Melissa McCarthy stars on People’s 2023 Beautiful Issue as she opens up about ‘redefining beautiful’

‘I felt like it was saying something really lovely to my younger self,’ the actor said about her cover

Melissa McCarthy has spoken out about her hopes to redefine the term “beautiful” in an interview to celebrate her appearance on the cover of People’s 2023 Beautiful Issue.

The 52-year-old actor appeared on Good Morning America on Tuesday and recalled her reaction when she was asked to be featured in People.

“I was like, have you called the right person?” she joked, before noting how “crazy” it was for her to be in the magazine.

She then acknowledged how her People cover could redefine the meaning of today’s beauty standards.

“I love what it says,” McCarthy explained. “I mean I’m 52 and I just like that we’re kind of redefining what we want to kind of think could be beautiful, could be strong, could be anything. Because I think they’re all wrapped up together now.”

She also poked fun at what her reaction to these pictures could have been.

“Can you imagine if I was like, ‘That’s just me laying around the house. Those are just candid shots, guys,’” McCarthy quipped on GMA.

During her accompanying interview with People, the Bridesmaids star shared another joke about her first thoughts when she was asked to be on the cover. “Did my mom and my dad have the two main votes?” she said.

She emphasised how “incredibly flattered” she was to be featured and how much the opportunity meant to her 20-year-old self.

“I thought the younger version of myself or everybody out there who isn’t the youngest or whatever...I felt like it was saying something really lovely to my younger self, to my 20-year-old self,” she explained. “And maybe to other people, too.”

McCarthy went on to discuss her younger self and the fears she had throughout her time in high school.

“I feel like the first two years were like, ‘We’re all going to dress alike.’ Nobody wants to stand out too much. And then I was like, ‘I think I’m bored,’” she said. “And then came the Mohawks and the blue hair. I mean, on the outside, I was a really good punk and gothic kid, but then I was terrible because I was really chatty.”

McCarthy, who plays Ursula in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, also confessed that during those two years of high school, it was the first time she was criticised for her appearance.

“I was fascinated because when I walked down the street and I looked like that, it was the first time that I’d ever had people kind of make fun of me or say really mean things to me, even adults,” she explained. “I just kept thinking, ‘You don’t know me; I didn’t do anything to you.’”

She noted that this experience was a “big eye-opener” for her and helped her discover what kind of people she wanted in her life.

“Luckily, instead of going back into my shell, I think that made me want to seek out people [expressing themselves] more,” she said. “Because I was like, that’s so much more fun.”

Despite her previous experiences, McCarthy acknowledged that she now feels comfortable with who she is.

“Somewhere in my 30s, I was like ‘I’m okay with who I am.,’” she said. “And if someone wasn’t thrilled with that, that’s okay too. At some point I was like, ‘They’re not all going to like you.’ You have to learn that the hard way, but it’s a good [lesson].”

She also praised her husband, Ben Falcone, for helping her feel this way, adding: “Because he’s so constantly loving and kind. And funny and the weirdest human I know, to be honest.”

After tying the knot in 2005, McCarthy and Falcone went on to welcome two children, Vivian, 15, and Georgette, 13. Speaking to People about her daughters, McCarthy noted that while they’re not super interested in her magazine cover now, it could mean something to them down the line.

“I haven’t told the girls,” the Spy star said about her cover. “They were trying to talk me into getting yet another gecko, so I haven’t gotten around to telling them yet. I think this might mean more to [them] as they get older.”