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Four days after Sony slotted the Cameron Diaz-Jason Segel comedy Sex Tape for July 2, 2014, Warner Bros has lit the fuse on a potentially explosive faceoff with Melissa McCarthy. The Identity Thief star’s latest road-trip raunchfest Tammy will hit theaters that same Independence Day weekend, setting up an intriguing showdown. McCarthy stars in the New Line pic as a woman who loses her job and discovers her husband is cheating, then hits the highway for a bout of self-discovery along with her grandmother, a cussin’, diabetic boozehound. Mark Duplass last month landed a key role in the flick, which was written by McCarthy and hubby Ben Falcone; the latter stepped in as director for TV veteran Beth McCarthy-Miller, who was to make her feature helming debut. Tammy also stars Kathy Bates, Susan Sarandon, Allison Janney and Dan Aykroyd.
Melissa McCarthy’s ‘Tammy’ Spending Fourth of July At Megaplex Next Year
Naomi Watts To Join Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd In ‘St. Vincent De Van Nuys’
EXCLUSIVE: Naomi Watts is in talks to star in St. Vincent De Van Nuys, the film that Ted Melfi will direct from his script for The Weinstein Company, Chernin Entertainment and Don Cheadle’s Crescendo. Watts will … Read More »
CinemaCon: Fox Unveils Ben Stiller’s ‘Secret Life Of Walter Mitty’ Which Could Be Oscar Bound
20th
Century Fox (“and it is called 20th Century Fox,” as Distribution President Chris Aronson wryly noted in his welcoming remarks) presented to theater owners at CinemaCon today. The highlight was about 12 minutes of selected scenes from the studio’s holiday release The … Read More »
‘Saturday Night Live’: Peter ‘Drunklage’
Melissa McCarthy teetered in sky-high platform heels and took a few pratfalls in her second Saturday Night Live hosting gig. But it was Game Of Thrones‘ Peter Dinklage who stole the show with his Weekend Update cameo. Meanwhile, not a single mention was made … Read More »
Mark Duplass Joins Melissa McCarthy Comedy ‘Tammy’
EXCLUSIVE: Melissa McCarthy is getting some company on the road in her starring vehicle Tammy. The New Line comedy has cast Mark Duplass (Safety Not Guaranteed, The … Read More »
Vince Vaughn To Host ‘SNL’ On April 13
Vince Vaughn, who co-stars with Owen Wilson in Fox’s The Internship, which is due out June 7, will return as Saturday Night Live host April 13 with musical guest Miguel. NBC … Read More »
Melissa McCarthy To Get Offer For Coveted Female Lead Opposite Bill Murray In ‘St. Vincent De Van Nuys’
EXCLUSIVE: Melissa McCarthy will soon be offered the female lead in St. Vincent De Van Nuys, the film that Ted Melfi will direct from his script for The Weinstein Company and Chernin Entertainment, with Bill Murray in the starring role. This is a role that all the top comic actresses chased, and it should give McCarthy a chance to show some of her colors as an actress after playing vulgar characters in Identity Thief (which grossed over $116 million domestically) and when she next opens opposite Sandra Bullock in The Heat, helmed by her Bridesmaids director Paul Feig.
Murray plays the title character, a cantankerous train wreck of a neighbor who takes under his corrupt wing the 12-year-old son of a struggling single mother who has moved in next door. McCarthy is the choice to play the single mother and she campaigned hard for this. The project, based on Melfi’s Black List script, has been compared to As Good As It Gets or even TWC’s recent Silver Linings Playbook for the way it mixes comedy and human pathos. Much the way that Jennifer Lawrence Skyped an audition that got her the Oscar-winning role in Silver Linings Playbook even though David O Russell initially thought she might be too young, McCarthy auditioned for this role and her work put her atop the list and will win her this job.
McCarthy will first make Tammy, which she’s directing with her husband and co-writer Ben Falcone. She’s got time from her series Mike & Molly, so the scheduling right after July 4 fits into her wheelhouse.
Of the single mom’s decision to entrust Murray’s character with her son, Melfi called it “the worst parenting decision ever made by this single mom, but she works two shifts at the hospital and the guy next door seems harmless enough.” Melfi told me this when TWC acquired his Black List script, which he’d spent two years developing with Chernin Entertainment. “The relationship transforms both the man and the boy and even though he teaches the kid everything about his decadent lifestyle, from fighting to drinking, gambling and how to cheat lie and steal. And the 12-year-old has such a pure soul that he only extracts the good from all this.”
Melfi makes his directorial debut on the $13 million budget movie, which became a big priority all over town when Murray agreed to play the title character. Shooting begins in July. The film will be produced by Chernin Entertainment’s Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping, Melfi, Fred Roos and Don Cheadle who is producing via Crescendo Prods. TWC production president Dylan Sellers is overseeing it. Read More »
Melissa McCarthy To Host ‘Saturday Night Live’ On April 6
We’ve learned that Melissa McCarthy will host Saturday Night Live on April 6. This will be McCarthy’s second time hosting SNL in two years and she received rave reviews the first time around in … Read More »
OSCARS: Who Was Worst-Dressed?
Monica Corcoran Harel is contributing to Deadline’s Oscar coverage.
As I like to say, you’re only as good as your last gown. And while no one really spilled blood on the red carpet at the Oscars, a few actresses missed the mark today. Mostly because they just didn’t seem to care enough or try very hard. Jennifer Aniston’s matronly tomato-red Valentino reminded me of a sad little bowl of vanilla ice cream when I’m on a PMS snack binge. 
Yawn. The classic silhouette also called for more effort with her hair and makeup. She looked like she came straight from Zuma Beach. Kristen Stewart’s cream strapless Reem Acra gown felt like a wishy-washy afterthought for the edgy, young star who fronts for Balenciaga. She appeared sullen, like she was heading for an arranged marriage.
Oscars: Past Nominees Hayek, McCarthy, Neeson & Travolta Set As Presenters
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Actors Salma Hayek Pinault, Melissa McCarthy, Liam Neeson and John Travolta will present on the Oscar telecast, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.
Hayek Pinault earned an Oscar nomination for her leading performance in “Frida.” She will be seen next in “Grown Ups 2.”
McCarthy earned a nomination for her performance in a supporting role in the 2011 hit film “Bridesmaids.” She stars in the recently released film “Identity Thief” and will be seen next in “The Heat.”
Why Melissa McCarthy’s Lack Of Vanity Is Important, Despite What Cranky Critic Rex Reed Spews In ‘Identity Thief’ Review
UPDATE: Now here’s why Freaks And Geeks creator and Bridesmaids helmer Paul Feig is a highly paid screenwriter, and I am not. It’s all about economizing your words. What took me three long paragraphs to convey, Feig does in this simple tweet: @Paul Feig: For his catty and school bully name-calling of the supremely talented Melissa McCarthy, I cordially invite Mr. Rex Reed to go fuck himself.
PREVIOUS: I have as thick a skin as anybody, but I must say I’m appalled by New York Observer critic Rex Reed and a review of Identity Thief where he spends all his cleverness on cruel adjectives for the weight of its star, Melissa McCarthy. Here is a woman who probably has been on the heavy side all her life, but who has developed the self-confidence to be comfortable enough in who she is that she is willing to put herself on the screen in most unglamorous ways because it serves the comedy. Having first seen her work in Mike and Molly, where she is pretty glamorous in my book, I remember being put off in early Bridesmaids trailers when I saw her wearing no makeup and looking pretty raw. When I saw that raucous comedy, I felt that, if she didn’t steal the film she came close, playing a grounded character. Her hosting gig on Saturday Night Live put on display some of the best physical comedy skills I’ve seen since the early days of Jim Carrey, Chris Farley, Steve Martin, John Candy and even Curly Howard of The Three Stooges. There are no women on that short list because I just can’t think of any. Like all those guys, McCarthy’s lack of vanity is astonishing.
When I was in college, Rex Reed was described by my profs as one of the new generation of film critics who was changing that game. I read a lot of his stuff and found his writing graceful and bold. I don’t know if he has kids, but I have two daughters. It sensitizes you to many things, including the temptation to obsess about being rail thin. All you want for your girls is that they feel comfortable in their own skin, and McCarthy is a shining example of that. Reed obviously doesn’t even consider that McCarthy is breaking boundaries and making it okay for girls all over to feel good about themselves even if, when they look in the mirror, they don’t see a waif-like Victoria’s Secret model staring back. Read More »
Hot Red Band Trailer: ‘The Heat’
This one provides a little more graphic look at Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy as reluctant partners in The Heat, written by Katie Dippold (Parks And Recreation) and directed by Bridesmaids‘ Paul Feig:
Hot Trailer: ‘Identity Thief’ With Jason Bateman And Melissa McCarthy
Universal Pictures has released a new trailer for Identity Thief, the Seth Gordon-directed comedy that stars Jason Bateman as the victim of a woman who has swiped his identity and destroyed his credit. Somehow, his only way out is to apprehend the thief and accompany her on … Read More »
Hot Trailer: Bullock & McCarthy In ‘The Heat’
Think this will work? Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy play mismatched officers of the law who are forced together as partners to go after a drug lord. The Heat is directed by Bridesmaids‘ Paul Feig and written by Katie Dippold (Parks & Recreation). The 20th Century Fox … Read More »
CBS Buys Ben Falcone/Larry Dorf Ensemble Comedy Produced By Melissa McCarthy
EXCLUSIVE: Last season, a last-minute sale at CBS of a comedy co-written by Larry Dorf & Ben Falcone and produced by Melissa McCarthy resulted in a pilot, which was a serious contention for a … Read More »
‘Mad TV’s Michael McDonald Joins Paul Feig’s ‘The Heat’
Michael McDonald, a standout performer for a decade on the Fox series Mad TV, has joined the cast of the 20th Century Fox Paul Feig-directed buddy comedy The Heat, which stars Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. He will play a … Read More »
Demian Bichir Takes ‘The Heat’
EXCLUSIVE: Demian Bichir has joined The Heat, the Paul Feig-directed comedy that stars Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. It is the first studio comedy for Bichir, who was Oscar nominated … Read More »
Sandra Bullock & Melissa McCarthy Play Cop With Paul Feig
Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy are going to be packing heat. The duo have signed up to do a cop buddy movie. Bridesmaids Paul … Read More »
OSCARS: Melissa McCarthy – ‘Bridesmaids’
It’s been quite a roll for Melissa McCarthy. This former Gilmore Girls best friend took home the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her role in Mike & Molly, but it was her deft and hilarious portrayal of Megan, the Dockers-wearing, secret operative, sexually aggressive sister of the groom in Bridesmaids that propelled her to a household name — plus numerous critics kudos and an Oscar nomination for Supporting Actress. She spoke with AwardsLine contributor Cari Lynn about her 
breakthrough film role, written by Kristen Wiig (who also stars in Bridesmaids) and Annie Mumolo; about the friendships — and romance — that started at the LA-based sketch and improv comedy troupe the Groundlings; and about how she might react if she wins an Oscar.
AWARDSLINE: You got your start with The Groundlings, as did the co-writers and much of the cast of Bridesmaids. Were you at The Groundlings at the same time as Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo?
McCARTHY: Yes! They’re two of the greatest ladies I know, really, they’re remarkable. I want them to write 700 more things. I was in with Annie a little longer, and I only did one show with Kristen and then she went to SNL. I was also in [The Groundlings] with Wendi [McLendon-Covey] and Maya [Rudolph].
AWARDSLINE: You had so many scene-stealing lines in Bridesmaids. Do you know if that part was written with you in mind?
McCARTHY: It wasn’t, and they had seen quite a few people. Annie told me that they were about to get rid of the Megan character because it wasn’t working out. I came in and, luckily, they did not, because I loved it. Read More »
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