McCarthy and her husbandBen Falcone are the founders of the production company On the Day Productions, under which they have collaborated on several comedy films includingSuper Intelligence (2020), andThunder Force (2021). In 2015, she launched her own clothing line for plus-sized women, named Melissa McCarthy Seven7, and she received amotion picture star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[6][7]
Her career started with stand-up comedy in Los Angeles, and later in New York City.[16] McCarthy is an alumna ofThe Groundlings, an improvisational andsketch comedy troupe based inLos Angeles, California.[17] She also performed in New York City as adrag queen under the moniker Miss Y, including at theWigstock festival.[18]
In 2007, she starred oppositeRyan Reynolds in the science fantasy psychological thrillerThe Nines, written and directed byJohn August. She later starred in the independent comediesThe Captain,Just Add Water, andPretty Ugly People.[22] Also in 2007, McCarthy starred asDena Stevens on theABC sitcomSamantha 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 inRita Rocks and onPrivate Practice.[25] In 2010, McCarthy played supporting roles in filmsThe Back-up Plan andLife as We Know It.[26]
In 2013, McCarthy co-starred in the crime comedyIdentity Thief withJason Bateman.[42][43]Identity Thief, herstar vehicle, opened at No. 1 at the box office, and grossed $174 million worldwide[44] despite negative reviews.[45] R. Kurt Osenlund ofSlant 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 ofVariety 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 receivedPeople's Choice andMTV Movie Awards nomination for her performance.[48] Later in 2013, McCarthy co-starred withSandra Bullock in the buddy cop comedyThe 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 wonAmerican Comedy Award for Best Comedy Actress - Film, and well as received nominations anCritics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in a Comedy andMTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance.[51][52]
In 2013, McCarthy founded the production company On the Day Productions with her husbandBen 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 receivedRazzie nomination forWorst Actress.[56] OnRotten Tomatoes, the site's critical consensus reads, "Melissa McCarthy remains an engaging screen presence, but her efforts aren't enough to keep the jumbledTammy on track."[57] Later in 2014, McCarthy played the female lead, oppositeBill Murray, in the comedy-drama filmSt. Vincent, directed and written byTheodore Melfi.[58] The film received positive reviews from critics and her performance as an overworked single mom was noted.[59][60] At the20th Critics' Choice Awards, she received Best Actress in a Comedy Movie nomination.[61]
In May 2015, McCarthy received a star on theHollywood 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 collaboratorPaul Feig's spy comedySpy,[64][65] a role that earned McCarthy her firstGolden Globe Award nomination forBest 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 ofThe Chicago Sun Times called her "as funny and as winning as anyone in the movies these days".[67] Tom Russo ofThe 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 ofArizona Republic called the film McCarthy's return to form, writing "Finally, after the promise shown inBridesmaids, but sold short since by weak scripts in films likeTammy andIdentity Thief, Melissa McCarthy gets a movie vehicle worthy of her talents."[69]
In 2016, McCarthy starred in the comedy filmThe 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 ofGhostbusters, 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 the43rd People's Choice Awards, McCarthy won Award for Favorite Comedic Movie Actress.[75]
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 inThe Happytime Murders, an adult puppet buddy cop crime comedy film directed byBrian 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 biographerLee Israel in the dark comedy-drama filmCan You Ever Forgive Me? directed byMarielle Heller. She replacedJulianne 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]
In 2019, McCarthy played the lead in the crime filmThe Kitchen. It received mostly negative reviews from critics and was a box-office bomb.Variety'sOwen Gleiberman described the film as "just likeWidows, 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 theSuperintelligence. In 2021, she starred in the superhero comedy filmThunder Force, and the comedy-drama filmThe Starling; both were 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 forBest 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 playUrsula in Disney's filmThe Little Mermaid, set to be directed byRob Marshall.[90] On February 18, 2020, McCarthy confirmed her casting as the villainess during an interview onThe 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 theVariety 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 and Ben Falcone atThe Boss premiere in 2016
McCarthy married her longtime boyfriendBen Falcone, an actor and member ofThe Groundlings, on October 8, 2005.[95][96] The couple have two daughters.[97] McCarthy's pregnancy was written into the last season ofGilmore Girls.
In the April 2021 issue ofInstyle, 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 byMeghan 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]
McCarthy studiedtextiles atSouthern 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 theFashion Institute of Technology. One of her closest friends is the shoe designerBrian Atwood. McCarthy also spent time working as a costumer for a dance company.[10]
In 2015, McCarthy announced her first clothing collection, Melissa McCarthy Seven7, forplus-size women. The line includes clothes up to size 28. In an interview withMore, 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 theHome Shopping Network.[103][104][105]
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