Melissa McCarthy certainly seems to be building her career the right way. She first impressed in a big way on the small screen for many years in a supporting role on “Gilmore Girls,” and that eventually paid off with a lead role on a network sitcom with “Mike & Molly.” She’s paid her dues on the big screen too, with a slew of supporting roles eventually leading to “Bridesmaids” and after scoring a hit as a co-lead alongside Jason Bateman in “Identity Thief” she’s ready to go it alone.
The McCarthy vehicle “Tammy” is casting up at the moment, and it looks like Mark Duplass, Susan Sarandon and Kathy Bates will all likely be starring in the comedy about a woman who hits the road with her grandma after she loses her job and discovers her husband has been cheating. Duplass looks set to play a key role as a man who she meets on her trip and strikes up a relationship with, while it looks like Sarandon could possibly be in line to play the grandmother role previously linked with Shirley MacLaine. Bates is expected to take the smaller part of the grandma’s lesbian friend who saves the duo from bad spots.
McCarthy co-wrote the picture with her husband Ben Falcone, who will also direct after taking over from original director Beth McCarthy-Miller, and it’s also being produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. All of these new casting additions seem to make sense to us. Duplass has shown he knows how to get comedy right both in front of and behind the camera, and he’s part of a brilliant comic ensemble on FX’s “The League.” Sarandon meanwhile hasn’t done as much comedy during her career but she was great during a short “30 Rock” stint and there were also some good funny moments for her character coincidentally in Duplass’ last directorial feature, “Jeff Who Lives At Home.” She should be great as McCarthy’s foul-mouthed, alcoholic, diabetic grandma. [Deadline/THR]