If the film Bridesmaids left you in stitches then you’ve experienced the comedic prowess of Melissa McCarthy.

McCarthy was born on August 26, 1970 in Plainfield. She graduated from Joliet Catholic Academy before moving to New York to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. While in New York, she appeared in numerous notable clubs and trained at The Actor’s Studio.

Eventually, McCarthy moved to Los Angeles, where she took part in the sketch comedy theater The Groundlings. She was a staple of the main stage with The Groundlings while also playing various film roles.

Her breakout role came as Sookie St. James in the television show Gilmore Girls. In 2010, she landed a starring role in the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, for which she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Her most notable role came as Megan in the 2011 film Bridesmaids, which netted her nominations for an Academy Award, a Screen Actor’s Guild Award and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award. Since Bridesmaids, McCarthy has starred in numerous films with actors and actresses like Jason Bateman, Sandra Bullock and Paul Rudd. She married fellow Bridesmaids actor Ben Falcone in 2005.

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Read more about Melissa McCarthy on IMDb