Melissa Ann McCarthy, born August 26, 1970, is an American actress, comedian, writer, fashion designer and producer. A two-time Primetime Emmy Award winner, she has also been nominated for a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, among others. Take a look below for 30 more interesting and fascinating facts about Melissa McCarthy.

1. She began appearing in television and films in the late 1990s, and first gained nationwide recognition for her role as Sookie St. James on the television series Gilmore Girls.

2. From 2007 to 2009, she appeared as Dena on the ABC sitcom Samantha Who?

3. She was cast as Molly Flynn on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, earning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series as well as two other nominations during subsequent seasons.

4. She has been nominated five times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her five appearances as host on Saturday Night Live, winning in 2017.

5. She received recognition as Megan Price in the comedy movie Bridesmaid, which garnered her award nominations including an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, a BAFTA nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

6. In 2013, she co-starred in the comedy movie Identity Thief and The Heat.

7. She appeared in supporting roles in The Nines, The Back-up Plan, Life as We Knot It, This Is 40, and The Hangover Part III.

8. In 2014, McCarthy starred in the comedy Tammy and the comedy-drama movie St. Vincent.

9. In 2015, she headlined the action comedy movie Spy, for which she received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical nomination.

10. In 2016, she starred in the comedy movies The Boss and Ghostbusters.

11. In 2017, she played White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in several episodes of Saturday Night Live.

12. McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone founded the production company, On the Day.

13. In 2015, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

14. In 2015, she launched her clothing line, Melissa McCarthy Seven7, and told PeopleStyle that her goal was to be inclusive of all sizes and flatter all women.

15. In 2015, Forbes named McCarthy the third highest paid actress in the world that year.

16. In 2016, Forbes named her the world’s second highest paid actress, earning $33 million.

17. She was born in Plainfield, Illinois to Sandra and Michael McCarthy.

18. She’s a cousin of actress and model Jenny McCarthy and professional basketball player Joanne McCarthy.

19. McCarthy was raised on a farm in a large Catholic family.

20. Her father is of Irish descent, while her mother is of English, German and Irish ancestry. Some of her ancestors were from County Cork.

21. She graduated from St. Frances Academy in Joliet, Illinois.

22. Her career started with stand up comedy in Los Angeles, and later in New York City.

23. McCarthy is an alumna of The Groundlings, an improvisational and sketch comedy troupe based in Los Angeles, California.

24. She’s close friends with her former Samantha Who? co-star Christina Applegate.

25. She returned to work 3 months after giving birth to her daughter Vivian, to begin filming the first season of Samantha Who?

26. McCarthy married her longtime boyfriend, Ben Falcone, an actor and alumnus of The Groundlings, on October 8, 2005. The couple have two daughters, Vivian, born May 2007, and Georgette, born March 2010.

27. Falcone often makes cameo appearances in movies and television shows starring McCarthy, such as a third season episode of Gilmore Girls, Bridesmaids, The Heat, Tammy, Identity Thief, Spy and The Boss.

28. Since the start of the Mike & Molly series, McCarthy has lost an estimated 75 pounds. She credits the weight loss to a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, regular exercise and a “super-boring life” that includes a 7:30PM bedtime.

29. McCarthy, who studied Textiles at Southern Illinois University, was originally interested in a career in fashion before she pursued a career in acting.

30. One of her closest friends is shoe designer Brian Atwood.