whitelogo whitelogo
Melissa McCarthy Wigs Out! See the Most Memorable Hair Moments of Her Career
  • Subscribe
  • Fashion
    • Clothing
    • Accessories
    • Street Style
    • Who Won Fashion Today?
    • Look Of The Day
    • Fashion Week
  • Celebrity
    • Awards & Events
    • Celebrity Transformations
    • TV Shows
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Beauty
    • Makeup
    • Best Beauty Buys
    • Health & Fitness
    • Hollywood Makeover
  • Hair
    • Celeb Hairstyles
    • Color Ideas
    • Long Hairstyles
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Short Hairstyles
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Weddings
    • Books
    • Food & Drink
    • Home & Decorating
    • Entertaining
  • Shop
    • Celebrity Looks
    • Clothing
    • Accessories
    • Editor's Obsessions
    • Beauty
    • Home & Decor
  • In The Mag
    • Current Issue
    • Subscribe
  • How-To
    • Look Your Best
  • Video
  • Subscribe
  • Fashion
    • Clothing
    • Accessories
    • Street Style
    • Who Won Fashion Today?
    • Look Of The Day
    • Fashion Week
  • Celebrity
    • Awards & Events
    • Celebrity Transformations
    • TV Shows
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Beauty
    • Makeup
    • Best Beauty Buys
    • Health & Fitness
    • Hollywood Makeover
  • Hair
    • Celeb Hairstyles
    • Color Ideas
    • Long Hairstyles
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Short Hairstyles
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Weddings
    • Books
    • Food & Drink
    • Home & Decorating
    • Entertaining
  • Shop
    • Celebrity Looks
    • Clothing
    • Accessories
    • Editor's Obsessions
    • Beauty
    • Home & Decor
  • In The Mag
    • Current Issue
    • Subscribe
  • How-To
    • Look Your Best
  • Video
  • Subscribe
  • Give a Gift
  • Get our Newsletter
  1. Home
  2. Hair
  3. Celebrity Hairstyles

Melissa McCarthy Wigs Out! See the Most Memorable Hair Moments of Her Career

Jennifer Ferrise
Jun 04, 2015 @ 10:45 am
Gilmore Girls
pinterest
Gilmore Girls, 2000

As chef and Lorelai bestie, Sookie St. James, McCarthy often wore her hair pulled back in ponytails while she worked in the kitchen of the Independence Inn. The style was the perfect fit for her sweet, girl-next-door demeanor. 

Warner Bros.
The Back-Up Plan
pinterest
The Back-Up Plan, 2010

The star made us laugh with her kooky antics and frizzy bob, playing a midwife and the leader of the Single Mothers and Proud group, opposite Jennifer Lopez.

Peter Iovino/CBS via Getty Images
BRIDESMAIDS, Melissa McCarthy, 2011. ph: Suzanne Hanover/©Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collec
pinterest
Bridesmaids, 2011

McCarthy said that Food Network star Guy Fieri helped inspire her character in Bridesmaids. "I tried for a long time to get them to let me wear short, white, spiky hair," she told Conan O'Brien. We think the tomboy pony, that she wore with a kangol hat and pearls, worked just as well with Megan's bawdy persona.

Suzanne Hanover/©Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
IDENTITY THIEF, Melissa McCarthy, 2013. ph: Bob Mahoney/©Universal/courtesy Everett Collection
pinterest
Identity Thief, 2013

It took almost two hours each morning for the star to get the permed wig and tacky makeup look in place to play, Diana, the con artist that steals co-star Jason Bateman's identity. "Good drag takes a while," she said.   

Bob Mahoney/©Universal/courtesy Everett Collection
THE HEAT, from left: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, 2013. ph: Gemma La Mana/TM and ©Copyright Twe
pinterest
The Heat, 2013

As Boston detective Shannon Mullins, the actress's do was rough, just like her take-no-prisoners attitude in this hysterical buddy-cop movie.

Courtesy Everett Collection
TAMMY, Melissa McCarthy, 2014. ph: Michael Tackett/©Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection
pinterest
Tammy, 2014

The blonde wig that McCarthy wore as Tammy cost $9,000 to make, which was a problem when she lost one of them falling off a jet ski in costume. "I thought, 'Holy god, I had that wig on," she recalled. "It had like 35 pins in it too. You couldn't rip it off my head."

Michael Tackett/©Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection
<p><em>Spy</em>, 2015</p>
pinterest
Spy, 2015

In Spy, CIA analyst Susan Cooper goes undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer and prevent a global disaster. Her first disguise? This cropped brown wig. "I look like someone's homophobic aunt," says Cooper when she sees her frumpy alias. 

20th Century Fox
<p><em>Spy</em>, 2015</p>
pinterest
Spy, 2015

For her next cover, McCarthy's character travels to Rome and puts on a curly gray wig and cat-lady T-shirt. McCarthy came up with the idea for the hair look and texted a picture of herself in it to director Paul Feig. "I love to fiddle with wardrobe," she has said.

20th Century Fox
<p><em>Spy</em>, 2015</p>
pinterest
Spy, 2015

In her most glamorous look of the movie, Cooper sneaks into a black-tie party in long, loose waves to get close to Rayna Boyanov, a Bulgarian criminal, played by Rose Byrne. 

20th Century Fox
<p><em>Spy</em>, 2015</p>
pinterest
Spy, 2015

Cooper learns to kick some serious ass throughout the film. And her blunt bangs mean business too! 

20th Century Fox
Melissa McCartney The Boss
pinterest
The Boss, 2016

McCarthy plays mega-rich entrepreneur Michelle Darnell who sports an attitude as sassy as her signature, fiery red 'do. 

Facebook/The Boss
1 of 12

Advertisement
20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Universal
View Gallery

There are lots of reasons to check out Spy this Friday (Jude Law as a sexy agent is a big one), but it's Melissa McCarthy and her crazy wigs that really steal the show. If you've been following the actress's career since her days in Stars Hollow, you know that the right style of strands, real or fake, have been instrumental in bringing her biggest roles to life.

"I always start with the wig," McCarthy has said. "You look so different that it changes your posture, how you carry yourself. It's my favorite thing." Check out some of the star's most hair-raising on-screen moments, including her best wigs from Spy.

PHOTOS: Melissa McCarthy's Most Memorable Hair Moments

1 of 11 Warner Bros.

Gilmore Girls, 2000

As chef and Lorelai bestie, Sookie St. James, McCarthy often wore her hair pulled back in ponytails while she worked in the kitchen of the Independence Inn. The style was the perfect fit for her sweet, girl-next-door demeanor. 

Advertisement
2 of 11 Peter Iovino/CBS via Getty Images

The Back-Up Plan, 2010

The star made us laugh with her kooky antics and frizzy bob, playing a midwife and the leader of the Single Mothers and Proud group, opposite Jennifer Lopez.

3 of 11 Suzanne Hanover/©Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Bridesmaids, 2011

McCarthy said that Food Network star Guy Fieri helped inspire her character in Bridesmaids. "I tried for a long time to get them to let me wear short, white, spiky hair," she told Conan O'Brien. We think the tomboy pony, that she wore with a kangol hat and pearls, worked just as well with Megan's bawdy persona.

Advertisement
4 of 11 Bob Mahoney/©Universal/courtesy Everett Collection

Identity Thief, 2013

It took almost two hours each morning for the star to get the permed wig and tacky makeup look in place to play, Diana, the con artist that steals co-star Jason Bateman's identity. "Good drag takes a while," she said.   

Advertisement
5 of 11 Courtesy Everett Collection

The Heat, 2013

As Boston detective Shannon Mullins, the actress's do was rough, just like her take-no-prisoners attitude in this hysterical buddy-cop movie.

Advertisement
6 of 11 Michael Tackett/©Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection

Tammy, 2014

The blonde wig that McCarthy wore as Tammy cost $9,000 to make, which was a problem when she lost one of them falling off a jet ski in costume. "I thought, 'Holy god, I had that wig on," she recalled. "It had like 35 pins in it too. You couldn't rip it off my head."

Advertisement
7 of 11 20th Century Fox

Spy, 2015

In Spy, CIA analyst Susan Cooper goes undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer and prevent a global disaster. Her first disguise? This cropped brown wig. "I look like someone's homophobic aunt," says Cooper when she sees her frumpy alias. 

Advertisement
8 of 11 20th Century Fox

Spy, 2015

For her next cover, McCarthy's character travels to Rome and puts on a curly gray wig and cat-lady T-shirt. McCarthy came up with the idea for the hair look and texted a picture of herself in it to director Paul Feig. "I love to fiddle with wardrobe," she has said.

Advertisement
9 of 11 20th Century Fox

Spy, 2015

In her most glamorous look of the movie, Cooper sneaks into a black-tie party in long, loose waves to get close to Rayna Boyanov, a Bulgarian criminal, played by Rose Byrne. 

Advertisement
10 of 11 20th Century Fox

Spy, 2015

Cooper learns to kick some serious ass throughout the film. And her blunt bangs mean business too! 

Advertisement
11 of 11 Facebook/The Boss

The Boss, 2016

McCarthy plays mega-rich entrepreneur Michelle Darnell who sports an attitude as sassy as her signature, fiery red 'do. 

You May Like

Read More

Let's Make It Newsletter-Official

Never have InStyle FOMO again! Get the best fashion, beauty, celebrity exclusives and shopping advice straight to your inbox.
I'm in!
Tags
  • Celebrity
  • Celebrity Hairstyles
  • Hair
  • Melissa McCarthy
  • Movies

Subscribe to InStyle

Subscribe today for less than $1 an issue!
GET IT NOW

Let's Make It Newsletter-Official

Never have InStyle FOMO again! Get the best fashion, beauty, celebrity exclusives and shopping advice straight to your inbox.
I'm in!
whitelogo
InStyle.com
  • HOME
  • FASHION
  • CELEBRITY
  • HAIR
  • WHAT'S RIGHT NOW
  • HOLLYWOOD MAKEOVER
  • INSIDE INSTYLE
Help & Information
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • GIVE A GIFT
  • CUSTOMER SERVICE
  • CONTACT US
  • HELP
  • CAREERS
  • SITEMAP
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS
  • AD CHOICES
  • ADVERTISING
InStyle Digital
  • RSS FEEDS
  • NEWSLETTER
INSTYLE.COM IS PART OF THE TIME INC. STYLE COLLECTION AND THE TIME INC. LIFESTYLE NETWORK. COPYRIGHT © 2017 TIME INC. INSTYLE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF TIME INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
INSTYLE MAY RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR SOME LINKS TO PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ON THIS WEBSITE. OFFERS MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.