Melissa McCarthy

Melissa Ann McCarthy (born August 26, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, 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. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her #22 in its list of the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century.

McCarthy has received two Primetime Emmy Awards, her first for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for playing Molly Flynn on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly (2010–2016) followed by her win for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for hosting Saturday Night Live (2017). She has also taken recurring roles in the comedy-drama series Gilmore Girls (2000–2007) and the sitcom Samantha Who? (2007–2009), a leading role in the miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers (2021), and a guest role in the comedy series Only Murders in the Building (2024).

On film, she has received two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress playing a comedic bridesmaid in the comedy Bridesmaids (2011) and Best Actress for her portrayal of writer Lee Israel in the biographical film Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018). She has also starred in a string of commercially successful comedies such as Identity Thief (2013), The Heat (2013), Tammy (2014), St. Vincent (2014), Spy (2015), The Boss (2016), and Life of the Party (2018). She 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 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.

Melissa Ann McCarthy was born on August 26, 1970, in Plainfield, Illinois, to Sandra and Michael McCarthy. She is a cousin of actress and model Jenny McCarthy. McCarthy was raised on a farm in a large Catholic family. She is of mostly Irish descent, although she also has some German and English ancestry. Some of her forebears were from County Cork. She graduated from St. Francis Academy (now Joliet Catholic Academy) in Joliet, Illinois, and attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

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

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. 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. 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. 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. Also in 2007, McCarthy starred as Dena Stevens on the ABC sitcom Samantha Who?. 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. She guest starred in Rita Rocks and on Private Practice. In 2010, McCarthy played supporting roles in films The Back-up Plan and Life as We Know It.