Interview: Melanie Lynskey Chats About Acting and Being the ‘Lady of the Manor’

It isn’t easy to do comedy. Just as a comedian. Moreover, ask a dramatic actor or actress. A few weeks ago, while attending the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, I did just that with Melanie Lynskey. Much like my interview with Justin Long (found here), we were talking Lady of the Manor, Long’s directorial debut. Lynskey is an incredibly talented actress, one capable of some impeccable dramatic beats, so seeing her ace a stoner comedy is a delight. When I watched Long’s movie, right before leaving for TIFF, I know I had to try and talk with her. A short time later, my discussion over Zoom with Lynskey was arranged. Now, I present it to you all.

Below, you can see my chat with Lynskey. While the focus is on Lady of the Manor, as you’d expect it to be, we found time to talk about plenty of other things. From the deluge of movies you see at a film festival to a tiny bit about her upcoming role in Adam McKay‘s Don’t Look Up (featuring a fun tidbit about her co-star, some up and comer named Leonardo DiCaprio), nothing was off limits. Lynskey even gets a quality dig in at a notably awful person in the industry. She’s a gem, both on screen and off, as you’ll see next. Be sure to check her out in Lady of the Manor, giving a hell of a comedic performance for Long. She’s a riot.

Here now is my interview with Lady of the Manor star Melanie Lynskey. Enjoy:

Lady of the Manor is out now!