The show, which is equal parts sweet, poignant, and complicated, presents no easy answers.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Season 2 has been such a wild, emotional roller coaster already!
MELANIE LYNSKEY:Its really good, right?
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I watched the whole season weeping.
How did getting onTogethernessall come about?
Did you already know Mark and Jay Duplass?
I knew their work and really,reallyliked it all.
And he arrived at the meeting still weeping having just watched it.
I was like,Who is this magical creature?
Ill do anything he asks of me I was so enchanted by him.
We had this great this time talking, talking, and talking.
I read the first two episodes and thought,yes, and then I had an audition.
It was a long process, actually.
You had to audition?
Mostly it was improvisation.
They wanted to see if I could improv with an American accent thats what they were worried about.
Cant you do that in your sleep at this point?
[Laughs] They didnt know that.
I was cast and then I read with two people for Amandas part of Tina.
But it was so clearly going to Amanda.
Even in her audition: she was so relaxed and confident and so different from her real self.
Its sort of amazing you all just met before shooting.
It was kind of interesting how that worked out.
I had no idea that Mark was even thinking [about playing the part of Brett].
At a certain point I even suggested my ex-husband [Jimmi Simpson].
I was like, What about Jimmi?
Jimmi would be amazing!
They were like, uh …
Why would you do that to yourself?
Well, were still very close.
Something just clicked and it felt so natural and so very right.
And is there a lot of improvisation?
Amanda and I have to fight them to do one version that it is scripted.
They dont want to hear their words again.
Were you wary of signing on to doing TV?
I think of you still primarily as a film actress.
The one time I was a regular on a show was onTwo and a Half Men.
I had to work so hard to get out of my contract after the second season.
It was a whole big legal thing.
Chuck Lorre was incredibly kind and let me out.
Maybe I would have been a multi-multi-multi millionaire if I didnt do that?
I was really careful and then I got theTogethernessscript and I didnt even think about it.
I was like, I will dothisas long as I possibly can.
I thinkTogethernessis really good at showing how complicated grown-up life and marriage can be.
Ive always known that life is very complicated.
You recently were awarded the Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Award for your performance inThe Intervention.
It did so great!
It was such a validation of her instincts.
Sundance was so exciting to be a part of all that.
What is your career game plan, if you have one.
Continue to do small indies and TV shows likeTogetherness?
I feel so lucky and I feel very,verylucky right now.
All the movies I want to do are all these weird little independent movies.
So, I dont know.
It would be kind of nice to do something where I have a trailer at some point.
Just one Marvel movie … Arent there secretaries and things like that?
Id be so happy!
I think you’ve got the option to dream bigger than that!
That feels exactly right.
Just being like, Iron Man, your mother is trying to get a hold of you.
