Melissa McCarthy

Last updated

Melissa McCarthy
Melissa McCarthy in 2018 (cropped).jpg
McCarthy in 2018
Born
Melissa Ann McCarthy

(1970-08-26) August 26, 1970 (age 54)
Plainfield, Illinois, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • screenwriter
  • producer
Years active1997–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2005)​
Children2
Relatives
Awards Full list

Melissa Ann McCarthy (born August 26, 1970) [1] is an American actress, screenwriter, and producer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and nominations for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. McCarthy was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016, and she has been featured multiple times in annual rankings of the highest-paid actresses in the world. [2] [3] [4] In 2020, The New York Times ranked her #22 in its list of the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century. [5]

Contents

McCarthy began appearing in television and film in the late 1990s and first gained recognition for her role as Sookie St. James on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000–2007). She played Dena on the ABC sitcom Samantha Who? (2007–2009) before starring as Molly Flynn on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly (2010–2016), for which she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011. McCarthy's appearances as a host on Saturday Night Live (2011–2017) led to a win for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2017.

McCarthy gained critical acclaim for her performance in the comedy film Bridesmaids (2011), receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to star in several commercially successful comedies, including Identity Thief (2013), The Heat (2013), Tammy (2014), St. Vincent (2014), Spy (2015), and The Boss (2016). In 2018, McCarthy received critical acclaim for her portrayal of writer Lee Israel in the biographical film Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018), earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She has since starred in the drama miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers (2021) and played Ursula in the musical fantasy film The Little Mermaid (2023).

McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone are the founders of the production company On the Day Productions, under which they have collaborated on several comedy films including Life of the Party (2018), Super Intelligence (2020), and Thunder Force (2021). In 2015, she launched her own clothing line for plus-sized women, named Melissa McCarthy Seven7, and she received a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. [6] [7]

Early life

Melissa Ann McCarthy was born on August 26, 1970, in Plainfield, Illinois, to Sandra and Michael McCarthy. [8] [9] She is a cousin of actress and model Jenny McCarthy. [10] McCarthy was raised on a farm in a large Catholic family. Her father is of Irish descent, while her mother is of English, German, and Irish ancestry. [11] [12] [13] Some of her forebears were from County Cork. [14] She graduated from St. Francis Academy (now Joliet Catholic Academy) in Joliet, Illinois, [15] and attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Her career started with stand-up comedy in Los Angeles, and later in New York City. [16] McCarthy is an alumna of The Groundlings, an improvisational and sketch comedy troupe based in Los Angeles, California. [17] She also performed in New York City as a drag queen under the moniker Miss Y, including at the Wigstock festival. [18]

Career

1997–2010: Early work, Gilmore Girls and supporting roles

McCarthy made her first television appearance in an episode of the NBC comedy series Jenny , opposite her cousin Jenny McCarthy. She made her feature film debut in a minor role in the 1999 comedy Go , and later had roles in the films Drowning Mona , Disney's The Kid , Charlie's Angels , Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle , The Third Wheel and The Life of David Gale . She also worked in three episodes of Kim Possible , voicing DNAmy. [19] In 2000, McCarthy was cast as Sookie St. James, the upbeat and klutzy best friend of Lorelai Gilmore, on The WB television series Gilmore Girls . Throughout the series, Sookie is Lorelai's business partner and cheerleader. [20] On April 7, 2016, McCarthy announced on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she would be returning for the show's revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life , on Netflix. [21] The series was released November 25, 2016 and McCarthy appeared in one of its four episodes.

In 2007, she starred opposite Ryan Reynolds in the science fantasy psychological thriller The Nines , written and directed by John August. She later starred in the independent comedies The Captain, Just Add Water , and Pretty Ugly People . [22] Also in 2007, McCarthy starred as Dena Stevens on the ABC sitcom Samantha Who? . [23] McCarthy played Samantha's socially awkward childhood best friend, whom Samantha hasn't seen since seventh grade. When Samantha wakes from her coma, Dena convinces Samantha that they have always been best friends. While Andrea eventually forces her to reveal the truth, Samantha still remains friends with Dena. [24] She guest starred in Rita Rocks and on Private Practice . [25] In 2010, McCarthy played supporting roles in films The Back-up Plan and Life as We Know It . [26]

2011–2017: Mike and Molly, Bridesmaids and mainstream success

McCarthy in 2012 Melissa McCarthy 2012 (Straighten Crop).jpg
McCarthy in 2012

In 2010, McCarthy was cast in a leading role on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly . [27] Television critic Lucy Mangan from the Guardian commended McCarthy and her co-star Billy Gardell on some “unfeasibly delicate and charming work”, while decrying the show itself for hanging every one of its gags on the subject of their weight. [28] In 2011, McCarthy had a breakout performance in the comedy film Bridesmaids alongside Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper. She received wide critical acclaim and press coverage for her performance. [29] [30] [31] McCarthy received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. She received BAFTA, Critics' Choice and Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations, and well as won Boston Society of Film Critics Award, New York Film Critics Online Award for Best Supporting Actress, Women Film Critics Circle Award for Best Comedic Actress, and MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance. [32] One of McCarthy's most memorable scenes in Bridesmaids was improvised, according to director Paul Feig. [33] [34] In fall 2011, after achieving fame from Bridesmaids, she received her first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on Mike & Molly. [35] [36]

In June 2011, she hosted the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards. [37] She was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in June 2012 along with 175 others. [38] McCarthy hosted Saturday Night Live on October 1, 2011, April 6, 2013, February 1, 2014, February 13, 2016, and May 12, 2017. [39] She was nominated five times for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her appearances on the television show from 2011 to 2017, winning in 2017. [36] In 2011, McCarthy produced a CBS pilot which starred her husband, Ben Falcone. [40] After her Bridesmaids breakout, McCarthy had supporting roles in the comedy films This Is 40 (2012), the spinoff to Judd Apatow's film Knocked Up , [41] and The Hangover Part III (2013).

In 2013, McCarthy co-starred in the crime comedy Identity Thief with Jason Bateman. [42] [43] Identity Thief, her star vehicle, opened at No. 1 at the box office, and grossed $174 million worldwide [44] despite negative reviews. [45] R. Kurt Osenlund of Slant Magazine praised McCarthy's performance, writing that she "gives a performance leagues better than anything to be expected in a mainstream, early-in-the-year release, padding a typically sketched character with layers of hilarity and pathos. McCarthy owns 'Identity Thief' with a turn of limitless surprise, making an otherwise adequate comedy soar as a star vehicle. She is riveting in simply-penned moments of remorse and confession, adding tearful depth to her ace timing and formidable physical comedy." [46] Peter Debruge of Variety magazine praised McCarthy but criticized the script, saying "Melissa McCarthy proves she’s got what it takes to carry a feature, however meager the underlying material." [47] She received People's Choice and MTV Movie Awards nomination for her performance. [48] Later in 2013, McCarthy co-starred with Sandra Bullock in the buddy cop comedy The Heat . The film was released in the United States and Canada on June 28, 2013, to both critical and commercial success. [49] With McCarthy being called "box office gold," The Heat grossed $229 million worldwide. [50] She won American Comedy Award for Best Comedy Actress - Film, and well as received nominations an Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in a Comedy and MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance. [51] [52]

In 2013, McCarthy founded the production company On the Day Productions with her husband Ben Falcone. [53] Tammy was the company's first project. The film cost $20 million. [54] McCarthy co-wrote the script for the road comedy film, which was released in 2014. McCarthy's character loses her job and her car, and then learns that her husband has been unfaithful. To get away, she is forced to rely on her alcoholic grandmother (Susan Sarandon) for transportation as they embark on a journey of self-discovery. [55] Although a box office success, grossing over $100 million from a $20 million budget, it received highly negative reviews from critics with McCarthy received Razzie nomination for Worst Actress. [56] On Rotten Tomatoes, the site's critical consensus reads, "Melissa McCarthy remains an engaging screen presence, but her efforts aren't enough to keep the jumbled Tammy on track." [57] Later in 2014, McCarthy played the female lead, opposite Bill Murray, in the comedy-drama film St. Vincent , directed and written by Theodore Melfi. [58] The film received positive reviews from critics and her performance as an overworked single mom was noted. [59] [60] At the 20th Critics' Choice Awards, she received Best Actress in a Comedy Movie nomination. [61]

In May 2015, McCarthy received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. [62] [63] In August 2015, Forbes ranked her as the third highest-paid actress of 2015, with earnings of $23 million. [2] Also in 2015, McCarthy played the lead in frequent collaborator Paul Feig's spy comedy Spy , [64] [65] a role that earned McCarthy her first Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. [66] The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $235 million worldwide against a $65 million budget. McCarthy's performance was praised by critics. Richard Roeper of The Chicago Sun Times called her "as funny and as winning as anyone in the movies these days". [67] Tom Russo of The Boston Globe credited the film's success to McCarthy, writing, "part of what makes the action comedy such a loopy blast is the identity shifts she pulls on the audience." [68] Bill Goodykoontz of Arizona Republic called the film McCarthy's return to form, writing "Finally, after the promise shown in Bridesmaids, but sold short since by weak scripts in films like Tammy and Identity Thief, Melissa McCarthy gets a movie vehicle worthy of her talents." [69]

In 2016, McCarthy starred in the comedy film The Boss , a film based on a character which McCarthy had created in the Los Angeles Groundlings – a wealthy businesswoman "who goes to jail for insider trading, and struggles to reinvent herself as America's new sweetheart when she's released". [53] Although it received generally negative reviews from critics, it grossed over $78 million worldwide on a budget of $29 million. Also that year, she played an author and scientist in the all-female reboot of Ghostbusters , directed by Paul Feig. [70] [71] [72] [73] The film grossed $229.1 million worldwide against its $144 million budget, making it a box office bomb with losses of over $70 million following theaters taking their revenue cut. [74] At the 43rd People's Choice Awards, McCarthy won Award for Favorite Comedic Movie Actress. [75]

In 2016 she recorded the song "Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)" with Barbra Streisand which appears on Streisand's album Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway . On February 4 and 11, 2017 she made surprise appearances on Saturday Night Live portraying White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. [76] [77] She returned to the show to portray Spicer on April 16 [78] and May 13, 2017 (also hosting the latter). McCarthy also appeared in a Super Bowl LI ad for Kia Motors, promoting the Kia Niro. McCarthy played a wannabe environmentalist, who has a series of mishaps befall her such as being capsized by a whale, being charged by a rhino, and falling down a crevasse. The commercial featured the song "Holding Out for a Hero". [79]

2018–present: Dramatic roles and awards recognition

McCarthy at an event for Can You Ever Forgive Me? in 2018 Can You Ever Forgive Me%3F 01 (44939300051).jpg
McCarthy at an event for Can You Ever Forgive Me? in 2018

McCarthy starred and produced another comedy film directed by Ben Falcone, Life of the Party . The film was released on May 11, 2018. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $65 million. She also starred in The Happytime Murders , an adult puppet buddy cop crime comedy film directed by Brian Henson. The film was released on August 24, 2018, and received mostly negative reviews and was a box-office bomb, grossing $27.5 million worldwide against a $40–47 million budget. It went on to debut to $9.5 million, marking the lowest opening of McCarthy's career as a lead. [80]

Later in 2018, she starred as celebrity biographer Lee Israel in the dark comedy-drama film Can You Ever Forgive Me? directed by Marielle Heller. She replaced Julianne Moore, who was fired shortly before shooting was to begin. [81] McCarthy's performance as Lee drew high praise. Film Journal International said McCarthy's performance is "stunning", and her previous film roles "could not anticipate how fearlessly and credibly she inhabits Lee Israel." [82] [83] [84]

She received an Academy Award for Best Actress nomination, and well as Golden Globe, Critics' Choice, Screen Actors Guild Awards and BAFTA Awards nominations. [82] She won Best Actress awards from New York Film Critics Online, San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle, Boston Society of Film Critics, Vancouver Film Critics Circle and Florida Film Critics Circle. At the 39th Golden Raspberry Awards, McCarthy won two awards: for Worst Actress (Life of the Party and The Happytime Murders) and Redeemer Award for her Can You Ever Forgive Me? performance. [85]

In 2019, McCarthy played the lead in the crime film The Kitchen . It received mostly negative reviews from critics and was a box-office bomb. Variety 's Owen Gleiberman described the film as "just like Widows , except not as good." Gleiberman was critical of the script but praised McCarthy's fierce performance. [86] The following year, she returned to comedy with the leading role in the Superintelligence . In 2021, she starred in the superhero comedy film Thunder Force , and the comedy-drama film The Starling , both was released on Netflix. [87]

She executive produced and starred in the Hulu limited thriller drama series, Nine Perfect Strangers . The Guardian 's Lucy Mangan said: "Most engagingly, there is Melissa McCarthy, sweeping all before her as charismatic, bestselling author Frances, who has recently been dealt harsh blows and is here to have pampered time to recover. As is so often the case with the magnificent McCarthy, she is the best, most arresting thing in the series, and every time she comes back on screen you wriggle with delight." [88] She received Critics' Choice Television Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries for her performance in series. [89] In 2022, she co-starred with Ben Falcone in the Netflix comedy series, God's Favorite Idiot .

On June 28, 2019, it was announced that McCarthy was in talks to play Ursula in Disney's film The Little Mermaid , set to be directed by Rob Marshall. [90] On February 18, 2020, McCarthy confirmed her casting as the villainess during an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. [91] The film was released in 2023 and grossed over $569 million worldwide against a total production budget of $250 million. Peter Debruge from the Variety wrote: "If Bailey is the film’s big discovery, then McCarthy is its no-brainer. Dolled up to look like Divine’s evil-stepsister in her glowing green lair, the comic star’s just delicious as the movie’s deep-sea villain. Her timing is impeccable, and though the part is virtually identical to the one Pat Carroll originated, she aces what’s demanded of these tricky remakes: Basically, McCarthy manages to hit every beat the super fans expect, while surprising with every pause and inflection." [92]

McCarthy starred opposite Jerry Seinfeld in the comedy film Unfrosted for Netflix. [93] She also set to star in the film Genie written by Richard Curtis. [94]

McCarthy and Ben Falcone at The Boss premiere in 2016 McCarthy Falcone Premiere 2016 (2).jpg
McCarthy and Ben Falcone at The Boss premiere in 2016

Personal life

McCarthy married her longtime boyfriend Ben Falcone, an actor and member of The Groundlings, on October 8, 2005. [95] [96] The couple have two daughters, Vivian and Georgette. [97] McCarthy's pregnancy with Vivian was written into the last season of Gilmore Girls. Vivian and Georgette both made an appearance in the 2016 film The Boss , with the former playing a younger version of her mother's character.

Falcone often makes cameo appearances in McCarthy's films and TV series, such as a third-season episode of Gilmore Girls, The Nines, Bridesmaids, The Heat, Tammy, Identity Thief, Spy, The Boss, Life of the Party, The Happytime Murders, Thunder Force, Can You Ever Forgive Me? and Nine Perfect Strangers.

In the April 2021 issue of Instyle, McCarthy said that, with regard to politics, "It's very polarizing, but, I mean, I'm on the left for sure, though I'm not an extremist. And I think just saying like, "Can't we all just be kind to each other?" and that gets a "F— you, lady," I don't know what to do." [98]

In August 2021, McCarthy joined the 40x40 campaign launched by Meghan Markle to mark her 40th birthday. 40x40 is a campaign that asks people around the world to spend 40 minutes of their time mentoring women reentering the workforce and combating the outsized economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women. [99]

Fashion line

McCarthy studied textiles at Southern Illinois University, and was interested in a fashion career before she pursued her interests in acting. When she moved to New York City, it was to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology. One of her closest friends is shoe designer Brian Atwood. McCarthy also spent time working as the costumer for a dance company. [10]

In 2015, McCarthy announced her first clothing collection, Melissa McCarthy Seven7, for plus-size women. The line includes clothes up to size 28. In an interview with More, McCarthy stated that "people don't stop at size 12. I feel like there's a big thing missing where you can't dress to your mood above a certain number. Malls segregate "plus-size" clothes stores and hide these stores away from other sections of the mall." [100] [101] Seven7, which was developed alongside Sunrise Brands, [102] debuted in August 2015 on the Home Shopping Network. [103] [104] [105]

Filmography

Film

YearFilmRoleNotes
1998GodMargaretShort film
1999 Go Sandra
2000 Charlie's Angels Doris
Drowning Mona Shirley
Auto MotivesTonnieShort film
Disney's The Kid Sky King Waitress
2002 Pumpkin Cici Pinkus
The Third Wheel Marilyn
White Oleander Paramedic
2003 The Life of David Gale Nico the Goth Girl
Chicken Party Tot Wagner
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Woman at Crime SceneUncredited
2007 Cook Off! Amber Strang
The Nines Margaret / Melissa / Mary
The CaptainFranShort film
2008 Just Add Water Selma
Pretty Ugly People Becky
2010 The Back-up Plan Carol
Life as We Know It DeeDee
2011 Bridesmaids Megan Price
2012 This Is 40 Catherine
2013 Identity Thief Diana / Dawn Budgie
The Hangover Part III Cassy
The Heat Detective Shannon Mullins
2014 Tammy Tammy BanksAlso screenwriter and producer
St. Vincent Maggie Bronstein
2015 Spy Susan Cooper
2016 The Boss Michelle DarnellAlso screenwriter and producer
Central Intelligence Darla McGuckianCameo
Ghostbusters Dr. Abigail "Abby" Yates
2018 Life of the Party Deanna MilesAlso screenwriter and producer
The Happytime Murders Detective Connie EdwardsAlso producer
Can You Ever Forgive Me? Leonore "Lee" Israel
2019 The Kitchen Kathy Brennan
2020 Superintelligence Carol Vivian PetersAlso producer
2021 Thunder Force Lydia Berman / The Hammer
The Starling Lilly Maynard
2022 Thor: Love and Thunder Hela actressCameo
2023 The Little Mermaid Ursula
Genie FloraAlso executive producer
2024 Unfrosted Donna Stankowski
2027 Margie Claus Margie ClausVoice; also producer

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997 Jenny MelissaEpisode: "A Girl's Gotta Live in the Real World"
2000 D.C. Molly2 episodes
2000–2007 Gilmore Girls Sookie St. James 153 episodes
2002–2005 Kim Possible DNAmyVoice, 3 episodes
2004 Curb Your Enthusiasm SaleswomanEpisode: "The Surrogate"
2006 I Love the '70s: Volume 2 HerselfDocumentary miniseries
2007–2009 Samantha Who? Dena 35 episodes
2009 Rita Rocks Mindy Boone5 episodes
2010 Private Practice Lynn McDonaldEpisode: "Best Laid Plans"
2010–2016 Mike & Molly Molly Flynn 127 episodes
2011–2017 Saturday Night Live Herself (host) / Sean Spicer 9 episodes
2012 The Penguins of Madagascar ShelleyVoice, episode: "Hair Apparent/Love Takes Flightless"
2016 Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Sookie St. James Episode: "Fall"
2017–2018 Nobodies Herself8 episodes; also executive producer
2020 Little Big Shots Herself (host)13 episodes; also executive producer
2021 Nine Perfect Strangers Frances Welty8 episodes; also executive producer
2022 God's Favorite Idiot Amily Luck
The Simpsons CalvinVoice, episode: "Step Brother from the Same Planet"
2024 RuPaul's Drag Race HerselfEpisode: "The Sound of Rusic"
Only Murders in the Building DoreenEpisode: "Valley of the Dolls" [106]

Awards and nominations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judy Davis</span> Australian film, television, and stage actress (born 1955)

Judith Davis is an Australian actress. In a career spanning over four decades of both screen and stage, she has been commended for her versatility and regarded as one of the finest actresses of her generation. Frequent collaborator Woody Allen described her as "one of the most exciting actresses in the world". Davis has received numerous accolades, including nine AACTA Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Byrne</span> Australian actress (born 1979)

Mary Rose Byrne is an Australian actress. She made her screen debut in the film Dallas Doll (1994), and continued to act in Australian film and television throughout the 1990s. She obtained her first leading film role in The Goddess of 1967 (2000), which brought her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, and made the transition to American cinema with a small role in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), followed by bigger parts in Hollywood productions of Troy (2004), 28 Weeks Later (2007), and Knowing (2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendi McLendon-Covey</span> American actress and comedian (born 1969)

Wendi McLendon-Covey is an American actress known primarily for her work in comedic and improvisational roles. From 2013 until 2023, she played the role of family matriarch Beverly Goldberg on the ABC comedy series The Goldbergs, for which she was nominated for two Critics' Choice Television Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristen Wiig</span> American actress and comedian (born 1973)

Kristen Carroll Wiig is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. First breaking through as a performer with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings, Wiig achieved stardom during her seven-season tenure on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2012.

Melissa De Sousa is an American actress. She made her big screen debut playing the leading role in the 1998 comedy film Ride. She starred as Shelby in the 1999 romantic comedy-drama film The Best Man and later reprised her role in its 2013 sequel The Best Man Holiday and the 2022 Peacock series The Best Man: The Final Chapters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Octavia Spencer</span> American actress

Octavia Lenora Spencer is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa Rauch</span> American actress (born 1980)

Melissa Ivy Rauch is an American actress. She is best known for playing Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, for which she was nominated for the Critics Choice Television Award in 2013. From 2004 to 2008, Rauch worked as a regular contributor on the VH1 series Best Week Ever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Feig</span> American filmmaker

Paul Feig is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He is best known for directing films such as Bridesmaids (2011), The Heat (2013), Spy (2015), Ghostbusters (2016), A Simple Favor (2018), and Last Christmas (2019). He often collaborates with actress Melissa McCarthy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christina Applegate</span> American actress (born 1971)

Christina Applegate is an American actress. After appearing in several roles since early childhood, she gained recognition for starring as Kelly Bundy in the comedy sitcom Married... with Children (1987–1997). Applegate established a successful film and television career in her adult years, winning a Primetime Emmy Award as well as gaining nominations for four Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award.

Annie Mumolo is an American screenwriter, actress, comedian, and producer, best known for co-writing the 2011 film Bridesmaids with Kristen Wiig, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay. She and Wiig also co-wrote the screenplay and played leading roles for the 2021 comedy film Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. She has also appeared in films such as This Is 40 (2012), Afternoon Delight (2013), The Boss (2016), Bad Moms (2016), Queenpins (2020), and Confess, Fletch (2022).

<i>Bridesmaids</i> (2011 film) Film by Paul Feig

Bridesmaids is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, and produced by Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel and Clayton Townsend. It stars Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, and Chris O'Dowd. The film focuses on a woman who experiences a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as maid of honor for her best friend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Falcone</span> American actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer

Benjamin Scott Falcone is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is married to actress Melissa McCarthy, with whom he frequently collaborates. Falcone made his directorial debut in 2014 with Tammy, which he co-wrote with McCarthy, and he also directed, co-wrote, and produced The Boss, Life of the Party, Superintelligence, and Thunder Force, all of which starred McCarthy. In 2022, Falcone starred in Netflix series God's Favorite Idiot, which he created.

<i>The Heat</i> (film) 2013 American buddy cop action comedy film by Paul Feig

The Heat is a 2013 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Paul Feig and written by Katie Dippold. It stars Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, with Demián Bichir, Marlon Wayans, Michael Rapaport, and Jane Curtin in supporting roles. The film centers on FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn and Boston Detective Shannon Mullins, who must take down a mobster in Boston.

<i>Identity Thief</i> 2013 American film

Identity Thief is a 2013 American road comedy film directed by Seth Gordon, written by Craig Mazin from a story by Mazin and Jerry Eeten, and starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy. The film tells the fictional story of Sandy Patterson, a man whose identity is stolen by a female con artist. After the police told him that it will take up to a year to solve the case, Sandy embarks on a cross-country road trip to find her and clear his name.

Sarah Baker is an American actress and comedian, best known for roles in movies such as The Campaign and Mascots, and TV shows like The Kominsky Method and Louie.

<i>Tammy</i> (film) 2014 American film by Ben Falcone

Tammy is a 2014 American road comedy film directed and co-written by Ben Falcone and produced, co-written by, and starring Melissa McCarthy as the title character. The film also stars Susan Sarandon, Allison Janney, Gary Cole, Mark Duplass, Nat Faxon, Toni Collette, Sandra Oh, with Dan Aykroyd, and Kathy Bates. The film tells the story of a woman named Tammy who hits the road with her profane, alcoholic grandmother after finding out her husband is cheating. Tammy was released in theaters on July 2, 2014.

<i>Spy</i> (2015 film) 2015 film by Paul Feig

Spy is a 2015 American spy action comedy film written and directed by Paul Feig. It stars Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, and Jude Law, with Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Serafinowicz, Morena Baccarin, Nargis Fakhri, and Allison Janney appearing in supporting roles. The film follows unorthodox secret agent Susan Cooper (McCarthy) as she tries to trace a stolen portable nuclear device.

<i>Can You Ever Forgive Me?</i> 2018 film directed by Marielle Heller

Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a 2018 American biographical drama film directed by Marielle Heller, with a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty based on the 2008 confessional memoir of the same name by Lee Israel. Melissa McCarthy stars as Israel, and the story follows her attempts to revitalize her failing writing career by forging letters from deceased authors and playwrights. The film also features Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, Jane Curtin, Anna Deavere Smith, Stephen Spinella, and Ben Falcone in supporting roles. Israel took the title from an apologetic line in a letter in which she posed as Dorothy Parker.

<i>Superintelligence</i> (film) 2020 film by Ben Falcone

Superintelligence is a 2020 American romantic action comedy film directed by Ben Falcone and written by Steve Mallory. The film stars Melissa McCarthy in her fourth collaboration with her husband, Falcone.

References

  1. ↑ Rahman, Ray (August 23, 2013). "Monitor". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johansson, Melissa McCarthy Top World's Highest Paid Actresses List". Entertainment Tonight. August 20, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  3. ↑ "The World's Highest-Paid Actresses 2016: Jennifer Lawrence Banks $46 Million Payday Ahead Of Melissa McCarthy". Forbes. August 23, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy". Time. April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  5. ↑ Dargis, Manohla; Scott, A.O. (November 25, 2020). "The 25 greatest actors of the 21st century (so far)". The New York Times . Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Pharrell, Pitbull Getting Stars on Walk of Fame". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Real Girls React to Melissa McCarthy's Denim Line". People. December 21, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Melissa Mccarthy: Her Moment to Shine" Archived December 30, 2011, at the Wayback Machine March 21, 2011, People
  9. ↑ "Bob Newhart just can't stand still" September 19, 2002, Herald News
  10. 1 2 "Melissa McCarthy Is Having Her Moment" September 28, 2011, The Hollywood Reporter
  11. ↑ "5 Things You Didn't Know about Melissa McCarthy's Family Tree » Megan Smolenyak". July 14, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Bio" . Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  13. ↑ "'Mike and Molly's' Melissa McCarthy Finds Super-Sized Success" March 22, 2011, LifeScript.com
  14. ↑ Danaher, Patricia (May 24, 2013). "Melissa McCarthy: The Scene Stealer Goes Center Stage". Irish America. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  15. ↑ "From JCA to CBS: Emmy winner got acting bug at Joliet school" Archived September 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine September 21, 2011, The Herald News
  16. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy Biography". Bio. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy". The Groundlings Website.
  18. ↑ Nichols, James Michael (February 8, 2017). "Melissa McCarthy: I Used to Perform as a Drag queen". Huffington Post. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Voice Dnamy". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  20. ↑ "The New Classics: TV". Entertainment Weekly . June 18, 2007. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  21. ↑ Griggs, Brandon (April 8, 2016). "Melissa McCarthy is joining 'Gilmore Girls' revival". CNN . Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Pretty Ugly People". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  23. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (October 31, 2007). "'Samantha' gets full-season pickup". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on September 4, 2008. Retrieved October 30, 2007.
  24. ↑ Sullivan, Brian Ford (May 11, 2007). "ABC Adds 10 Newcomers, Renews 'Notes,' 'Road'". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
  25. ↑ Barrett, Annie (November 16, 2009). "Exclusive: 'Private Practice' makes perfect with 'Gilmore' girl Melissa McCarthy". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy: Did You Know She Was In...? Before Bridesmaids, the Spy star had popped up in some odd places on the big screen". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  27. ↑ Bierly, Mandi (March 25, 2010). "Melissa McCarthy lands lead in CBS comedy pilot. Yay! But wait…". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  28. ↑ Mangan, Lucy (October 5, 2010). "Gone to fat". The Guardian.
  29. ↑ Rose, Lacey (September 28, 2011). "Melissa McCarthy Is Having Her Moment". The Hollywood Reporter .
  30. ↑ Edwards, Gavin (January 24, 2012). "Melissa McCarthy: The Runaway Bridesmaid". Rolling Stone .
  31. ↑ Staff, T. H. R. (September 28, 2011). "Melissa McCarthy: From Best Friend to Breakout". The Hollywood Reporter .
  32. ↑ "2012 MTV Movie Awards Winners: The Full List". MTV. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022.
  33. ↑ Guerrasio, Jason. "Melissa McCarthy ad-libbed one of the most emotional scenes in 'Bridesmaids'". Insider.
  34. ↑ Editors, Produced by Digital (June 13, 2022). "Melissa McCarthy Is Responsible for a Lot of 1 'Bridesmaids' Speech".{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  35. ↑ "Emmys: Did 'Bridesmaids' help Melissa McCarthy pull off an upset?". Los Angeles Times. September 20, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  36. 1 2 "Melissa McCarthy Emmy Award Winner". Emmys.com. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  37. ↑ "Crystal + Lucy Awards 2011". Women In Film. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  38. ↑ "Academy Invites 176 to Membership". The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. June 29, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
  39. ↑ Fowler, Tara (April 7, 2013). "Saturday Night Live recap: Melissa McCarthy brought the heat and hammed it up". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  40. ↑ Nellie, Andreeva (September 19, 2011). "Next For Emmy Winner Melissa McCarthy: Co-Creating Comedy Series For CBS". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  41. ↑ Uddin, Zakia (July 8, 2011). "Melissa McCarthy to star in 'Knocked Up' sequel". Digital Spy . Retrieved July 30, 2011.
  42. ↑ Brian Gallagher (August 15, 2011). "ID Theft Gets Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy". Movie Web. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  43. ↑ "Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy To Execute ID Theft". The Film Stage. August 16, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  44. ↑ Identity Thief at Box Office Mojo
  45. ↑ Identity Thief at Metacritic OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  46. ↑ Osenlund, R. Kurt (February 6, 2013). "Identity Thief - Film Review - Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine . Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  47. ↑ Debruge, Peter (February 6, 2013). "Identity Thief". Variety .
  48. ↑ "Glee, Katy Perry Lead People's Choice Award Nominations, 2 Broke Girls' Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs to Host". E! Online. November 5, 2013.
  49. ↑ "The Heat". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  50. ↑ "The Heat (2013)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  51. ↑ Hammond, Pete (December 16, 2013). "'American Hustle', '12 Years A Slave' Lead BFCA's Critics Choice Movie Awards Nominations".
  52. ↑ "2014 MTV Movie Awards: Full Nominations List". MTV. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022.
  53. 1 2 "Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Preview 5 New Film Projects". Variety. June 24, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  54. ↑ Ben Fritz (June 26, 2014). "Melissa McCarthy Is Hollywood's Unlikely Leading Lady". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  55. ↑ Jeff, Leins (November 7, 2011). "Melissa McCarthy Striking Out with Tammy". News in Film. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  56. ↑ "35th Annual Razzie Awards Nominations".
  57. ↑ "Tammy (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  58. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy May Join The Congregation Of 'St. Vincent De Van Nuys' With Bill Murray". Indiewire. March 11, 2013. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  59. ↑ Tallerico, Brian. "St. Vincent movie review & film summary (2014) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com/.
  60. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy cried after standing ovation for 'St. Vincent' | Toronto Sun".
  61. ↑ Hammond, Pete (December 15, 2014). "'Birdman', 'Budapest' And 'Boyhood' Get Key Oscar Boost To Lead Critics' Choice Movie Award Nominations; Jolie Rebounds From Globe Snub".
  62. ↑ Jenelle Riley; Marianne Zumberge (May 19, 2015). "Walk of Fame honoree Melissa McCarthy spies some luck in her life". Variety. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  63. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy Dazzles at Walk of Fame Ceremony". People. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  64. ↑ Ford, Rebecca (July 25, 2013). "Melissa McCarthy in Talks to Join Paul Feig's 'Susan Cooper'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  65. ↑ Cunningham, Todd (November 12, 2013). "Melissa McCarthy Spy Spoof 'Susan Cooper' Gets Key 2015 Release Date". Yahoo Movies. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  66. ↑ "The Golden Globes: Full List of Winners and Nominees". NBC News. January 11, 2016.
  67. ↑ Roeper, Richard. "Spy Review" . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  68. ↑ Russo, Tom. "Melissa McCarthy pulls off her latest comic role, secret agent, in 'Spy'". The Boston Globe . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  69. ↑ Bill, Goodykoontz. "Review: Melissa McCarthy makes a terrific 'Spy'" . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  70. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy for Ghostbusters". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  71. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy for Ghostbusters 3". Dread Central. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  72. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy for Ghostbusters 3". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  73. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy is playing Patty, an NYC subway worker" . Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  74. ↑ "Ghostbusters (2016 film)". September 14, 2023 – via Wikipedia.
  75. ↑ Staff, T. H. R. (January 18, 2017). "People's Choice Awards 2017 Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter .
  76. ↑ Gilbert, Sophie (February 5, 2017). "The Genius of Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer on Saturday Night Live". The Atlantic. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  77. ↑ Stableford, Dylan (February 5, 2017). "Melissa McCarthy steals the show as a raging Sean Spicer on 'SNL'". Yahoo! News. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  78. ↑ Bradley, Laura (April 19, 2017). "S.N.L.: How Conan O'Brien Saved Melissa McCarthy's Sean Spicer Easter Skit". Vanity Fair. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  79. ↑ Kia Niro Super Bowl 2017 TV Commercial, 'Hero's Journey' Feat. Melissa McCarthy [T1] , retrieved August 26, 2021
  80. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 26, 2018). "'Why 'Happytime Murders' Reps A Solo Career B.O. Low For Melissa McCarthy In A 'Crazy Rich' Weekend – Update". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  81. ↑ Shoard, Catherine (March 22, 2019). "Julianne Moore was fired from Can You Ever Forgive Me? over fat suit and fake nose". Variety. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  82. 1 2 Horwitz, Simi (October 17, 2018). "Film Review: Can You Ever Forgive Me?". Film Journal International . Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  83. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (January 30, 2019). "Can You Ever Forgive Me? review – horribly hilarious odd-couple caper | Peter Bradshaw's film of the week". The Guardian– via www.theguardian.com.
  84. ↑ Scott, A. O. (October 16, 2018). "Review: Melissa McCarthy Is Criminally Good in 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?'". The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
  85. ↑ "39th Razzie Award Winners Announced".
  86. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (August 8, 2019). "Film Review: The Kitchen". Variety . Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  87. ↑ Mangan, Lucy (August 20, 2021). "Nine Perfect Strangers review – forget Nicole Kidman … Melissa McCarthy steals this show". The Guardian.
  88. ↑ Mangan, Lucy (August 20, 2021). "Nine Perfect Strangers review – forget Nicole Kidman … Melissa McCarthy steals this show". The Guardian.
  89. ↑ Shanfeld, Angelique Jackson, Ethan; Jackson, Angelique; Shanfeld, Ethan (March 13, 2022). "Critics Choice Awards 2022: 'The Power of the Dog,' 'Ted Lasso,' 'Succession' Win Big (Full Winners List)".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  90. ↑ Kroll, Justin (June 28, 2019). "Melissa McCarthy in Talks to Play Ursula in Live-Action 'Little Mermaid' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  91. ↑ Muscaro, TJ (February 18, 2020). "Melissa McCarthy Talks Becoming Ursula for Disney's Live-Action "Little Mermaid"". Inside the Magic. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  92. ↑ Debruge, Peter (May 22, 2023). "'The Little Mermaid' Review: Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy Erase Any Doubts About This Remake's See-Worthiness".
  93. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (June 15, 2022). "Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer and Hugh Grant to Star in Jerry Seinfeld's 'Pop-Tart' Movie".
  94. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (December 14, 2022). "Melissa McCarthy To Star In Richard Curtis-Scripted Christmas Comedy For Universal, Working Title & Peacock; Sam Boyd To Direct".
  95. ↑ Arieanna (October 22, 2005). "Melissa McCarthy gets married!!". Gilmore News. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
  96. ↑ "Ben Falcone". 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
  97. ↑ Cardoza, Riley (February 4, 2019). "Melissa McCarthy Admits Her Preteen Daughters Have More Confidence Than She Did Pushing 30". US Weekly . Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  98. ↑ Brown, Laura. "Melissa McCarthy Does It for the Laughs". Instyle. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  99. ↑ Stump, Scott (August 4, 2021). "Meghan Markle teams up with Melissa McCarthy to celebrate 40th birthday in new video". Today. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  100. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy: The Art of Living Fearlessly". MORE. Archived from the original on August 18, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  101. ↑ Nidhi Tewari (May 27, 2015). "Melissa McCarthy Says Her Clothing Line For Plus-Sized Women Will Break All The Rules". International Business Times.
  102. ↑ "Brand Portfolio /// Sunrise Brands". Sunrise Brands. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  103. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy launches clothing line". Chicago Tribune. August 15, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  104. ↑ "Melissa McCarthy's Debut Fashion Line". Vogue. July 29, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  105. ↑ "HSN to Premiere Melissa McCarthy's First Fashion Collection "Melissa McCarthy Seven7" on August 13". NASDAQ. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  106. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (May 14, 2024). "'Only Murders In The Building' Season 4 Gets Premiere Date & Trailer With Melissa McCarthy Joining Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.