Melissa McCarthy has been in showbiz for decades now but her claim to fame came she appeared in Bridesmaids. Sure, she first gained recognition after playing Sookie on Gilmore girls. However, Bridesmaids launched into a new stratosphere of popularity and global recognition. Today, McCarthy is widely known for her comedy chops both on the big and small screen.
Since her rise to fame, the actress has seasoned the entertainment industry with funny and light-hearted movies. All the while, she’s equally been contributing to the inclusive industry that Hollywood is fast becoming. With that in mind, here are a few interesting facts about Melissa McCarthy.
1. She Once Performed As a Drag Queen
Before we got to enjoy her performances on the big screen, McCarthy had a swell time performing as a drag queen named Miss Y. Her friend, Brian Atwood, convinced her to get on a Hell’s Kitchen stage one evening and according to McCarthy, it gave her lots of confidence. Miss Y was an extravagant character who wore a gold swing coat, paired with a massive wig, and comically long eyelashes. Her whole gimmick was talking about being incredibly rich, gorgeous, and living luxurious ly.
2. Melissa McCarthy Was A Cheerleader In High-School
As far as Melissa McCarthy facts go, this is an interesting one. She was a cheerleader in high school just before her punk phase. It’s hard to imagine what must have taken her from preppy cheerleader to turtle-neck-wearing punk so drastically. Even more intriguing is the fact that she was voted the most changed in four years by her classmates. Judging from her dance moves in some of her movie scenes (the first scene of The Boss), it’s clear where she got her impressive Bring It On! steps. McCarthy was cheering for her Catholic school’s football team in Joliet, Illinois, long before fans got to meet and fall in love with her on TV.
3. She’s Married To An Actor And Filmmaker She Met In A Comedy Writing Class
McCarthy’s other half is actor and producer Ben Falcone. The lovebirds met in comedy writing class in 1995. They now have two daughters Vivian and Georgette Falcone. McCarthy and her husband frequently collaborate with the filmmaker producing or directing the projects his wife stars in. The two are not shy about sharing bits of their relationship with the public. They have loving and funny moments together on interviews, shows, and social media.
4. Melissa McCarthy Owns A Production Company
Another Melissa McCarthy fact worth knowing is that she has her own movie production company. She founded and co-owns the company with her husband, and together they have produced multiple comedy tv shows and movies. The company is called, On the Day and has produced about 13 movies (in collaboration with other production companies, in some cases). These include The Boss, Tammy, Life of the party, and Thunder Force. Their company has also produced two television series, Nobodies and God’s Favorite Idiot.
5. She Was In Charlie’s Angels
One of the many interesting Melissa Mccarthy facts most people aren’t aware of is that she was in the original Charlie’s Angels movies. Although she didn’t have a major role, she certainly made an impression. McCarthy played the part of Doris, the perky receptionist at Red Star headquarters. McCarthy also had another cameo in the second installment of the film series Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle as a random woman at a crime scene.
6. Melissa McCarthy Also Wanted To Be A Fashion Designer
Since the sixth grade, McCarthy has wanted to design clothes. For instance, during her punk phase, she interestingly turned a turtleneck sweater into a pair of pants. If that isn’t creativity, what is? McCarthy mentions that her grandmother was a seamstress, which was a contributing factor to her interest in style and clothing. In fact, she moved to New York City at some point to study textiles.
She eventually launched her own fashion line, Melissa McCarthy Seven7, in 2015. Her line comprises of all kinds of clothing styles for women. She especially takes plus-sized women into consideration since the fashion world isn’t necessarily kind or inclusive. Before launching her clothing line, McCarthy often styled herself. She still creates her own outfits today.
7. Mellissa McCarthy Has a Unique Bond With Sandra Bullock
McCarthy and Sandra Bullock became friends on the set of The Heat. Their friendship became so notable that director Paul Feig had a few things to say about it. He mentioned that their type of bond is simply rare in Hollywood. He also revealed that their friendship did not fade even after their time on set together.
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