A fashion designer, actress, writer, producer and comedian - Melissa McCarthy is truly a renaissance woman. Throughout her long-lasting career, she has proven to be extremely versatile, making viewers laugh until they cry, or cry genuine tears as they watch her in a serious role. McCarthy is able to sway fans and grab their attention in whatever she chooses to star in, often including her husband, Ben Falcone, in all her works. Falcone is like a fun little Easter egg in her movies, fans waiting for the actor to show up, because he always does, and it wouldn’t be a McCarthy film if he wasn’t involved somehow. Together, they have appeared in fifteen movies/shows together, says News Week.

Melissa McCarthy has starred in several films and movies and has been notable in every single one, whether she was the main character or off to the side with a few memorable lines. She can transform herself into any role you could possibly think of, slipping into accents without a pause, and has the ability to make you belly laugh in under ten seconds. While many of her films have gone to theaters, she has also starred in movies that have been made by Netlflix, and also limited series byHulu. She truly does it all. Here are seven of her best performances, ranked.

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7 Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

     Fox Searchlight Pictures

Melissa McCarthy is known to play the brash and funny character in a lot of her movies, but in Can You Ever Forgive Me? we see a different side of this well-known comedian. McCarthy stars as Lee Isreal, an alcoholic writer who has hit a major bump in the road, due to her books not selling, and on top of that, her cat won’t eat. Desperate and terrible with her money, she does what any writer would vow to never do-she plagiarizes. Based on the true story, McCarthy leads with impeccable tone and pace, making viewers feel for her but also frustrated as she sells letters from deceased playwrights and authors, such as Fanny Brice.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

6 Ghostbusters (2016)

     Columbia Pictures

In this reboot of the original Ghostbusters that came out in 1984, McCarthy stars as Dr. Abby Yates, a ghost lover and a huge nerd. She recruits her college best friend Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) along with Dr. Jillian “Holtz” Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) and Patricia “Patty” Tolan (Leslie Jones). The ensemble takes it upon themselves to save New York City from the takeover of ghouls and supernatural beings, and pairs it with the perfect mix of comedy, and a solid soundtrack. McCarthy also gets possessed by a ghost, and has her moment of “head doing a full 360” that creeps the audience out perfectly.

5 The Boss (2016)

     Universal Pictures

Donning a Reba McEntire-style wig and a white turtleneck, McCarthy stars in this comedy as Michelle Darnell. The film is directed by Ben Falcone, and she nails the role of “heathen boss”. Paired with Kristen Bell (Frozen, Veronica Mars) and Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), McCarthy tells the story of Michelle Darnell, an industry-leading titan who was sent to prison for insider trading, and once serving her sentence, she wants to be back on top. Filled with good laughs, expertly-timed jokes and an unexpected gruesome fight scene, The Boss is not to be looked over on McCarthy’s roster.

4 Mike and Molly (2010-2016)

     Warner Bros. Television

Airing from 2010-2016 with 127 episodes, Mike and Molly was the perfect sitcom. The story follows two individuals, Molly Flynn (McCarthy) and Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell), who meet at an overeaters anonymous meeting, and quickly fall in love. McCarthy and Gardell play off each other wonderfully, and they also have chemistry, making the show enjoyable to watch. Based in Chicago, this show will make your heart feel light, and your stomach hurt from laughing so much, all within a twenty-five-minute runtime.

3 Bridesmaids (2011)

When Bridesmaids came out, it was like McCarthy was thrust into the spotlight, even though her career had already taken off. Mixed in with a stacked cast featuring Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, Chris O’Dowd, and many more, McCarthy stands tall and has some of the funniest scenes in the film. Especially scenes featuring Falcone, her husband, who plays the air marshal on the plane the ladies are taking to the bachelorette party. Also, one can’t forget the bathroom scene at the bridal shop, where McCarthy completely steals the scene, and sadly, ruins a sink.

2 Spy (2015)

     Twentieth Century Fox

In this 2015 action flick, we once again see a different side of Melissa as she transforms into a grade-A undercover spy, teaming up with Jude Law, Jason Statham, and once again, Rose Byrne, who plays wonderfully off McCarthy. Spy starts with Susan Cooper (McCarthy) working for the CIA, but in an office setting, hopelessly in love with her colleague Bradley Fine (Law), and she’s content with her semi-boring life until Fine disappears off the grid, and she’s sent into the field. With little-to-no training, Susan Cooper is transformed into a spy as good as Fine, maybe even better, and manages to be the hero of this story. JobLo states that Paul Feig, the director, mentioned wanting to make a sequel, and not only that, but an entire franchise starring McCarthy and Statham, as the dynamic duo we didn’t know we needed.

1 Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

     Warner Bros. Television 

Sookie St. James is one of the most important characters that McCarthy has ever played, and also one of the best that was featured on Gilmore Girls. She was so dedicated, loyal to her best friend, passionate about her cooking, and a great mother and wife. Sookie was meant to be the best friend side character, who got herself hurt all the time and was goofy, but McCarthy made her so much more than just that. She let Sookie have a voice; let her be more than just a static side character that viewers could get bored with.

Also, it was never mentioned in the show that Sookie had a different body type than Lorelai, and for a show that ran so early in the 2000s, that was pretty amazing of the show runners. McCarthy was Sookie, and Sookie was McCarthy in every sense of the way; her humor, her wit, her love and passion for her job. Arguably, this is the role that made McCarthy a star, appearing in all seven seasons, getting side plots often, and having a total of three kids throughout the show. To this day, Sookie St. James remains important and deserves to be talked about as a base for characters similar to her.