Melissa McCarthy has been playing the character Michelle Darnell for years now, ever since she created the abrasive business mogul back in her improv days. But now, Michelle is finally getting her big screen debut in The Boss. Directed by McCarthy's husband and frequent collaborator Ben Falcone from a script they wrote with fellow Groundlings alum Steve Mallory, the raunchy comedy follows McCarthy's ruthless titan of industry on her path to redemption after she's sent to prison for insider trading, losing her empire in the process. Fresh out of the clink and in need of a new scheme, Michelle crashes on her old assistant's (Kristen Bell) couch while she sets out to rebuild her legacy, and learns a thing or two about the value of family in the process.
With The Boss arriving in theaters nationwide this weekend, I recently sat down with McCarthy to chat about bringing Michelle Darnell to the big screen. We talked about designing the character's look -- from the swath of fire-engine red hair to the cashmere power suits and chin-high turtlenecks, why McCarthy is so damn good at laying down a cannonade of profanity (and how bad she felt about doing it in front of the child actors), and being excited to see the Gilmore Girls back together after all these years. Check it out in the video above.
Here's the official synopsis for The Boss:
Academy Award®-nominated star Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids, The Heat, Tammy) headlines The Boss as a titan of industry who is sent to prison after she’s caught for insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America’s latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget.
McCarthy is joined in The Boss by an all-star cast led by Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage and Kathy Bates. Directed by Ben Falcone (Tammy), the comedy is based on an original character created by McCarthy and written by McCarthy and Falcone alongside their Groundlings collaborator, Steve Mallory. The film is produced by McCarthy and Falcone through their On the Day productions and Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy through their Gary Sanchez Productions.
