Emmy-nominated actress Melanie Lynskey said she’s tired of being asked about body-shaming at the Season 2 premiere of “Yellowjackets” on Wednesday at the TCL Chinese Theatre.
Lynskey, who previously revealed that someone on the set of the Showtime series commented that they expected her to lose weight for a scene in which she strips to her underwear and jumps in the water, said the conversation has gotten “exhausting.”
“I’m tired of it. It would be nice to just speak about acting. Or even, I dunno, my husband or what cereal I like,” she told on the red carpet. “It’s a bit exhausting to have to keep saying, ‘Yes, it’s my body…’” Lynskey is married to “Parenthood” star Jason Ritter, whose father was comedian John Ritter.
She added, “It’s a very particular obsession. I think it’s also an American obsession. I do media in other countries and I don’t get asked about it, if I’m being honest. It’s what it is. I guess I’ll keep talking about it until I don’t have to.”
When ’s Elijah Gil did ask Lynskey about her favorite cereal, she laughed and said, “I like Kashi and Honey Bunches of Oats With Almonds. They are mixed together with nuts. It’s delicious.”
Lynskey portrays Shauna in the show, which will air on Showtime’s streaming service on Friday, May 24 and on Showtime Sunday, May 26. Her character is one of a handful of members of girls’ soccer team who crash land in the wilderness. To survive, they are required to resort to cannibalism, which is what Season 1 revealed.
Fortunately, her “Yellowjackets” costars Tawny Cypress, Christina Ricci and Juliette Lewis rallied around when the incident happened on set, with Lewis writing a letter to the show’s producers on Lynskey’s behalf.
The actress also had to shoot down criticism that she was “too soft,” in her role as a ruthless post-apocalyptic leader on HBO’s “The Last of Us,” with fans pointing out that the actress is fully capable of being ruthless as Shauna and in earlier roles including a real-life murderer in “Heavenly Creatures.”
This report was contributed by Elijah Gil
