Comedian and actress Melissa McCarthy recently stopped by "The Breakfast Club" in promotion of her Life of The Party film, and among the topics on the chopping block of discussion were McCarthy’s working relationship with husband Ben Falcone, who serves as producer and director of Life of The Party, her friendship with fellow actress Maya Rudolph, her start in stand-up comedy, sexism in Hollywood and meeting Tiffany Haddish.
While the spotlight is centered on McCarthy’s new film, the conversation did happen to touch on a forthcoming film in which she and Haddish will star. Contrary to the comedic roles that both women are known for portraying, this new film will be a drama and a change of pace for both ladies and McCarthy got the chance to open up about her excitement for the challenge and her take on Tiffany Haddish, who is slowly becoming everyone’s favorite person in Hollywood as of late.
“She is clear. You just feel it in her when she talks about stuff. She sees what she wants, how to get it, and I mean that in a really good way,” McCarthy explained. “She’s right in her element. I always think it’s really exciting when you meet somebody who’s doing something—[she’s] so built to do it […] and [she] figured out how to do it better than almost everybody else.”
The topic also provided room to segue into the treatment of women in Hollywood when Charlemagne asked the comedic vet if she feels the effect of being a woman in Hollywood.
“For sure. I think for so long the parts and characters were given to men, and the women were there to be like, ‘Oh, Jack.’ That’s it? There’s such a void. I want to see the real world. It’s funnier. It’s certainly more interesting. When you clean it all up and every woman’s done perfectly—I like a hot mess. It’s better to see a story about somebody you can relate to.”
Alluding to a moment in which a male film critic imposed a set of double standards on McCarthy’s role as the title character in 2014’s Tammy, she explained that he excessively made use of the word “crude” admitted that if the role had been that of a man’s, he would not have been as analytical of Tammy’s character—which takes on that of someone’s whose life is in disarray.
“You may hate the story or love the story. I like my character because they are flawed,” says McCarthy. “I never want to stop doing that because I think those are real women, and I love those women.”
Catch the full interview below.