Emmys 2011: Melissa McCarthy basks in her victory
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In the best romantic comedies, the girl always gets the guy. And in the case of Melissa McCarthy, she gets the Emmy too.
McCarthy took home a golden statuette Sunday night for lead actress in a comedy for her role as Molly Flynn in the CBS half-hour romcom ‘Mike & Molly.’ Leading up to the big reveal, McCarthy, along with fellow nominees Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Martha Plimpton, Laura Linney and Edie Falco prematurely took to the stage as Rob Lowe and Sofia Vergara read the list of nominees. It was all Poehler’s idea, McCarthy revealed.
‘I think I heard it first through Martha [Plimpton],’ she said backstage at the Emmys. ‘She said, ‘Amy has an idea.’ Before I heard it, I was like, ‘I’m in.’ Amy Poehler says something is funny? I’ll do it.’
McCarthy, better known to some as Sookie from the long-running series ‘Gilmore Girls,’ has had quite the year thanks in part to her laugh-out-loud role in the hit movie ‘Bridesmaids.’ Still, she was not an obvious choice for a lead role in a comedy -- at least, that’s what she said.
‘Chuck Lorre [‘Mike & Molly’s’ executive producer] fought for me,’ she said. ‘This is my first lead ... there was some trepidation; it’s a big line to cross. I don’t think people looked at me and thought, ‘Oh, of course! Put her in a lead!’ I don’t think people saw me that way. He dug in his heels and fought for me. I’m certainly glad he did.’
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-- Yvonne Villarreal