Melanie Lynskey, known for her roles in complex female characters, takes on a different but equally challenging role in Peacock’s historical drama, The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Playing Heather Morris, the author behind the book the series is based on, Lynskey finds it both a relief and a challenge to portray a real person. She feels a responsibility to accurately represent Morris without doing an impersonation of her, which she finds would be strange. Despite the difficulties, Lynskey can relate to Morris’s sudden success in midlife, similar to her own career journey.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz follows Morris’s debut novel, based on her conversations with Holocaust survivor Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov, played by Harvey Keitel and Jonah Hauer-King in the show. The story revolves around Sokolov falling in love with a woman named Gita while tattooing identification numbers onto the arms of other prisoners, documenting their struggle to be together. Lynskey, who landed her first movie role at 17, has similarly followed a career path of mostly low-budget indie projects, allowing her to produce work she’s proud of while staying out of the mainstream spotlight.
Lynskey’s breakout role in Showtime’s Yellowjackets has catapulted her into stardom, with multiple award nominations for her portrayal of Shauna, a suburban mom who survived a plane crash as a teenager. Despite her newfound fame, Lynskey admits to still feeling shy and awkward in the public eye, contrasting with Morris’s ease with people. One benefit of playing Morris is that Lynskey gets to use her real accent, as the character hails from Te Awamutu, a town she is familiar with. The Tattooist of Auschwitz is available for streaming on Peacock starting May 2.
Previously, Lynskey’s career had been marked by supporting roles in mainstream films and TV shows, such as Reese Witherspoon’s childhood friend in Sweet Home Alabama or Charlie Sheen’s neighbor in Two and a Half Men. Despite steady acting work, Lynskey left the latter role out of fear of being typecast. Yellowjackets changed the game for her, making her a bonafide star and award nominee. Lynskey’s ability to portray complicated female characters has garnered critical acclaim and brought her more recognition in the industry.
While Lynskey finds it fun to play complex women onscreen, she appreciates the different challenge of embodying a real person like Heather Morris. The responsibility of accurately representing another individual adds a different layer to her performance. Despite feeling shy and awkward in the public eye, Lynskey’s portrayal of Morris allows her to use her authentic voice, adding a personal touch to the character. The opportunity to bring Morris’s story to life onscreen has been a fulfilling experience for Lynskey, highlighting her versatility as an actress.
