Mellisa McCarthy | Vivian Falcone | Source: Getty Images | Youtube.com/Netflix Film
- The actress's confidence comes from her father.
- She has defended herself from body-shaming critics for the sake of her young daughters. "Watch what you say to her. Do you tell her she's only worthwhile or valid when she's pretty?" McCarthy told one nasty reporter after learning he had daughters too.
- Her daughters, Vivian and Georgette, are just teenagers but have already starred in movies. One fan on Twitter said, "Melissa McCarthy's daughter is my style icon."
- Melissa has been with her husband, Ben Falcone, for 17 years, and they focus on parenthood despite their busy schedules.
Melissa McCarthy is an American actress from Illinois, and she started her career in entertainment as a stand-up comedian. However, she later gained notoriety for her role as Sookie St. James in the show "Gilmore Girls." Eventually, she went on to star in major blockbuster movies.
You might remember her well from "Mike & Molly," "Bridesmaids" alongside Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph," "The Heat," "Tammy," "Ghostbusters," and many others. One thing her characters have is a specific kind of confidence that has become important for the actress.
Melissa McCarthy attends WB Network All-Star Party on May 15, 2001 at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
Being a woman in Hollywood is complex, and it's even more complicated when you're slightly chubbier, but McCarthy doesn't let the fat-shamers or nasty critics get in her way. She holds her head high, not only for herself but for her "fantastic" daughters.
It's hard to break into movies due to some stupid rules that the industry has unofficially adopted. First, audiences don't like female comedy leads. Second, a woman can't be the star of a film if she's older than 35; third, women in movies can't be over a size six. When the actress heard these rules, she could only think, "why not?" When asked about her seemingly crazy characters, McCarthy said:
“People say to me, ‘These characters are crazy’, and I’m like, ‘Are they?’ Because I’ve seen three people in Rite Aid drug store act like that. I think when a female character acts more defiant, it’s seen as a little more crazy."
McCarthy continued, explaining that women like the ones she has played in funny movies exist. She also revealed that she loves playing "a female character who is not playing the by rules." The actress also explained that she has only experienced sexism from critics, not the industry itself.
One of the reasons why she is so confident is due to her father, Michael McCarthy, who was there for her through all stages of life, cheering her on. Even at sports events, he would encourage her no matter if the other kids had better chances of winning.
“My dad’s attitude made me always like, ‘Why not you?’ So it just never occurred to me that being a woman, or from a small town, or not being some other being, made me not in the running. What’s better to give somebody than a sturdy work ethic and reasonable confidence? I hope to pass that on to my kids. Not that they’re perfect in every way, but they’ve got a shot at it, right?”
Going Against Body-Shamers and Fighting for her Daughters
The negative comments against McCarthy are often unprofessional. Film critic Rex Reed rode a scathing review of "Identify Thief," where he focused on her appearance more than her actual work as an actress.
It's OK not to like a movie, as that's his job. However, the comments referring to her as "tractor-sized" and "humongous creep" seemed unnecessary. He also refers to her as a "hippo" and a "gimmick comedian who has devoted her short career to being obese."
The actress acknowledges her bigger size all the time. But does weight genuinely matter when you have talent? She has often wished she was smaller, but most of all, McCarthy has said that even at her weight, she is healthy. She doesn't want "beat herself up" about it and doesn't want her daughters to grow up with a complex.
Several people came to McCarthy's defense after Reed's criticism was posted on the Observer website, telling him that it was a "shame" that he resorted to those comments after years in the business. American Host Grae Drake asked:
"What benefit is there to attacking Melissa McCarthy personally when you're supposed to be talking about the quality of the film?"
Film critic Alonso Duralde said that Reed had every right not to like her comedy work but that going after her appearance was a "cheap shot." Unfortunately, Reed was not the only person who decided to attack the actress's appearance.
In 2015, McCarthy was promoting the film "St. Vincent" at the Toronto Film Festival when she was approached by a journalist who mocked her looks in the movie. The reporter had previously said that her husband, Ben Falcone, shouldn't direct her films because he let her look "so homely."
The actress asked him if he would ever say that to a man. Then, she asked him if he had a daughter. When the journalist confirmed he did, McCarthy said:
"Watch what you say to her. Do you tell her she’s only worthwhile or valid when she’s pretty?"
Unfortunately, the critics might never stop, and Melissa loves her character so much that she gets protective of them. She was asked: "Why do you always feel the need to be so grotesque? […] You look sloppy, you're not wearing any makeup, your hair is not done, and you're yelling at people."
The actress didn't have much to say except to apologize – humorously – about not wearing makeup or looking better. But she added, "I also don't think you should be here writing about movies." She tries to be calm in those situations because they win if she gets mad or upset.
McCarthy hopes to teach her daughters that you can be friendly and easy to work with without being trampled on by nasty comments. She would want her daughters to "just say thank you and walk off." There's no talking to people who want to rile you up for a story.
She also wants her daughters to learn to accept genuine compliments because women are also expected to be humble or try to downplay their outstanding attributes. If someone compliments what you're wearing, you should smile and thank them.
She wants Vivian and Georgette to understand that they can do that and accept the good things people have to say without feeling burdened. McCarthy hates when people do that because it's like dismissing the compliment. The actress explained:
"Don’t negate it. Don’t tell them they’re crazy. Just say 'Thank you. I love it too. That’s why I put it on.' It’s a little building block, but I hope it’s one of many ways that I show my girls that it’s okay to like who you are. It’s okay that everybody’s different."
Vivian is a teenager already, and Georgette is getting there. It's a beautiful time in a girl's life when she wants to feel pretty and attractive. They start noticing boys and such, but they won't be happy unless they can accept good things about themselves and know their own worth.
Vivian and Georgette – They Might Follow Their Mother's Footsteps
Mellisa and Ben Falcone welcomed Vivian in 2007, and their second daughter, Georgette, was born in 2010. You might recognize their eldest kid from "Thunder Force" and "The Boss," where she has played younger versions of her mother.
She was just eight years old when she appeared on "The Boss" as a young Michelle Darnell and was initially supposed to be an extra. The then-child actress was paid $880 a day. It's hard to say how many days she worked precisely, but clearly, being the main lead and the director's daughter has many perks.
It makes sense that Falcone would use her for younger versions of her mother since Vivian looks much like Melissa. The actress has a sister, Margie, who is not in the entertainment industry. However, she looks just like her famous sibling.
Meanwhile, Georgette also looks exactly like her big sister, too. You can see Vivian's appearance on "Thunder Force" in this interview Melissa and Ben did for the Netflix Film Youtube channel. She appears at 0:58.
Since her daughters are growing up quickly, the actress recently revealed what it was like to talk about "the birds and the bees" with Vivian. She appeared on a podcast and explained that the experience was awkward because they picked up dog poop from their yard.
McCarthy started talking about different parts of the body and continued the discussion to get through it quickly. She wanted to chat with her daughter because of an upcoming health class where they would talk about the subject, too.
The actress also talked about telling them better information because she had not learned anything correctly due to her Catholic school upbringing. Back then, she was only taught about immaculate conception and not much else.
Additionally, she told her girls to find a person who is happy when they succeed and supportive when they fail. They should also look for a kind and respectful person who'll only want to "lift them up." McCarthy added:
"That whoever your love will be, and it may change, and you don't have to pick a side, you can pick a side, you don't have to pick a side, you never know what's gonna happen."
During the pandemic, the actress moved to Australia to shoot the film "Nine Perfect Strangers" and took Vivian with her. The 15-year-old agreed immediately because Australia was one of the safest countries at the time. McCarthy told Kelly Clarkson during an interview she always asks Vivian to sit on her lap.
Meanwhile, their daughter Georgette is 13 and appeared in "Thunder Force." According to McCarthy, she is "like Steve McQueen," a daredevil. When talking about them, the actress gushed:
“I think they’re better [than me]. They’re further along in their young lives than I was. I feel like I had to push almost 30 to get their kind of confidence, so I love seeing that.”
Melissa and Ben, a Love and Work Story
The actress and Ben Falcone met while performing improv theater in Los Angeles in 1998. They dated for seven years and got married in 2005. Their 17-year marriage has had its ups and downs, but their love is strong.
Despite their hectic careers, they make time for their daughters, although it can be difficult. McCarthy said that no matter how tired she might be from work, having Vivian and Georgette close by makes everything worthwhile.
Meanwhile, you might have seen their daughters in a few movies with their parents, but Melissa and Ben try to keep them away from social media and the spotlight as much as possible. They should be able to choose when and if they want to enter this industry further.
Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy attend CinemaCon, 2019. | Source: Getty Images
The actress has often asked herself if she is doing enough for her girls and has always been amazed by them. Setting a good example for them is one of her and Ben's priorities. She told Closer Weekly:
“Navigating each day with my two girls, I hope I’m trailblazing. At least in the sense of chopping things down and making the path for them a little better.”
She also wants to pass on the wisdom her parents gave to her. They never told her she couldn't do anything. Their support was incredible but also realistic. Melissa's parents said that if you put effort and everything, she could do anything. "Why not you?" they would say.
Things may not happen instantly, and you might not have more talent than others. However, if you love something and keep working towards it, you can do everything you hope for and more. The actress continued, "I hope to pass [that] on to my girls. I don't think it helps to just tell someone, ‘You’re just better.’ You have to work at it and you need to hear, ‘Work really hard, and then you’ve got as good of a chance as anybody else.’”
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