Melissa McCarthy will be honored with an Oscar Wilde award at the popular Irish party held during Oscars week. She joins Michelle Williams as an honoree at the seventh annual “Oscar Wilde: Honoring the Irish in Film” which will on be held on February 23rd at Bad Robot, JJ Abrams’ Santa Monica production company.
The Irish-American actress, writer and producer has received nominations for a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role as well as a Critic’s Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress for her hilarious portrayal as Megan in the smash hit comedy “Bridesmaids.” She played the confident sister of the groom opposite Kristen Wiig. The film is directed by Paul Feig and produced by Judd Apatow.
McCarthy received an Emmy Award for her title role in “Mike & Molly,” the hit comedy series, which airs on CBS.
Trina Vargo, President of the non-profit US-Ireland Alliance, which created the event to recognize the contributions of the Irish in film, noted “a typically fun night just became a lot more fun with the addition of Melissa McCarthy to the festivities.”
McCarthy’s previous feature film work includes "The Back-Up Plan," alongside Jennifer Lopez and Alex O’Loughlin; "Life As We Know It," with Katherine Heigl; "Pretty Ugly People," with Josh Hopkins, Missi Pyle and Allison Janney; "Just Add Water," with Danny DeVito; director John August’s sci-fi mystery "The Nines," with Ryan Reynolds and Hope Davis; "White Oleander," with Michelle Pfeiffer; "Pumpkin," with Christina Ricci and "Go," directed by Doug Liman. Additionally, she starred in John August’s short film "God," as a young woman having a gossipy phone conversation and short-lived spat with the Almighty, and also appeared in "The Life of David Gale," starring Kevin Spacey.
On television, she previously starred as the clumsy culinary genius Sookie St. James, in "Gilmore Girls" and as Dena in the series "Samantha Who?," which was created by Irish novelist Cecelia Ahern.
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. In Los Angeles, McCarthy spent nine years as a main-stage member of the world-renowned improv and sketch troupe The Groundlings.
McCarthy and Annie Mumolo (co-writer of "Bridesmaids") have sold a pitch to Lorne Michaels and John Goldwyn for Paramount Pictures. The story follows a group of Midwestern women who set out to steal the Stanley Cup. Additionally, she will star in “Tammy,” for New Line Cinema in a script she co-wrote with her actor/writer husband Ben Falcone (“What to Expect When You’re Expecting”) and they will also serve as Executive Producers. McCarthy is also designing her first clothing line.
About The US-Ireland Alliance:
The US-Ireland Alliance is a proactive, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to consolidating existing relations between the United States and the island of Ireland and building that relationship for the future. The organization connects current and emerging Irish and American leaders in various spheres—including education, politics, business and the arts—for the mutual benefit of both countries.
