Why Melanie Lynskey Isn't at the 2023 Emmy Awards and the Comforting Note the Mom Got from Her Little Girl

Mom duty kept the "Yellowjackets" actress away from the 2023 Emmy Awards

Melanie Lynskey isn't joining her Yellowjackets costars at the 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

The actress, 46, is watching TV's big night from home as she recovers from COVID with her 5-year-old daughter.

"So my little one came home from school on Friday and wanted to have a cuddle with mama. As we were cuddling and talking about her day, I noticed she was really warm. After the cuddles, we did a Covid test, and sure enough, she was positive," she began a lengthy caption on Instagram, which accompanied a sweet drawing from her little one.

"Eventually, so was I. We are both feeling fine, but the way! But I’m giving out our personal medical information to let everyone know why I’m not attending the Emmys tonight! I would never want to put anyone’s health at risk, much as I want to celebrate," Lynskey explained.

"For many years, these types of amazing events were not a part of my life, and to finally be invited to the party and not get to go is painful! This is the greatest honour of my career, and there was a team of amazing people who were going to get me ready today. Plus I had an absolutely beautiful dress made for me by the genius @csiriano- my favourite dress I’ve ever put on, and designed so I’d be comfy at the after-parties 😂 I’m hoping I have another occasion to wear it to. It’s so stunning, and I love you and thank you for your hard work, Christian."

After wishing good luck and a good time to her costars, she explained that her daughter gave her the drawing after she shed some tears about missing the event.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Related: Melanie Lynskey Reveals New 'Adorable' Tattoo of Her Daughter's Drawing

"To explain the picture- I did have a bit of a cry when my test came up positive, and was sitting despondently on the stairs when my daughter handed me this. One page says that she loves me, and the other page says that Dada loves me, and then there’s a mama snail and baby snails (???)," she wrote.

"Anyway. It reminded me of all that is important in my world. I would choose cuddling my feverish little one every time, even if it means missing a night like tonight. 💖💖💖💖💖."

Speaking with PEOPLE on the red carpet of the Showtime series' season 2 premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre last March, she talked about the differences between herself and her character, Shauna, especially when it comes to mom life.

"I feel so fortunate to have my daughter, and I love her. It's like the joy of my life. Every day, I'm like, 'Thank you, thank you, thank you for this child.' I want to spend every minute with her."

But Lynskey's portrayal of the troubled Shauna — who has a 16-year-old daughter and possibly another child — doesn't jibe with her real-life role as the mother of a daughter, whom she shares with husband Jason Ritter.

"It's different for Shauna," the star said. "She didn't want to have a kid. She's kind of doing her best. But I don't know, I think there's not a lot [of overlap]. There's not a Venn diagram where the things kind of connect."

The actress kicked off the new year by posting side-by-side photos of a drawing by her little girl, whom she shares with her husband Jason Ritter, and a tattoo of the same artwork created by Graeme Allan.

"I'm so happy to be bringing this adorable tattoo into 2024 with me," she captioned the Instagram post. "My thanks to the incredibly kind and talented @graeme.allan at @sacredtattoonz for doing this for me while I was in Aotearoa."

See PEOPLE's full coverage of the 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards as they're broadcasting live on Fox from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.