More about Melissa

Melissa Ainsworth is an actor and writer who grew up in Somerset, England. She works across theatre and screen, with a particular interest in complex, character driven stories.

Melissa began developing her acting career in Somerset, appearing in productions including Peter Pan, Babes in the Woods and Jim Cartwright's Two. She also gained early presenting experience with Sedgemoor FM. At 19, she moved to Wales to study Theatre, Television and Performance, where she continued developing her work across theatre and screen, including an appearance on Rownd a Rownd, an advert for Heart FM and a production of Oh What a Lovely War.

After moving to Scotland, Melissa continued working across theatre, film and audio. She performed in Twenty People a Minute at the Edinburgh Fringe, a production which was nominated for a Scottish Theatre Award.

In 2025, Melissa wrote and performed in The End is Near, which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe before transferring to the Drayton Arms Theatre in London with Persistent Theatre Productions. She has continued to work across theatre and screen, while developing her own writing alongside her acting.

Melissa's recent screen work includes appearances in short films such as Devil Amongst You and Pact, in which she stars as Hannah. Pact has been selected for the HB Film Festival in Paisley.

Alongside acting, Melissa writes for stage and screen. She wrote Wish Me Luck for Not So Nice Theatre Company's scratch night at the Traverse Theatre, and Waiting Room, which has been performed at scratch nights with A Dumb Productions Company and Balancing Act and is currently in development.

Melissa holds a BA in Acting and an MFA in Acting and continues to build her career across theatre and screen as an actor, while developing her work as a writer.