Melanie Lynskey Is Done With Being Typecast Based on Her Body

From a candy bar in every scene to the same type of roles over and over again, Melanie Lynskey has had enough of being typecast based on her body. The actress, best known for her work in shows like The Last of Us and Castle Rock, is breaking free from the mold and proving that she’s more than just her body type.

Melanie Lynskey struggled for recognition in Hollywood.

For a decade, Melanie Lynskey struggled to break out of the supporting roles Hollywood pigeonholed her into. Despite her talent, casting agents and her own representation only saw her as the sister, the friend, and the occasional eccentric character. Even her role as Charlie Sheen’s erotomaniac neighbor in Two and a Half Men failed to garner her the recognition she deserved.

She was body-shamed and typecast.

The actress, despite being slender, was still not deemed thin enough for the entertainment industry. Instead of giving her roles that showcased her talent, she was often relegated to superficial and trivial characters that solely focused on her body type.

One particular example was a script that required her character to snack in every scene. Melanie Lynskey, recalling the experience, stated, “There was one thing I read where the person had a candy bar in every scene.”

The type of roles she was offered were limiting.

Despite the romance and excitement in her personal life, she was continually cast in dull roles that failed to showcase her range as an actress.

“In my own life, I had a lot of romantic drama. It was impossible for me to stay single,” she said. “It was kind of a strange disconnect. I felt like I was pretending when I was going in and auditioning to play these dowdy people,” she added.

She longs to portray engaging characters who aren’t defined by their physical appearance.

In a desire to portray an intriguing character who isn’t concerned with her physical appearance, she expressed, “I very much want to be on screen representing an interesting person who’s not paying attention to what her tummy looks like.”

“If there were more people who look like me, then I wouldn’t have to talk about it as much,” she added.

Recently, her husband stood up for her against the body-shaming trolls.

Melanie’s husband, Jason Ritter, also voiced his support for her by sharing a clever message on his social media, “If anyone has any further unsolicited comments about anybody else’s body, they can feel free to write them in permanent ink onto their own foreheads and swan dive directly into the sun.”

Explore additional articles featuring body-positive celebrities who have spoken out against Hollywood’s unrealistic beauty standards:

• Selena Gomez Was Body Shamed Following Her Latest Red Carpet Appearance, and Her Reaction Was Priceless
• Pierce Brosnan Responds to Trolls Who Criticized His Wife’s Weight and Shows Us What True Love Is
• Billie Eilish Reveals How She Embraced Her Curves After Years of Being Criticized and Struggling to Accept How She Looked
• 12 Stars Who Dared to Leave the Old-Fashioned Ideas of Women’s Beauty Behind
• Kate Winslet Reveals She Was Criticized for “Titanic” Along With a Regret She Has