Melissa McCarthy’s filmography includes roles such as a ghost-catcher, spy, and cop, so it comes as no surprise that the Oscar-nominated actress will be honored with the Powerhouse award by the Artemis Women in Action Film Festival. Variety broke the news.
“Ghostbusters,” “Spy,” “The Heat,” “Identity Thief,” and “Tammy” are among the action-packed films McCarthy has starred in.
“Melissa has epitomized female action heroes in countless films,” the festival commented. “She has always embraced characters who are physically empowered — even when they make us laugh.”
“Our film festival seeks to redefine the image of women, not just on screen, but in culture as well,” emphasized Melanie Wise, the festival’s founder. “Our official hashtag is #womenkickass, and we try to convey that sensibility in everything that we do.”
McCarthy will be presented with the honor on the fest’s opening night, April 20. Other women set to be honored at the third edition of the fest include McCarthy’s stuntwoman Luci Romberg, actress Nichelle Nichols (“Star Trek”), and former MMA star and actress Gina Carano (“Deadpool”).
McCarthy received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for her role in “Bridesmaids.” Her upcoming projects include Marielle Heller’s dark comedy “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” and the college-set comedy “Life of the Party.” She co-wrote the latter film, which co-stars “Love’s” Gillian Jacobs.
Check out our guest post explaining why McCarthy offers a better return on investment than Tom Cruise, one of the best-known action stars of all-time.
Artemis Women in Action Film Festival runs from April 20–23 in LA.
