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Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy

Actor and producer, also writer · Born August 26, 1970 (56) · Plainfield, Illinois, USA

2 Primetime Emmys · Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Melissa Ann McCarthy (born August 26, 1970) is an American actress, screenwriter, and producer. She has received numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards and nominations for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. McCarthy was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016, and she has been featured multiple times in annual rankings of the highest-paid actresses in the world. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her #22 in its list of the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century. McCarthy began appearing on television and in film in the late 1990s. She first gained recognition for her role as Sookie St. James on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000–2007). She played Dena on the ABC sitcom Samantha Who? (2007–2009) before starring as Molly Flynn on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly (2010–2016), for which she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011. McCarthy's appearances as a host on Saturday Night Live (2011–2017) led to a win for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2017. McCarthy gained critical acclaim for her performance in the comedy film Bridesmaids (2011), receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to star in several commercially successful comedies, including Identity Thief (2013), The Heat(2013), Tammy (2014), St. Vincent (2014), Spy (2015), and The Boss (2016). In 2018, McCarthy received critical acclaim for portraying writer Lee Israel in the biographical film Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018), earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She has since starred in the drama miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers (2021) and played Ursula in the musical fantasy film The Little Mermaid (2023). McCarthy and her husband, Ben Falcone, are the founders of the production company On the Day Productions, under which they have collaborated on several comedy films, including Life of the Party (2018), Super Intelligence (2020), and Thunder Force (2021). In 2015, she launched her clothing line for plus-sized women named Melissa McCarthy Seven7. She received a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Description above from the Wikipedia Melissa McCarthy, article licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 26, 1970 (56)
From
Plainfield, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor and producer, also writer
Titles
53 on MovieCove · 65 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

What are Melissa McCarthy's films like?

Across their 38 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
35%
Bonds
34%
Morality
12%
Society
8%
Power
5%
Survival
4%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds13 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship12 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth11 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 21 · Serious 6 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 18 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 14 · Charged 12 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 12 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 6

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 19

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 4

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 23 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 27 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

27 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 12 of 27 analyzed roles.

Hero
12 of 27
Ally
6 of 27
Shapeshifter
4 of 27
Trickster
3 of 27
Herald
1 of 27
Shadow
1 of 27
Show the 27 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
15
Absurd
14
Warm
13
Tense
11
Hopeful
11
Other
40

How their films linger

Feel-good22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy20
  • Bittersweet15
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Melissa McCarthy's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 41 of their 53 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Melissa McCarthy's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

65 credits, 53 with a MovieCove page; 37 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Margie Claus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    Producer · as Margie Claus (voice)

  • Unfrosted(2024)

    as Donna Stankowski

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Genie(2023)

    Executive Producer · as Flora

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Relighting Candles: The Timothy Sullivan Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Executive Producer

  • The Little Mermaid(2023)

    as Ursula

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Thor: Love and Thunder(2022)

    as Actor Hela

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • God's Favorite Idiot(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer · as Amily Luck

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • The Great Giveback with Melissa McCarthy and Jenna Perusich(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · Producer · as Self - Host

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Starling(2021)

    as Lilly Maynard

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Only Murders in the Building(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Doreen

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed(2021)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Nine Perfect Strangers(2021)

    Show 16 episodes · Executive Producer · as Frances

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Thunder Force(2021)

    Producer · as Lydia Berman

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Superintelligence(2020)

    Producer · as Carol Peters

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Kitchen(2019)

    as Kathy Brennan

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Can You Ever Forgive Me?(2018)

    as Lee Israel

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Happytime Murders(2018)

    Producer · as Detective Connie Edwards

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Life of the Party(2018)

    Producer · Writer · as Deanna Miles

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Cook Off!(2007)

    as Amber Strang

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Sookie St. James

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Ghostbusters(2016)

    as Abby Yates

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Central Intelligence(2016)

    as Darla (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Boss(2016)

    Producer · Screenplay · as Michelle Darnell

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Spy(2015)

    as Susan Cooper

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • St. Vincent(2014)

    as Maggie Bronstein

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Tammy(2014)

    Producer · Writer · as Tammy

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Heat(2013)

    as Mullins

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Hangover Part III(2013)

    as Cassie

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Identity Thief(2013)

    as Diana

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • This Is 40(2012)

    as Catherine

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Bridesmaids(2011)

    as Megan

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Life as We Know It(2010)

    as DeeDee

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Mike & Molly(2010)

    Show 127 episodes · Director · as Molly Flynn

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Love & Distrust(2010)

    as Tonnie (segment "Auto Motives")

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • The Back-up Plan(2010)

    as Carol

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Penguins of Madagascar(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Shelly (voice)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Pretty Ugly People(2008)

    as Becky

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Just Add Water(2008)

    as Selma

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Samantha Who?(2007)

    Show 35 episodes · as Dena

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Private Practice(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Lynn McDonald

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • The Nines(2007)

    as Margaret / Melissa / Mary

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Kim Possible: So the Drama(2005)

    as Amy Hall (voice)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Chicken Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Tot Wagner

  • Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle(2003)

    as Bystander (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Life of David Gale(2003)

    as Nico the Goth Girl

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • White Oleander(2002)

    as Paramedic

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Pumpkin(2002)

    as Cici Pinkus

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Kim Possible(2002)

    Show 2 episodes · as DNAmy (voice) · as DNAmy / Gorilla Fist (voice)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • The Third Wheel(2002)

    as Marilyn

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Charlie's Angels(2000)

    as Doris

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Curb Your Enthusiasm(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Saleswoman

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Gilmore Girls(2000)

    Show 153 episodes · as Sookie St. James

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Kid(2000)

    as Sky King Waitress

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • D.C. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Auto Motives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Tonnie

  • Drowning Mona(2000)

    as Shirley

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Go(1999)

    as Sandra

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Margaret

  • The Jenny McCarthy Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Calvin (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Miss Nelson Is Missing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · as Miss Nelson/Miss Swamp

  • The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer · as Patsy Ramsey

  • Turpentine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Untitled Stanley Cup Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 64 titles, 59 of them dated from 1989 to 2024; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

The Little Mermaid (2023)

$570M worldwide

Highest rated

Gilmore Girls (2000)

Midcredits 92nd

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19892024

Peak 2017 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 27 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 1 more milestone

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting61 of 64: 47 only acting, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rdDirecting2 of 64: 1 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting4 of 64: 0 only writing, 4 with another roleProducing14 of 64: 2 only producing, 12 with another role · typical Midcredits score22nd

64 titles, 14 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 12 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s3 · acting2000s21 · acting2010s22 · 21 acting · 6 crew2020s12 · 10 acting · 7 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 32% of 37 roles
99041419

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

2 Primetime Emmys from 23 major nominations, 2011–2022.

WinNomination
  1. 2022
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
  2. 2019
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Leading Actress
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actress
  3. 2017
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
  4. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actress in a Comedy
  5. 2015
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actress in a Comedy Movie
  6. 2014
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actress in a Comedy
  7. 2013
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
  8. 2012
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
Show 1 earlier year
  1. 2011
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Melissa McCarthy's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 38th percentile, the median of all 40; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 53 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th18
  • Below 25th12

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 53 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed21

Most divisive · actor

The Little Mermaid (2023)

92nd percentile spread · 40% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Gilmore Girls (2000)

Midcredits 92nd · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Melissa McCarthy's work okay for kids?

Across up to 28 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore25 titles17–67 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity28 titles25–68 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity26 titles33–88 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs25 titles26–67 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense25 titles13–57 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Melissa McCarthy work with?

People who share at least 2 of Melissa McCarthy's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ben Falcone shares the most, 11.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles