‘I Didn’t Even Know That Was Her!’: Melissa McCarthy’s New Look Has Fans Zooming In on Her Before and After Pics After She Dropped Nearly 90 Pounds
Melissa McCarthy has been on a glowy run lately, and it doesn’t look like her light will dim anytime soon.
The “Bridesmaids” star highlighted her drastic transformation two years after many suspected a backhanded compliment, accusing McCarthy of getting extra assistance to shed pounds that didn’t come from a gym or home.
After once weighing close to 300 lbs., she has been consistently turning heads and serving looks, flaunting a snatched look, with a less-than-full figure.
McCarthy has never confirmed or denied whether she took any weight loss medication; she has been open about her path to slim down through dieting. Her journey has been documented through interviews and goes as far back as 2003, when she spoke about learning to take the pressure off of worrying about her weight.
Her appearance at the 2026 Golden Globes, her “Saturday Night Live” appearance in December and her red carpet look at the Natural History Museum Gala, are all highlights of what she’s gone through since then.
Despite the harsh criticism, McCarthy still shows up and shows up, more recently at the Fashion Trust U.S. Awards on April 7. She hit the red carpet wearing a glittery long-sleeved bodycon dress by Emilio Pucci, which featured curvy patterns in the colors green, gold, tan, beige and a sandy brown. Showing her face off, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and paired the look with silver earrings.
Fans sang her praises on the organization’s Instagram video of her.
One person said, “Everytime I see this lady she looks better and better. Not that she didnt before but wow!”
Another shocked individual typed, “Who’s that girl???” A third person said, “Wow! She looks incredible! I didn’t even know that was her!!”
Someone complimenting her figure wrote, “Now THIS, looks like healthy weight loss!!! She looks great.” Another agreed, “Now this looks like a natural fitness regime. Love it.”
One of the earliest mentions McCarthy makes of her weight loss journey was in 2011, when she told People magazine that a doctor put her on a 500-calorie all-liquid diet.
She lost 70 pounds in four months. But that process was too taxing for McCarthy, who said, “I’d never do that again. I felt starved and crazy half the time.”
A year earlier, she told “Entertainment Tonight” she was able to lose 30 pounds doing pilates and boxing.
During her 2018 appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” the “Tammy” actress said she was able to lose 70 to 80 pounds over the course of five years.
She told the outlet, “I think everybody’s always kind of working on something. And I was like, ‘If I can de-stress and just do it slower and stop constantly trying to be on something.’ And then it actually worked better instead of being like, ‘I’m gonna not do this and do this and only drink this.”
It’s not clear if de-stressing about weight loss continues to be her method, but what is clear is that at age 55 she’s still got it despite Barbara Streisand’s remarks in 2018.
Streisand sparked backlash after commenting on McCarthy’s weight loss in a photo, asking, “Give him my regards did you take Ozempic?” — referring to Martin Short, whom she mistakenly thought McCarthy was dating. The comment quickly went viral, with many calling it intrusive.
The singer later deleted the comment and said she meant it as a compliment, while McCarthy brushed it off and took it in stride. The two have repaired things since then, with Streisand thanking the “identify Theft” actor for sending her a flower bouquet on her birthday in 2024.
McCarthy’s family has also been supportive of her weight loss journey. The Emmy winner has two daughters, Vivian, 18, and Georgette, 15, whom she shares with her husband Ben Falcone.