From Gilmore Girls to an unforgettable role in Bridesmaids, Melissa McCarthy has been quite a force in Hollywood, and she’s paved the way for future funny-women like herself. But from the days when she played Sookie St. James in Stars Hallow up to now, she’s undergone quite an impressive transformation. We’ve always rooted for this hilarious A-lister — welcome to this butterfly’s personal and professional metamorphosis.
- Sookie St James in Gilmore Girls
Most of us were introduced to Melissa when she played an adorable chef and BFF to Lorelei Gilmore. To this day, the actress said she has lots of nostalgic feelings and is sentimental whenever she’s back on set. But Gilmore Girls was just the beginning for this soon-to-be household name.
2. The star of Mike & Molly
Melissa reached the next stage in her career when Gilmore Girls came to a close. It was a major show for plus-size couples and plus-size women, who face a lot of bias in society. On the show, Melissa told Entertainment Tonight that she loved how her characters had real jobs and were relatable.
3. Exploding into movie stardom
People who thought Melissa McCarthy would only reach the height of TV fame were proven sorely wrong. “Bridesmaids” was her big breakout moment, and even though she’s played a lot of great supporting roles, she became the star of big-budget movies world-wide, including Identity Thief, Spy, The Boss, Life of the Party, and more. She’s even been nominated by the Oscars for “Best Supporting Actress” and we don’t doubt that even bigger roles are headed her way in 2021 and the future.
4. She starts her own clothing line
Being an actress and comedian wasn’t enough for this talented and entrepreneurial woman. She always loved fashion and back in high school knew she wanted to design ladies’ clothing. She actually attended FIT, aka NYC’s Fashion Institute of Technology, before dropping out and pursuing comedy. Let’s just say it worked out for her. Today, she finally accomplished her dream with the clothing like Seven7, a brand focused on size-inclusive, modern offerings.
5. A body positivity icon
Her talent is undeniable, but climbing the Hollywood ladder wasn’t easy at all for Melissa McCarthy, who was often attacked and body shamed for her size. But her reaction to it is what’s so amazing. When she was compared to a tractor in a review of Identity Thief, she didn’t have hateful words to say to the ridiculous author. Instead, she felt pity for someone “swimming in so much hate” as she told the New York Times.
Melissa said being a role model never occurred to her, she’s 100% that for girls with low self-esteem and poor body image.
6. Her husband as BFF and co-star through it all
You’ll notice that Melissa’s husband, Ben Falcone, looks kind of familiar. That’s because he’s starred covertly in many of her films such as Tammy. They met in 1998 during a comedy writing class and it was history ever since — the two have been married for over 15 years and you can really see the love and respect in their relationship whenever they do public appearances together. Along with professional success, she levelled up when she hit this romantic jackpot.
7. On the Day Productions
Yup, this fashion and acting mogul also has her own production company, which she started back in 2013 with her #relationshipgoals husband Ben Falcone. Producing is something she’s truly passionate about and a “dream come true” according to her comments in a Hollywood Reporter interview. And, funnily enough, The Boss was actually produced by On the Day Productions!
8. A weight loss transformation
Although she always was and is stunning, McCarthy lost an impressive amount of weight — for nobody but herself. She approaches questions about her weight loss with humor, but when answering seriously, told Gayle King that she felt amazing, and it was the best thing she’s ever done.
9. A star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
In 2015, this actress got to cross something pretty cool off her bucket list. She earned her own star on Hollywood’s walk of fame with all of her friends and loved ones there to cheer her on. She admitted she was overwhelmed, but we can’t think of someone who deserves it more.
10. Sandra Bullock became her best friend
I mean, what’s cooler than saying your on-screen best friend is actually your real-life best friend? Before they filmed The Heat, these two women had never met. But once they did, the chemistry was undeniable, and even the director of the movie called their bond ”inseparable” in an interview with Parade. Even their children are tight and have a “special relationship,” as McCarthy told E! News.
11. Playing Sean Spicer on SNL
During a guest appearance on SNL, Melissa played a side-splitting and on-point take on former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. A writer on the show asked if she was interested and she definitely was with this uncanny performance. It even earned her an Emmy for best guest actress on a comedy series.