Melissa McCarthy stars in the ROFL action comedy Spy, written and directed by her frequent collaborator Paul Feig, that releases this Friday. The Oscar-nominated (for Bridesmaids) actress plays Susan Cooper, a talented but underrated CIA analyst. She leaves the confines of her backroom job after the disappearance of her partner, super agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law), to embark on her first spy mission. Going undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, the stakes are high and it is up to Cooper to prevent global disaster!
How did you get involved with the film?
My husband Ben (Falcone) and I were having dinner with Paul Feig when he first told me about Spy. He said it was about a woman who has the skill-set to be a spy, but she doesn't have the confidence. The more he described the story, the more questions I asked. I just wanted to know everything about Susan Cooper. Basically, I was hooked. By the end of the evening I asked Paul: ‘Can I please read the script tonight?’ I called Paul the next day and said: ‘I don’t know who you’re thinking about for the film, but I beg you to give me a shot’.
I don’t know how an actress could not have wanted this part. It was important to me that Spy wasn’t a spoof. Paul and I agreed on that from the very start. Paul said: ‘The action should look amazing, slick and fast and then we will make it funny on top of that’. That real sense of danger is what makes the audience really care about the characters.
What kind of a woman is Susan?
Susan Cooper is a technically well-trained, very capable CIA agent who is desk-bound. She works in the basement of the CIA, she’s the eyes and ears for “real spy” Bradley Fine, played by the dashing Jude Law. Fine once told her: ‘You’d be better off behind the scenes’. And she said: ‘You’re probably right’. A series of unexpected and devastating events occur in Susan’s life. It forces her to shake off her insecurities and heroically go out into the field. I absolutely loved the idea of an everyday woman who gets to be a superhero.
Paul Feig is obviously tuned into women and what makes them tick...
Yes, Paul loves funny women. But Paul loves all funny people. Period.
He is not afraid to make his male characters look a little inept, is he?
Why would he be afraid to make the male characters inept? Bumbling characters are always a great foil in comedies… man, woman or kangaroo!
In a way, this is a buddy comedy. How was it working with Miranda Hart, who plays Nancy, Susan’s friend and colleague? You are so funny together!
Oh my god, Miranda Hart is my new favourite person in the world! Within seconds of meeting her, I loved her. She is so smart and a wonderful actress and just crazy funny! She’s funny even when she’s not trying to be funny. I think how much we liked each other in real life comes across in the movie.
I’ve been lucky to work with women that I happen to absolutely love. In Bridesmaids (2011), most of us had been good friends for years and I think it showed on screen. It was the same thing when I worked with Sandy (Sandra Bullock) on The Heat (2013). I literally said: ‘You’re one of the greatest girls I’ve ever met in my life’. When this streak ends for me, I’m going to be so sad. I want to keep working with these women that I’m nuts about.
There’s a lot of thrilling action in Spy. How much training did you do?
I worked with an amazing stuntwoman, Diana Lee Inosanto, who specialises in sword fighting and martial arts. She was Bruce Lee’s godchild. I loved the training and all of the stunts. However, running through the wet, cobble-stoned streets of Budapest in high heels had me wondering: ‘Why aren’t I wearing running shoes?!’
The film is great fun but also inspiring, isn’t it?
Yes, I had the feeling when I read the script that if Susan could do it, so could I. When my daughters see this movie, much later of course, I want them to see how Susan came in and saved the day and that heroes don’t have to only be men. This is uncharted territory… a lead female spy who saves the day! What’s not to love?!
Your daughters are too young to see the film, but it must be fun for them that their mother is playing a spy?
They play ‘spy’ all the time! They have their spy packs with magnifying glasses and bits and bobs. They go around our neighbourhood leaving chalk marks everywhere to signal to their ‘spies’. They think it is really cool that I am a spy, they are excited.
Bollywood actress Nargis Fakhri plays an assassin in Spy. How was it working with her?
The first scene on this film was with Nargis. She is amazing, pretty and so confident. She had some really cool fight moves that she carried out like a pro. I was happy that my first shot was with her because then I knew I was working with a bunch of great people.
What about the food fight, in which you are hurling pots, pans and vegetables at Nargis?
It was fun, but very complicated. I kept bashing Nargis’s hand with a pan… I felt terrible. I thought I was going to break her hand!
How fulfilling is your career right now?
It is great. Most of the year I am making (TV show) Mike & Molly, which I love. My husband and I are making a big fun comedy called Michelle Darnell, which he is directing. We met doing this stuff and we work incredibly well together. I love it because I get to spend the day with him and we keep the family together, which is especially important to us. So the fact that we get to work and write together on something we love, and he gets to direct, is beyond dreamy.
Finally, who makes you laugh?
My husband makes me laugh hard… probably four times a day. I swear to god, he’s prolonging my life by decades because he is wildly funny. My kids are really funny. Actually, we do not have a very serious household. It’s not like a stand-up club at our house, but it’s pretty silly. My parents are funny and we’ve got a lot of funny friends. I think life’s too short to be too serious all the time. Why not laugh? Bad stuff and intense stuff will happen. But I think when we are not in the midst of that, we should all try to have a good time.
Which is your favourite spy film? Tell t2@abp.in
