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Melissa McCarthy

Highest Rated: 98% Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

Lowest Rated: 17% The Back-up Plan (2010)

Birthday: Aug 26, 1970

Birthplace: Plainfield, Illinois, USA

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."

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Highest rated movies

98% 81% Can You Ever Forgive Me? Watchlist 95% 78% Spy Watchlist 89% 76% Bridesmaids Watchlist 89% 81% Love, Gilda Watchlist
77% 78% St. Vincent
Watchlist
74% 49% Ghostbusters Watchlist 66% 94% The Little Mermaid Watchlist
65% 71% The Heat
Watchlist
63% 61% The Nines
Watchlist
52% 50% This Is 40
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
40% 50% Unfrosted Donna Stankowski (Character) - 2024
31% 61% Genie Flora (Character),
Executive Producer
- 2023
66% 94% The Little Mermaid Ursula (Character) $298.2M 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Relighting Candles: The Tim Sullivan Story Executive Producer - 2023
20% 72% The Starling Lilly Maynard (Character) - 2021
22% 23% Thunder Force Lydia (Character),
Producer
- 2021
30% 52% Superintelligence Carol (Character),
Producer
- 2020
24% 69% The Kitchen Kathy Brennan (Character) $12.2M 2019
98% 81% Can You Ever Forgive Me? Lee Israel (Character) $8.8M 2018
89% 81% Love, Gilda Self $624.2K 2018
23% 40% The Happytime Murders Detective Connie Edwards (Character),
Producer
$20.7M 2018
38% 40% Life of the Party Deanna (Character),
Screenwriter,
Producer,
Executive Producer
$52.8M 2018
25% 58% Cook Off! Amber Strang (Character) - 2017
74% 49% Ghostbusters Abby Yates (Character) - 2016
22% 38% The Boss Michelle Darnell (Character),
Screenwriter,
Producer
$63.0M 2016
95% 78% Spy Susan Cooper (Character) - 2015
No Score Yet 63% B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations Unknown (Voice) - 2015
77% 78% St. Vincent Maggie (Character) $44.1M 2014
24% 36% Tammy Tammy (Character),
Screenwriter,
Producer
$84.5M 2014
65% 71% The Heat Shannon Mullins (Character) $159.6M 2013
21% 44% The Hangover Part III Cassie (Character) $112.2M 2013
20% 53% Identity Thief Diana (Character) $134.5M 2013
52% 50% This Is 40 Catherine (Character) $67.5M 2012
89% 76% Bridesmaids Megan (Character) $169.1M 2011
30% 61% Life as We Know It Deedee (Character) $53.4M 2010
17% 46% The Back-up Plan Carol (Character) $37.5M 2010
No Score Yet 26% Pretty Ugly People Becky (Character) - 2008
63% 61% The Nines Margaret/Melissa/Mary (Character) $62.7K 2007
36% 57% Pumpkin Cici Pinkus (Character) $305.7K 2002
33% 32% The Third Wheel Marilyn (Character) - 2002

TV

Credit
97% 89% Only Murders in the Building Unknown (Guest Star) 2024
No Score Yet 55% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2020-2022 2024
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest,
Host
2013-2019 2021 2023-2024
No Score Yet 18% The Late Late Show With James Corden Guest 2016 2018-2022
85% 76% The Simpsons Calvin (Guest Voice) 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Great Giveback With Melissa McCarthy and Jenna Perusich Executive Producer,
Host
2022
33% 73% God's Favorite Idiot Amily Luck (Character),
Executive Producer
2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2010 2022
No Score Yet 44% The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Guest 2015-2016 2020-2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest,
Host
2011-2021
59% 59% Nine Perfect Strangers Frances Welty (Character),
Executive Producer
2021
No Score Yet 50% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2016 2018 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Guest 2020-2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Graham Norton Show Guest 2015-2016 2018 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little Big Shots Executive Producer,
Host
2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Celebrity IOU Self 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways Guest 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Finding Your Roots Guest 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ellen's Game of Games Guest 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Variety Studio: Actors on Actors Guest 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Nobodies Melissa McCarthy (Guest Star),
Executive Producer
2017-2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Chew Guest 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Desus & Mero Guest 2018
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Unknown (Guest Star),
Host
2011 2013-2014 2016-2017
41% 61% Chelsea Guest 2016-2017
87% 69% Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Sookie St. James (Guest Star) 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Conan Guest 2011 2013 2016
No Score Yet 63% Mike & Molly Molly Flynn (Character),
Director
2010-2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Daily Show Guest 2014-2015
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2015
100% 78% Late Show With David Letterman Guest 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Guest 2011 2013-2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Guest 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet Larry King Now Guest 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Conversation With Amanda de Cadenet Guest 2012
No Score Yet 79% Private Practice Lynn McDonald (Guest Star) 2010
77% No Score Yet Samantha Who? Dena (Character) 2007-2009
No Score Yet 88% Gilmore Girls Sookie St. James (Character) 2000-2007
No Score Yet 86% Kim Possible Unknown (Guest Voice) 2002