Melanie Lynskey on ‘Coyote Ugly’ audition, leaving ‘two and a half men’ behind
Melanie Lynskey learned a few things from her best friend, Natasha Lyonne – and used it to get one of her most memorable roles.
The “Yellowjackets” actor was honored on Saturday with the Precious Gem Award on the 42nd annual Miami Film Festival. During a career retrospective after accepting the prize, she opened her many memorable roles, including that of Gloria in “Coyote Ugly.”
“Everyone wanted to be in that movie. It was the hot script of the moment, and I remember that I read it. There were so many different concepts of it. And the design I received, I think was a pass that was done by Kevin Smith. It was quite dark,” she said during the Q&A. “And I had something like:” Oh, this is fun. ” I actually went to the audition room and made a kind of impression of Natasha Lyonne.
At the time, Lynskey told the team that she had no money for a dialect coach – but when she ended up the role, they provided one. Unfortunately she had to do that New Jersey -accent all alone.
“There was a healthy problem and none of my rules, and I had to record every line I did in that movie, and they didn’t get me a dialect coach for when I had to take on all the lines again,” she said laughing.
Lynskey also revealed that she did not know how to drive before she landed the part of Gloria. “I had to learn to ride for ‘Coyote Ugly’, she said.” I didn’t lie. Nobody asked me! But then I thought: “Oh, by the way, I don’t know how to drive.” They said, “You’re 21.” ‘
Melanie Lynskey and Angus T. Jones
© CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection
Three years after ‘Coyote Ugly’, Lynskey landed the role of Rose in ‘Two and A Half Men’. Excited to be on an American sitcom, she had appeared in no fewer than 63 episodes.
“I went and did something strange in the audition, and they were super in it,” Lynskey recalled. “She was written as pretty sexy and threatening. And I had something like what if she honestly doesn’t know that there is a problem? She is so sweet and you would meet her in the supermarket and [say,] “She’s cute.” And she says, “I’ll cut you into pieces.” ‘
The writers loved her take and during season 1 the guest star role soon changed to a series regularly.
“To be honest, it was a difficult decision, because it wasn’t what I expected. I had no money and I liked everyone I worked with. I really enjoyed them, and it was so much fun,” she said.
But it was impossible to hire other jobs. In season 5 she could come from her contract. “That was the reason why I returned, so I could come and go. People were again negotiating to get increases, and I had something like that, what about handing over for less money? Literally someone like, you could become a millionaire. I was like, no, I get it.
