Bio
Melissa McCarthy is an American actress best known for her starring television roles as Sookie St. James in Gilmore Girls, as Dena in Samantha Who? and as Molly in Mike & Molly.
Born and raised in Plainfield, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, McCarthy first made her mark on the comedy stage, performing stand up in New York at The Improv and Stand Up New York.
At the same time, she received dramatic training from The Actors Studio in New York and starred in a variety of stage productions throughout the city.
Since moving to Los Angeles, McCarthy's quick wit gets a workout as a member of The Groundlings Sunday Co. comedy and improv cast.
In addition to sketch comedy, her feature film work includes the romantic comedy The Third Wheel, in which she portrays Ben Affleck's office buddy with a heart of gold and a hyper-giggling enthusiasm for Affleck's matchmaking adventures.
She has also appeared in The Kid with Bruce Willis, Charlie's Angels, Drowning Mona and Go.
McCarthy also starred in John August's independent short film, God, as a young woman having gossipy phone conversations and a short-lived spat with the Almighty.
McCarthy married her longtime boyfriend, Ben Falcone, an actor and fellow alumnus of The Groundlings, on 8 October, 2005. They have a daughter, Vivian, born 5 May, 2007. Her pregnancy was written into the last season of Gilmore Girls.
In March 2010, the couple welcomed their second daughter.