationship like the balance of that that was the only thing I was like

somebody needs to be able to find the balance of all these different interwoven things and then they're like oh what we have that actual perfect person because that's something she's magnificent at and I just I was like I think this is going to be really good the surprising thing was after we filmed the pilot I heard nothing I didn't hear showtime likes it I didn't hear if that was great like silence so I was like it failed somehow I guess my picker was off.

I don't, I was really confused. And was there an explanation when it finally, when you got the news of what the delay was? Just one of those things. Just one of those things. I don't know. There was some vague, like, oh, the pandemic. I was like, okay.

The pandemic happened like a year after we shot the pilot. And it came a catch-offer excuses for everything. Yeah. Yeah. It got picked up on the last day of my option. They had an option on me. for a year and I was at a point where I was like okay so tomorrow's the last day of this option I can finally audition for television or say I'm available or whatever oh amazing so you knew that

you had that on the calendar you're like okay now I now I open myself and yeah so annoyed at this a year is a long time yeah yeah to not be able to do any TV so I was like okay it's tomorrow and then I'm free and then they were like oh we're picking the show up I was so confused I was like And was the idea of, you kind of share this role, clearly, and that's an unusual circumstance, was that exciting, intriguing, that like, okay, this is going to be, I mean, obviously all of this is a collaboration, but this is going to be a unique kind of collaboration. Yes. There was a lot of kind of trusting going on when I signed up for this pilot. I was the first actor who signed on, so I didn't know who else would. be in it and then i didn't get to see tapes or anything of the young me's um i wasn't familiar with the showrunners and so there was a big part of it where i was like i hope they get it right i don't i don't know i you know we had a hair and makeup fitting and i met

sophy there sophy nalise who plays young me and she was in a full panic she said i just got cast I don't know why they cast me. I look nothing like you. Your voice is so high. I've been watching videos and your voice is so high. I was like, nice to meet you. She was really so stressed out about it. And I just was like, oh, God, what is going on?

And then we did the table reading. It just worked. Yeah. And then I wasn't worried after I saw that. I was like, oh, we're playing the same character. I mean, the ensemble's great. The young actors, obviously, your contemporaries, is all fantastic.

I had Juliet on the podcast last year, and that was a treat. I mean, such a character and an icon in her own right. Now, is it true? I read, like, you know, all this, like, random, like, IMDB trivia, and it's been said that, like, when you moved to L.A., you watched a lot of TV and films and stuff, and that you kind of mimicked a lot.

Was Juliet one of them? Was that in the repertoire? Is that true that, like, she was, yeah? Yeah, I had to audition for a character, and I can't remember what the movie was. But it kind of reminded me of California natural born killers. I was like, let me watch, you know, some Juliette Lewis. And then I just kind of went down the Juliette Lewis wormhole.

I was staying at the time with Joss Whedon and his wife. And they had a lot of DVDs and Blu-rays, I guess, was the thing. And, oh, no, it was laser discs. It was how long ago was it? Now we're dating ourselves. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So they had a whole wall full of laser discs of any movie you could possibly want.

So I just used it as kind of like film school. I just tried to watch everything. And it's like, what if I need a New York accent? What if I need a New Jersey accent? What if I need a Southern accent? Like what kind of Southern? I was trying to just watch everything. But then I really got stuck on Juliet for a while because she's just so fascinating.

Oh, yeah. Very unique. Like, they're not five Juliette Lewis's. There's one. There's one. Yeah. I can't believe it's found a younger vision. Right.

Have you done your Juliette Lewis to Juliette Lewis? Do I do one? Well, that's what I'm saying. If you were, like, watching, if you were listening to the voice way back when, and if you were kind of... Oh, that, no. I also don't think there's an impersonation to be done. I don't know. I haven't. I haven't ever just. Don't sell yourself. Look, I just saw the Drew Barrymore impression, which is pretty, was that, has that been in your repertoire for a while? Did you just

take that out of the closet, like dust that off? I guess I told somebody that story once and they were like, that's a good impression. I didn't really realize I was doing an impression. I think sometimes I'm telling a story and people's voices come out of my mouth and I don't really know that I'm, I guess it is an impression. So a lot to cover because I want to go backwards too, but I do want to mention a little bit of Last of Us, which I just devoured. And I'm not even a gamer, to be honest.

I never played the game myself. But what a beautiful piece of storytelling. And so how did you come at that? Was that just like a total surprise? Did you know Craig Mason? Like what were the circumstances around you getting involved? I knew Craig. I got a text from him one day and he said,

I'm going to ask you to come do my show. And I said, I'm very tired, Craig. I had just done yellow jackets and candy back to back. And he was like, please, please. He sent me this whole email that was about all the cool stuff to do in Calgary, all the restaurants. Wooing you with, yeah. And then honestly, I just think he's so brilliant.

And I just love him as a person. We were friends. We met playing. game of mafia and then we became very good mafia friends so you're probably a very good mafia player i would guess that's not fair to have yeah i think i'm okay some people have said to me i'll never trust you again yeah this is like karaoke with maria carrie you don't play mafia with melanie linsky i do i i think i have a strategy i'm not good at lying so i have to have the strategy which i'm not going to reveal on this podcast. Okay. Yeah. I don't want to ruin your future game play.

No, don't worry. Okay. Yeah. So anyway, sorry. Yeah. So he's giving me the scripts and they were just so good. And I had not seen a character like that. Like, she was really written in this. I was like, who is this? Like the way she walks in to interrogate people and it's just so casual, she just pulls up a little chair and sits there and was just kind of asking them questions. I just was like, this is very interesting to me. I really love surprising people, surprising people with a lot of power. Yeah. It's something that's really fun to play.

And so like, sold. So did you know, like, your way into that character from reading it? Was it all on the page? Like, oh, I got this. Yeah. And it has to be for me. I can't try to figure something out intellectually. It has to be an instinct.

I have to read it and start kind of saying it aloud. Right. Otherwise, there's no point, really. So are either you or Jason gamers, how do you ever played Last of Us? Is anyone in your life? Jason, you know, and I said, Craig wants me to go do this show. It's really good. I'm just so tired, you know, like, do you think we can all pack up and go to Calgary?

And he was like, what's the show? And I said, the last of us, I guess it was a game. And he was just like, oh my God, he's great now. He's like, it's my favorite game of all time. You don't know that it's my favorite game of all time? I was like, I guess on some level. You don't even know me. Sorry.

Yeah. Do you know me? And Craig actually told me the entire plot of the game and his show. And I just was like, that's incredible. Yeah. And the way he's cast it from top to bottom, I just had Bella Ramsey on the show like a month ago. and oh my gosh like what a so good i know he's just doing everything yeah doing everything in a moment

like and that was also what craig said to me because i was like oh i love pedro and he said he's absolutely amazing and this little person that i have to play ellie is just so spectacular he said i'm obsessed with her yeah like i can't wait for you to see what she's doing No, she holds the screen. Like, yeah, and I, again, I'm not that familiar with the game, but like, so, you know, again, there's the crap online where it's like, oh, she can't transform for the season two. And I'm like, if you've seen the three or four things she's done, she transforms each time. Yeah. You'll be good.

Talk to me after season two. You'll be good. Yeah. People, why do people want to be mad about stuff? Why do people want to dislike things? Yeah, that's their predisposition because it's easier. I don't know. We can't go down that rabbit hole.

Let's keep it positive. Today's episode of Happy Sad Confused is sponsored by Honey, the easy way to save when shopping on your iPhone or computer. Are you guys like me, do you feel kind of a buzz when you find a deal? Do you feel smart? Do you feel lucky? What about when you're surprised by a deal? Does it feel like you're getting a treat for free?

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desktops it works on your iPhone too you just activate it on safari on your phone and save on the go if you don't already have honey you could be straight up missing out guys and by getting it you'll be doing yourself a solid and supporting happy sad confused so get paypal honey for free at joinhoney join honey.com slash hsc that's join honey.com slash hsc so going back are you are you now the most famous person to come out of new plymouth new zealand are you are you like the celebrity of your small town new plymouth um i don't know maybe like how small a town is it is it is it a small town like how give me some context it's like

there's like maybe like 45 000 people something like that it's not like a tiny little town but that's spread out over there's like a lot of farms and communities it's spread out over a lot of land there's one like main street okay yeah no i i know you you said before that like generally speaking, you were, you were a shy kid, and yet you also knew very early on, this was the passion, this was what you wanted to do. And those things don't necessarily seem to go with each other. I guess, like, what did your family make of your predisposition to perform an act? And what do you think it was for you at first? Like, was it an escape? Was it a way of just socializing? That's so funny. My auntie, who is probably the closest person to me,

said a couple of years ago she was like i still can't believe that you do this for a job this shy little girl like she's like i still can't believe it i look at you and see you doing interviews and she was like i'm so proud of you that you're brave enough to do it it's it's really funny um i think for me it was just such an escape to be able to have lines like get a script and have someone say here's what you're supposed to say in this moment and be in somebody else's body like I was so self-conscious I was so worried about the way I moved everything I said you know kids would make fun of me I was always the new kid at school and I just was always terrified and then suddenly I had the freedom I was like well it's not

me right I found this person would come out of me different people all the time and I just was like I didn't know if this was in there and then I got kind of addicted as a teenager to doing like improv comedy like theater sports it's called in New Zealand right that was sort of the extreme of being absolutely put on the spot and having to come up with something and trying to make a room full of people laugh when it was that was so fun and then of course like it's it's it's odd for anybody like in a career, again, you've got probably nearly 100 credits, I would imagine, on the resume now, but it always, Heavenly Creatures always has to be brought up because it is, of course, the one that broke you. And it's an amazing opportunity, the first film in your career. Yeah. And I mean, I guess just give me a sense of like, did you feel confident when you stepped onto that set? Like, what do you remember about like, oh, this is where I belong or like, oh, shit, I have no idea how to do what I, what I'm supposed to do, what Peter wants from me. Well, I have told this story before, and sometimes people are like, that's terrible, but I don't think it was.

In my second audition, when I was flown down to read with Peter, he showed me Kate Winslet's audition tape, and he said, this is how good you have to be. And to me, it felt like setting a bar, it was helpful for me. First of all, because I got to see who I would be working with. Sure. And like, Kate Winsland And I didn't tell you how crazy it was to see that person's audition tape. I just was like, what? Sorry, I've never acted before.

And he was like, she's a professional actress. She's been working since she was 12 years old. That's it. And so I sort of felt once I got the part that he must have felt like I had done that. Sure. because he said you have to do this otherwise you're not getting this job and so I felt like I must have done it

I didn't know when I was doing it I had an amazing acting coach with me for that audition and it was a day long audition and it was kind of like 24 hour drama school like she taught me everything she could her name's Miranda Harcourt and she works with kids a lot and she works with Nicole Kidman

if you've ever heard of her so she's an amazing amazing coach And then on set, I had a couple of other acting coaches, Jennifer Ward Leland and Sarah Pierce, who played my mom, was coaching me a little bit. So I was learning all the time from women I respected. And I felt, I felt their kind of pride. I felt their acceptance and I felt like Peter was happy. And gradually, I think over the first month of filming, I got to know that feeling of being depleted.

just being like this is all I have to give in the best possible way that you've kind of there was one day where he made me reshoot a scene that we'd done first thing in the morning I thought I was wrapped and he said we're going to go back and do the scene with you on the telephone and I was like no

and he said I think there's more in there and we did it again and there was and so I really came to understand pulling it out of your insides until there was nothing more to pull out right and that was um just the greatest training you could possibly have i think and i i would imagine in a way you're always chasing that feeling again like you want to feel at the end of the day's work like you didn't leave an idea off the table you left it all out there yeah there's

there's usually no going back so you might as well yes that was why i gravitated towards character roles when i when i didn't have that many opportunities because then at least I could feel like, oh, I've created this person and this person has come out of me. It's this accent. It's this different physicality or it was every time I had to audition to be like somebody's girlfriend, I didn't know how to just be sweet and just there. I didn't, you know, some people are great at that. Right.

And I just, I was like, I'm too self-conscious. There's two, I'm just supposed to just be me. Right. But the prettiest vision, like, I don't know how to do that. Was there any part of, like, I guess one rude awakening, maybe that's too harsh a term out of something like heavenly creatures. After our first role, you realize, like, you form these relationships with Kate and the crew and everybody. And it probably feels like at the time, like, we're going to be together forever.

Yeah. We will have this bond forever. And then you quickly learn the nature of the businesses. Yeah, some people you keep in your life in different ways and some you don't. Because it's a traveling circus and you move on to the next circus in a way. So was there an adjustment period of like, oh, wow, I've just like, I've made these what seem like insanely profound bonds and now it's like, I have to move on. It was, I guess when I lost touch with Kate,

it was more heartbreaking than some breakups that I've had. Oh, gosh. It was so painful because of, and it wasn't like anything happened. It's just she became a gigantic international movie star and she didn't have a lot of time. And then suddenly she'd be in Los Angeles and not have time, you know, when I was living here. And then she'd be there and I wouldn't hear from her, you know, and it just sort of like gradually happened. And it happens in relationships. People kind of drift apart.

But I was, it was so painful. for me and it happened a couple of times like i remember one time i did a movie with this actor and when we were finished i said oh my gosh i'm just so happy that i met you and we have this friendship and she was like yeah i'm not friends with actors i don't stay friends with actors and i was just like what old yeah it's been really great hanging out for the movie but and i was so shocked by it. This compartmentalizing of like... The compartmentalizing

and that was someone who'd been working longer than me and I think was used to... No, we move on. We move on and this is just a couple months of our life. But I was so sensitive. I was always like so injured by losing these like great loves

I was having and you know, it got easier. Sure. You must have cross paths with Kate though in recent years. Even like the word circuit and stuff like that. No, no. I saw her at the premiere of the way we call suddenly I was like, is that the name of my fellow way we go? Sam Mendez, yeah. That beautiful movie that I'm so proud to be part of. That's the last time I saw her. So I don't remember that. It is, it is fascinating. She did the podcast recently as well. And it was, it's fascinating

to like look at how both of you kind of like had these amazing early experiences and both kind of dealt with the crappy parts, especially for young women, coming out of that. And, like, she's been very outspoken, I think, in a great way of talking about how, like, the media treated her and how she was talked about. And then you've been, look, you've, we're good for bed, I've become poster child talking about a body image, which I'm sure you're, like, sick of, and I'm not going to go down that road with you, too. But it is, but I do think it's very telling that you both have, like, the two pillars of

this movie both went on very different paths. and yet both were kind of abused in different ways by the system and then kind of like turned out you know what I mean I don't really have a question there it just it strikes me I guess I don't know yeah she was a huge inspiration for me the way she was handling all that as young as she was and you know I know she's like a very very confident person but she everyone's sensitive and she's very sensitive and the way she was dissected and talked about and I remember at the time just being so furious on her behalf, especially because, like, Kate Winslet is now in the world.

Like, Kate Winslet is doing movies, and you're getting to witness that talent. Yeah, this is a gift to us. Yeah, exactly. This is like a life-changing actor. This is like an actor that comes along once in a generation. Like, just focus on that. Like, also, she was tiny and she still is tiny. It just, it infuriated me so much.

And I just was always amazed by how. gracefully she handled all of it was always really impressive so i want to talk about i mean we obviously don't have time to talk about every film but one a few that i do want to mention i know it's an important one for you is shattered glass which seems like um an important one for you for a number of reasons i love that movie it's a film that i think again critics and folks that know no and maybe doesn't have the the cultural stickiness it should have because it's from written i believe and directed by billy ray got Hayden Christensen, you, Peter Sarsgaard's fantastic in it. Oh, good.

Was there any kind of awakening or remembrance from that experience that, like, changed your perspective on the business and the kind of career that you wanted to have? That movie changed everything for me. First of all, working with Billy, I felt like such a collaborator in a way that I hadn't really since Heavenly Creatures. And I felt respected. and I felt it was fun. It was really, really fun.

And I just respected him so much. I loved the script. And I just loved everyone I was working with. It was such an incredible cast. And when I saw that movie, I remember being at the premiere and just something inside me, I was like, this is how I want to feel every time. This is the only way I want to feel.

And it didn't always happen because I didn't have every option available to me. but as best I could, I tried to make choices that were in line with that movie and how that movie made me feel. I really did my best to create a career that I could be as proud as I was of being in that. Well, and look, you've been associated and been a part of some amazing acting troops, but also been directed by some amazing folks. I mean, in 2009 alone, you look back at that year and it's Sam, Sam Mende, is the great Sam Manny, and away we go. it's Jason Reitman and up in the air. Yeah.

It's Steven Soderberg and the informant. Yeah. Boy, the greatest ever. My favorite. Soderberg. Sorry everybody else, but like Stephen Sotabug. Genius. Just like, yeah, he's, he's hard.

He is another unique one, isn't he? And that like, yeah, for an actor, does, my sense is he kind of like gives you space. I mean, do you like to be given space or do you like the act of director to kind of get up in your business and kind of work very closely with you? you. I like to be given space. I like to feel like a grip or a costume assistant. I like to feel like we're all doing a job. Right. And unless you mess something up, nobody's going to come in and tell you like, hey, lay this track like this, you know, like maybe oh, you're hemming this. You might want to do this type of stitch. Like, okay, I got it. Unless you see me do something terribly wrong.

And in that same regard, like I don't like a lot of. compliments. I don't like someone coming up to me in between takes and being like, oh my God, it's so beautiful. I love this. I love that. You don't do that to the crew. I don't, it's a waste of time. Yeah. And I don't need it. You know, just tell me what was wrong. Tell me what you need an adjustment on. Yep. So for me, Stephen is like the perfect director because it's very much like that. I saw one time after a take, I saw him kind of go like this. And it looked like he was wiping a little tear away. and I said, are you crying? And he said, shut up.

So that was like the closest compliment land. He did say a lovely thing to me once, like, outside of work. That really means a lot to me. But just at work, it just felt like working. Yeah. And I love that. And I also just, every idea that he has, it just was so, fun. But then in that same year, like you said, like Sam Mendez and Jason Reitman in that same year,

just, it was crazy. The learning that I got on each of those experiences from each of those three directors, they're all so different. But so, but masters, they're all just masters. They're so great. Have the, have like the goalposts for your own career for your ambitions changed thanks to what you've experienced the last couple years. You got your first Emmy nomination long overdue for season one of Yellow Jackets. Candy, you got amazing reception for that. I mean, you know, you haven't talked about don't look up. You know, the hits keep on coming.

Does it kind of like rejuvenate or excite you about like what the next 5, 10, 15, 20 years of the career can look like? I'm hopeful that there are 5, 10, 15, 15, 20 more years. Melanie. That's my hope. You know, that's all I've ever wanted is to keep going. It's all I've ever wanted.

So everything that happens that makes me feel like I might get to continue doing this is exciting. I understand that this particular moment is a little blip in the grand scheme of my career. It's not going to be like this forever. I'm trying to just take a deep breath and enjoy it and not panic. just hope, you know, I'm still choosing things the same way. I, you know, I read a tiny, tiny little indie that I would work on for five days maybe, and I think I'm going to do it. Like, I, I still want to do things that make my heart feel something. Well, it does strike me. Like, you've worked in virtually every kind of scale production. You talk about kind

of like that improv early background, and I think you've done some stuff with Joe Swamberg in that, in that realm too right um like does it do you do you think in terms of like the kinds of stuff you haven't done like i guess you haven't done what like the musical you haven't been in a fast and furious movie you know what i mean like are there things like that that you want a secret into the universe that feels like i i wish i would be thought of for this kind of a thing or do you not think in that way i don't really think in that way i kind of know it when i read it i can absolutely tell you i hope i'm never asked to do a musical if i i get a script for a musical and it's wonderful,

that's going to be a real hack, right? Because I don't want to sing or dance. That is within me. I'm not a musical theater kid in the slightest. I mean, if there was a great pat and fast and furious, it's good enough for Helen Mirren, I guess. It's good enough for Melanie Lidski, right? True, I forgot about that.

I mean, there's all kinds of things that I personally love. Like, I love Tyler Perry movies. Oh, sure. You know, like, I've never been asked to do a Tyler Perry movie. Career is young. Don't worry. Okay, let's end with this. The happy, second, fused, profoundly random questionnaire.

I'm going to ask you a few random bits and bobs. You tell me what comes to mind. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, either one, float your boat. I've only seen Lord of the Rings and also Elijah and Peter. You know, I have the Kate. My hat is there. Fair enough. What's the wallpaper on your phone?

Oh, it's my daughter. It's from her beautiful little face in her Christmas concert. Last actor you were mistaken for? Alison Tolman. I just, it happens all the time, and I don't really think they look that alike. I think there's two kind of curvy ladies with brown hair in Hollywood. I'm just like, okay, guys. But the number of people were like, I wondered where you went after Fargo.

Well, she did plenty of stuff after Fargo, and I did plenty of stuff after Fargo, but I was not in Fargo. Right. Well, Fargo would be not a bad next one. Amazing. And also, she was incredible. She was. It's a good person to be mistaken for her. She's wonderful and she's beautiful, but I just don't think we'd look very similar. We were kind of touching on this. What's the worst noted director has ever given you, or the worst noted director can give you? somebody came up to me once with a confused look on their face and they said when you did the scene in the audition it was funny and now it's not funny so can you make it funny and we go back to that thing back in the room okay it's not a bad note it just was like so awkward um what's the if i was talking to jason what's the most annoying thing he would say about you i can't imagine there's anything what gets under his skin that you did. I'm late. I'm always late. It drives him absolutely crazy. We sat in frosty silence yesterday at my daughter's swim lesson because we were two minutes late, which I don't think

it's bad. Oh, come on. Yeah. Um, he loves to be early. So that would be the thing. Also, I have misophonia, so eating noises. He's a very good eater, but if he has cereal, I can't. Let's leave the room. Yeah. Yeah. Um, okay, happy, set, confused. What actor makes you happy? Brian Tyree Henry. It's amazing. Oh, man. You can't take your eyes off of him. Yeah.

There were moments in Causeway where I, like, cried with joy at the actor. I just was like, this man. I'm seeing this performance, like, where he's just holding the bottle against his face and telling that story. And it's just like, oh, I've been obsessed since Book of Mormon. Love it. I love it. Movie that makes you sad?

Sophie's choice That's a good one I mean It shouldn't make you happy That's the correct emotion Can't even think about it And finally what's the food that makes you confused Like American things a lot of American things

Like root beer Why It's a taste I don't understand We don't really have it And then also like sweet and salty things together. Oh, okay. You like it sweet?

You like it salty, but never the two shall meet. I don't really like sweet things that much, but I don't know why. Why mess them together? I got you. I don't get it. Okay, fair enough. We've really got into the heart of you today, I think, Melanie.

Like I said, this is so long overdue. You know I'm a fan of yours, and you're always welcome here. Congratulations on season. two of Yellow Jackets, people catch up. By the way, when I was catching up, and I watched like the recap of season one, just to refresh, I was like, oh, my God, a lot happened. This is a crazy show.

This is a, I forgot how crazy a show this is. I know, I know. So much happens in every episode. It's great. You get your money's worth. People should check it out if they haven't already Last of Us and the 1,200 other projects that you're probably working on. She likes to work in the best possible way.

Thanks again for the time, Melanie. appreciate it. Thank you. And thank you for your patience when I was late. And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, rate and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley and I definitely wasn't pressured to do this by Josh. Hey, Michael. Hey, Tom. You want to tell him? Are you going to meet it, though?

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