Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy Headshot

Actress • Comedian • Writer • Producer

Birth Date: August 26, 1970

Age: 53 years old

Birth Place: Plainfield, Illinois

Spouses: Ben Falcone

A fearless comic performer with a gift for jaw-dropping physical humor, Melissa McCarthy was a force of nature in such hit features as "Bridesmaids" (2010) and "The Heat" (2013), as well as a nuanced dramatic talent in "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" (2019). Born Melissa Ann McCarthy on August 26, 1970 in Plainfield, Illinois, she relocated to New York City at the age of 20 to try her hand at the city's comedy scene. After gaining experience as a stand-up, McCarthy headed west to Los Angeles, where she joined the acclaimed improvisational troupe the Groundlings. She made her first screen appearance in 1997 with a guest appearance opposite her cousin, actress Jenny McCarthy, on her eponymous comedy series (MTV, 1997), and logged minor roles in "Go" (1999) and other films and episodic series before earning her star-making turn as the anxious chef Sookie St. James on "Gilmore Girls" (The WB/CW, 2000-07). Her gift for physical comedy and ebullient presence made her a go-to for sidekicks on subsequent series like "Samantha Who?" (ABC, 2007-09) and features like "The Back-Up Plan" (2010) with Jennifer Lopez. While starring in the romantic sitcom "Mike & Molly" (CBS, 2010-16), McCarthy finally broke away from the "best friend" persona with an unfettered turn as a filter-free member of Maya Rudolph's wedding party in "Bridesmaids" (2010). In addition to the film's unexpected runaway success, McCarthy also enjoyed an Oscar nomination for her performance, as well as an Emmy win for "Mike & Molly." Now firmly established as a comedy star, McCarthy settled into a string of hit feature comedies that hinged on her talent for slow-building eruptions of chaos, including "Identity Thief" (2012), "The Heat" (2013), with Sandra Bullock, "Spy" (2015) and "The Boss" (2016), which she co-wrote and produced with her husband, actor/director Ben Falcone. She was also a popular guest on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), hosting five times between 2011 and 2017 and earning an Emmy win in the latter year for, among other moments, an uproarious turn as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. She reteamed with "Bridesmaids" star/co-writer Kristen Wiig for Paul Feig's remake of "Ghostbusters" (2016), and logged time in two largely overlooked comedies - "Life of the Party" (2018), which she co-wrote with Falcone, and "The Happytime Murders" (2018), a raunchy comedy featuring puppets - before seguing into dramatic material for "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" (2019). McCarthy's turn as author turned celebrity forger Lee Israel earned not only critical praise but an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. The success of the film was followed by another flurry of activity, including more dramatic work in the crime drama "The Kitchen" (2019) and several comic collaborations with Falcone, including 2020's "Superintelligence."

Credits

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Self
Awards
2024

Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story

Actor
Movie
2024

Live with Kelly and MarkStream

Guest
Talk
2023

Oscars 2023: Highlights

Host
Show
2023

The Little MermaidStream

Actor
Ursula
Movie
2023
67%

GenieStream

Actor
Flora
Movie
2023
31%

GenieStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2023
31%

Relighting Candles: The Tim Sullivan Story

Executive Producer
Movie
2023

God's Favorite IdiotStream

Actor
Amily Luck
Series
2022
33%

God's Favorite IdiotStream

Executive Producer
Series
2022
33%

The Great GivebackStream

Executive Producer
Reality
2022

The Great GivebackStream

Host
Reality
2022

Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes AroundStream

Self
Special
2021

A Night in the Academy Museum

Self
Special
2021

Nine Perfect StrangersStream

Actor
Francis
Miniseries
2021
59%

Nine Perfect StrangersStream

Executive Producer
Miniseries
2021
59%

Cocktails and Tall Tales With Ina Garten and Melissa McCarthyStream

Self
Special
2021

Thunder ForceStream

Actor
Lydia
Movie
2021
22%

Thunder ForceStream

Producer
Movie
2021
22%

The StarlingStream

Actor
Lilly Maynard
Movie
2021
19%

Celebrity IOUStream

Self
Reality
2020

FOX Presents the iHeart Living Room Concert for America

Actor
Show
2020

SuperintelligenceStream

Actor
Carol
Movie
2020
31%

SuperintelligenceStream

Producer
Movie
2020
31%

Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways

Guest
Special
2019

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

The Kitchen

Actor
Kathy Brennan
Movie
2019

The Jess Cagle Interview

Guest
Show
2018

Late Late Show With James Corden: Best of the Week

Guest
Show
2018

Life of the PartyStream

Actor
Deanna
Movie
2018
35%

Life of the PartyStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2018
35%

Life of the PartyStream

Producer
Movie
2018
35%

Life of the PartyStream

Screenwriter
Movie
2018
35%

Can You Ever Forgive Me?Stream

Actor
Lee Israel
Movie
2018
98%

The Happytime Murders

Actor
Detective Connie Edwards
Movie
2018

The Happytime Murders

Producer
Movie
2018

Love, GildaStream

Self
Movie
2018
89%

Ellen's Game of Games

Guest
Game Show
2017

Access

Guest
Show
2017

Sister Circle

Guest
Talk
2017

Ghostbusters - TV Special

Actor
Show
2017

Daily Pop

Guest
News
2017

NobodiesStream

Executive Producer
Series
2017

NobodiesStream

Guest Star
Melissa McCarthy
Series
2017

Nobodies: Extras

Actor
Show
2017

Cook Off!

Actor
Amber Strang
Movie
2017

Desus & MeroStream

Guest
Talk
2016

ENCORE: Behind the Scenes With Barbra Streisand

Actor
Show
2016

ChelseaStream

Guest
Talk
2016
41%

Sunday Today With Willie Geist

Guest
Talk
2016

The Making Of: The Boss

Actor
Show
2016

Little Big Shots

Executive Producer
Reality
2016

Little Big Shots

Host
Reality
2016

Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows

Guest
Show
2016

GhostbustersStream

Actor
Abby Yates
Movie
2016
74%

The Boss

Actor
Michelle Darnell
Movie
2016

The Boss

Producer
Movie
2016

The Boss

Screenwriter
Movie
2016

The Daily Show with Trevor NoahStream

Guest
Talk
2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Melissa McCarthy Seven 7

Guest
Show
2015

Melissa McCarthy Seven 7

Host
Show
2015

Spy Interview Special

Guest
Show
2015

The Making Of: Spy

Actor
Show
2015

The Weekly with Charlie Pickering

Guest
Show
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
Talk
2015

SpyStream

Actor
Susan Cooper
Movie
2015
95%

B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations

Voice
Movie
2015

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

Guest
Show
2014

Ghostbusters: Extras

Actor
Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
Talk
2014

St. VincentStream

Actor
Maggie
Movie
2014
77%

Tammy

Actor
Tammy
Movie
2014

Tammy

Producer
Movie
2014

Tammy

Screenwriter
Movie
2014

Identity Thief: Extras

Actor
Show
2013

The Making Of: Identity Thief

Actor
Show
2013

omg! Insider

Guest
Show
2013

Złodziej tożsamości

Actor
Diana
Movie
2013

Identity ThiefStream

Actor
Diana
Movie
2013
19%

The HeatStream

Actor
Shannon Mullins
Movie
2013
66%

The Hangover 3Stream

Actor
Cassie
Movie
2013
20%

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

Entertainment Studios.TV

Guest
Show
2012

Larry King NowStream

Guest
Talk
2012

The Conversation With Amanda de Cadenet

Guest
Show
2012

Finding Your RootsStream

Guest
Reality
2012

CBS This Morning

Guest
Show
2012

This is 40Stream

Actor
Catherine
Movie
2012
51%

LIVE with Kelly

Guest
Talk
2011

The Chew

Guest
Talk
2011

Anderson

Guest
Show
2011

Dish Nation

Guest
Talk
2011

BridesmaidsStream

Actor
Megan
Movie
2011
89%

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

Mike & MollyStream

Actor
Molly Flynn
Series
2010

Mike & MollyStream

Director
Series
2010

Lorraine

Guest
Show
2010

The Back-up PlanStream

Actor
Carol
Movie
2010
17%

Life as We Know It

Actor
Deedee
Movie
2010

The Project

Guest
Show
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Guest
Talk
2009

Pretty Ugly People

Actor
Becky
Movie
2008

Samantha Who?Stream

Actor
Dena
Series
2007
77%

Private PracticeStream

Guest Star
Lynn McDonald
Series
2007

Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

Guest
Show
2007

Chelsea Lately

Guest
Talk
2007

The Graham Norton ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2007

The Better Show

Guest
Show
2007

The Nines

Actor
Margaret/Melissa/Mary
Movie
2007

The One Show

Guest
Show
2006

etalk

Guest
Show
2006

Made in Hollywood

Guest
Series
2005

Entertainment Tonight Canada

Guest
Show
2005

ET Canada

Guest
Show
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
Talk
2005

The Insider

Guest
Show
2004

Cbeebies Bedtime Stories

Self
Show
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Host
Talk
2003

Kim Possible: The Secret Files

Voice
DNAmy
Show
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Host
Talk
2003

Kim PossibleStream

Guest Voice
Series
2002

Pumpkin

Actor
Cici Pinkus
Movie
2002

The Third Wheel

Actor
Marilyn
Movie
2002

Live With Regis and Kelly

Guest
Show
2001

Gilmore GirlsStream

Actor
Sookie St. James
Series
2000

The Early Show

Guest
Show
1999

The Daily Show With Jon StewartStream

Guest
Talk
1999

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

Extra

Guest
News
1994

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
Talk
1993

Cityline

Guest
Show
1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Guest
Talk
1992

E! News

Guest
News
1991

The SimpsonsStream

Guest Voice
Calvin
Series
1989
85%

Entertainment Tonight

Guest
News
1981

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
News
1979

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Guest Star
Series
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Host
Series
1975

Canada AM

Guest
Show
1972

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutMelissa McCarthy

Barbra Streisand at 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards

SAG Awards 2024: ‘Breaking Bad’ Reunion, Honoring Barbra Streisand & More Must-See Moments

SAG Awards

2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards: How to Watch, Presenters, Nominees & More

Paapa Essiedu and Melissa McCarthy in 'Genie'

‘Genie’: Melissa McCarthy Grants Paapa Essiedu’s Holiday Wishes in New Richard Curtis Movie (VIDEO)

Keiko Angena, Yanic Truesdale, Liza Weil, Kelly Bishop, Edward Herrmann, Melissa McCarthy, Liz Torres, Sean Gunn, Milo Ventimiglia, Scott Patterson, Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, and Jared Padalecki in 'Gilmore Girls'

Why These 9 ‘Gilmore Girls’ Episodes Are Perfect to Bring in the Fall

Halle Bailey in 'The Little Mermaid'

‘The Little Mermaid’: When, Where & How to Watch Disney’s Live-Action Remake

‘The Little Mermaid’: Halle Bailey Makes a Splash as Ariel in Live-Action Re-Imagining (VIDEO)

Yanic Truesdale as Chamuel in God's Favorite Idiot
Q&A

Yanic Truesdale Talks Reuniting With Melissa McCarthy for ‘God’s Favorite Idiot’

The Great Giveback on HGTV with Melissa McCarthy and Jenna Perusich
Q&A

Why Melissa McCarthy Was Inspired to Do HGTV’s ‘The Great Giveback’

Nicole Curtis, Tabitha Brown, Melissa McCarthy, and Bobby Flay

HGTV & Food Network 2022 Summer Lineup: ‘Rehab Addict’ Spinoff, Shows With Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Flay & More

Ben Falcone as Clark Thompson, Melissa McCarthy as Amily Luck in God's Favorite Idiot

‘God’s Favorite Idiot’ Trailer: Meet the World’s Least Likely Hero (VIDEO)

Melissa McCarthy as Amily Luck in God's Favorite Idiot

‘God’s Favorite Idiot’: First Look at Ben Falcone & Melissa McCarthy’s Netflix Comedy (PHOTOS)

Melissa McCarthy as Frances in Nine Perfect Strangers
Exclusive

‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Finale Sneak Peek: Is There Hope for Frances & Tony? (VIDEO)

2011 Emmy Winners Quiz

How Well Do You Remember the 2011 Emmy Winners?

Nine Perfect Strangers Nicole Kidman
Premiere

‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Cast Hints at ‘Strange Practices, But Good Outcomes’ (VIDEO)

Nine Perfect Strangers Review
Review

Roush Review: Escape with ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ to a Trippy Retreat

Nicole Kidman in Nine Perfect Strangers

‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Trailer Teases a Hellish Retreat With Nicole Kidman (VIDEO)

Only Murders in the Bulding - Steve Martin and Martin Short

Hulu Unveils First Looks at ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ & ‘Only Murders in the Building’ (VIDEO)

Nicole Kidman in Nine Perfect Strangers on Hulu

‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Promo: Welcome to Tranquillum House (VIDEO)

Hot Trend: Real-Life Married Couples Mix It Up at Work

Thanksgiving - The Middle

No Turkeys Here! Check out the Top Thanksgiving TV Episodes of All Time

The View cast

Our Dream Cast for the Upcoming Miniseries About ‘The View’

Melissa McCarthy attends the premiere of 'The Kitchen'

Melissa McCarthy Cast Alongside Nicole Kidman in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’

girls-code-cast

Freeform’s ‘Girls Code’: 5 Paul Feig Collaborators Who Should Star in the Pilot

Michael Wolff's Book On Trump Administration Released Early Due To Demand

Michael Wolff’s ‘Fire and Fury’ Is Becoming a TV Series

039_GILMOREGIRLS_101_SUM_03265R3-858x572

‘Gilmore Girls’: Is There Another Season on the Horizon?

Gilmore Girls

The ‘Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life’ Trailer Is Here, and It’s Pretty Darn Glorious (VIDEO)

Gilmore Girls - Melissa McCarthy as Sookie St. James and Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore

3 Reasons Why Melissa McCarthy and the ‘Gilmore Girls’ Revival Needed Each Other

TV Tattle

‘Gilmore Girls’ Creator: We Only Need Melissa McCarthy for Two Hours

Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn on Mike and Molly

Melissa McCarthy Scores Comedic Genius Award At 2016 MTV Movie Awards

TV Tattle

Melissa McCarthy Doesn’t Expect to be Part of Netflix’s ‘Gilmore Girls’ Revival

TV Tattle

‘Gilmore Girls’ Revival is Trying to Get Melissa McCarthy to at Least Make a Brief Cameo

TV Tattle

Melissa McCarthy Was ‘Shocked and Heartbroken’ When CBS Canceled ‘Mike & Molly’

Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones

SNL Stars, Melissa McCarthy Reportedly Set for Ghostbusters Remake