The Last of Us actress Melanie Lynskey reveals major role she missed out on due to a ‘visa issue’

Melanie Lynskey was poised to play Willow Rosenberg in Buffy the Vampire Slayer but ultimately had to turn down the role due to a 'visa issue'. Photo / Getty Images

Melanie Lynskey is one of New Zealand’s most successful actresses and she could have had another major role added to her accolades if it weren’t for one problem.

Poised to play Willow Rosenberg – Buffy Summers’ best friend – in the hit American drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the actress revealed on the Shut Up Evan: The Newsletter podcast that she had to pass up the opportunity.

“It was kind of a visa issue,” she said on the podcast insisting that despite the show’s success, passing on the role wasn’t something she was very upset about as she “was not sure about doing television at that time”.

Melanie Lynskey in a head shot from 1998. Photo / Instagram

She went on to say that when casting for the show was happening, she had a “very old-school agent” who was of the belief that television was for “has-beens”.

“I was like, ‘I don’t think it is anymore’,” she laughed, before confessing it didn’t matter either way because “I just wasn’t super into it at the time”. Ultimately, the role went to Alyson Hannigan.

Now, almost 30 years after the show premiered, Lynskey has embraced the TV world, staring in popular shows such as Yellowjackets and The Last of Us – even earning herself two Emmy nominations along the way.

Just last week it was announced the 46-year-old Coyote Ugly actress has been nominated for lead actress in a drama series for Yellowjackets. Also nominated in the category for the prestigious award is Sharon Horgan for Bad Sisters, Elisabeth Moss for The Handmaid’s Tale, Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us, Keri Russell for The Diplomat and Sarah Snook for Succession.

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Lynskey’s second nomination is for guest actress in a drama for her appearance in The Last of Us. It will see her compete against The Last of Us co-stars Storm Reid and Anna Torv, as well as Succession’s Hiam Abbass, Cherry Jones and Harriet Walter.

In response to the nominations, the actress took to Instagram, writing two lengthy messages in separate posts praising the cast and crew of the HBO show The Last of Us as well as the American thriller drama Yellowjackets.

Thanking The Last of Us writer and producer Craig Mazin, Lynskey said: “I can’t believe you asked me to play her. You sent me two perfect scripts and a list of Calgary’s best restaurants, and it was the easiest yes of my life. This was the experience of a lifetime.”

She went on to congratulate the show for its multiple nominations – which along with Succession and The White Lotus saw a whopping 74 nods.