It seems there’s a new member of the Judd Apatow crew – the group of actors the writer/director/producer likes and puts in many of the things he makes – as after her turn in the Apatow produced Bridesmaids, Judd has now cast Melissa McCarthy in his new directorial project, This Is Forty.
Along with McCarthy, THR reports that young Super 8 star Ryan Lee has also come on board.
The film stars Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, reprising their roles as Pete and Debbie from Apatow’s 2007 hit comedy Knocked Up, who are dealing with the encroachment of middle-aged married life. Ryan Lee will play the son of Melissa McCarthy’s character, who attends the same school as Pete and Debbie’s kids. That’s pretty much all anyone knows about the plot though.
It’s great that McCarthy is finally getting some attention, as she’s a great actress, but probably due to her larger frame, has been stuck in best friend roles in the likes of Gilmore Girls, or putting her size front and centre in the endless fat joke that is the dreadful sitcom Mike & Molly. Now it appears she’s getting the roles she deserves.
This Is Forty comes to theaters June 1st, 2012