Melissa McCarthy Wasn't CBS's First Choice for Mike & Molly Until Chuck Lorre Fought for Her.
Regarding Melissa McCarthy, Chuck Lorre had more than two and a half ideas. The creator of the popular 2010 comedy Mike & Molly, which centers on a couple who meet at an Overeaters' Anonymous meeting, disclosed that CBS "hated" the comedian for the title part of Molly Flynn.
In his recently released book Sitcom, Lorre stated, “Believe it or not, they wanted a hot young woman to play a woman struggling with her weight. It was even suggested by one exec—a female exec—that I consider casting a more attractive actress and put her in a fat suit.”
But the 73-year-old, who is also the creator of The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, chose to support McCarthy.
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“CBS' reluctance was quite something,” in an exclusive interview, Lorre informed media outlets. “But by that point in my career, I'd finally grown a pair and said, ‘No, that's my Molly, and I can live with your unhappiness. That's Molly.’”
Her instincts proved right. McCarthy won the 2011 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy for the show's first season, then earned an Oscar nomination months later for her role in Kristen Wiig's 2011 comedy Bridesmaids.
“Forgive me for being a little smug,” in his memoir, Lorre went on, “but when Bridesmaids came out, I felt pretty goddamn smart.”
Additionally, Lorre expressed gratitude to news outlets for the timing of Mike & Molly, which lasted for six seasons from 2010 to 2016. “We were so lucky that we happened to get her at a moment in time just before she became a superstar.”
Following the conclusion of Mike & Molly, McCarthy has appeared in huge blockbusters, such as the 2023 live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, earned a second Emmy for anchoring Saturday Nite Live, and received another Oscar nomination.
“She went on to become a movie star,” Lorre shared with news sources. “She’s a once in a generation actor. She's a supremely gifted actress.”
