After becoming one of the clear breakout stars of Bridesmaids, Melissa McCarthy has been enjoying plenty of success with other work, mostly focused on her scripting career. But now she’s also scored another role in front of the camera, reuniting with the movie's producer Judd Apatow for his latest directorial outing, the Knocked Up follow-up that still seems to be lacking a title.
The movie, which has just begun shooting (with Apatow reporting his nerves on the project over Twitter), was previously titled This Is Forty. But whatever it ends up being called, it’ll focus on Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann’s Pete and Debbie characters from the film, and will chronicle more issues with their marriage.
Albert Brooks is on board to play Rudd’s dad, while Chris O’Dowd, Megan Fox and Lena Dunham are also part of the cast.
McCarthy’s role has yet to be officially specified, though The Hollywood Reporter has it that she’ll play a mother whose son attends the same school that Pete and Debbie’s kids go to. Those two will, of course, be played once again by Apatow and Mann’s real-life progeny Maude and Iris.
As for McCarthy’s child, that role has been filled by Ryan Lee, who cropped up as brace-faced explosives nut Cary in Super 8…