Melanie Lynskey Says Husband Jason Ritter Is “Sacrificing” Roles for Her Career
"I think a lot of men don't have that kind of self-esteem and that respect for their partner."
In a surprising break from gender norms, Melanie Lynskey is opening up about the sacrifices her husband, Jason Ritter, is making for her career.
In an exclusive interview with People, the Yellowjackets star described her husband as "the most supportive person in the world."
“The last few years we've had this role of like, whoever's job makes the most sense, whether it's the most exciting career wise or it's more money, we would prioritize the one that was going to help move the person's career forward," she continued, adding that their approach has come at the expense of Ritter's own acting career.
"(He's been) getting offered stuff all the time," Lynskey explained. "It's like genuinely sacrificing."
Jason Ritter and Melanie Lynskey attend the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 14, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
As an example of how supportive Ritter is of his wife's wildly successful acting career, Lynskey says that when she was presented with the opportunity to appear in the hit show The Last of Us while she was simultaneously filming Candy and Yellowjackets, Ritter told her to say "yes" to the part.
“He was like: ‘There's no way you're not going to do The Last of Us. You have to do it,’” Lynskey told the publication. “So it was months and months and months that he was just being a dad and hanging out with me, and I'm so, so, so grateful to him.
"I think a lot of men don't have that kind of self-esteem and that respect for their partner," she continued. "I'm grateful that I have someone who does.”
As People reports, Lynskey has remerged as a bonafide Hollywood star after more than 30 years in the industry, thanks to hit roles in Candy, The Last of Us and YellowJackets.
Ritter—a successful actor in his own right and son of the beloved late, great actor John Ritter—has been playing more of a real-life supportive role as a result, caring for the couple's 5-year-old daughter as Lynskey continues to focus on her career.
Recently, Ritter shared a touching tribute to his wife on Instagram in honor of Valentine's Day.
"Happy Valentine’s Day to the loveliest there ever was," he wrote in the caption, alongside a picture of the couple enjoying an amusement park ride.
"Thank you for being who you are, thank you for loving me in such a way that you inspired me to strip myself of the mask I can sometimes wear out in the world, and allowing me to show you the parts of myself that even I was afraid to look at."
"I love you with my whole heart, and you and our daughter make coming home the most joyous experience a person can ask for. Not a day goes by that I am not grateful, and feeling like the luckiest person in the world," he continued in the caption.
"Thank you for going on this rollercoaster with me (see picture for metaphor), I know they can be a bit uncomfortable and scary, especially when you’re sitting next to a person who has memorized where all the coaster cameras are. I love you forever, you’re it for me. Thank you for this happiness."
