Shirley MacLaine In Talks To Play Foul-Mouthed Grandmother In Melissa McCarthy's Road Trip Comedy 'Tammy'

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by Charlie Schmidlin
October 19, 2012 3:48 PM
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After being embedded within the fiercely intelligent and funny women of “Bridesmaids” as that film's secret weapon, actress Melissa McCarthy has since found herself confidently branching off its franchise potential while staying focused on her own. Besides deeming a Wiig-less “Bridesmaids” sequel a “terrible idea,” she's stayed busy putting together her own comedy project, “Tammy” and now following a brief hiccup with the departure of veteran “SNL” director Beth McCarthy-Miller, the project remains alive with a new possible addition to the cast.

THR reports actress Shirley MacLaine has been offered a role by McCarthy in the comedy - which was set up originally in 2011 -- and the two were scheduled to meet face-to-face this week to talk the film over more. It's certainly a juicy role for MacLaine as well, as she would play the alcoholic, foul-mouthed grandmother to McCarthy's titular character, with whom she embarks on a cross-country road trip after she's fired from her job at Hardee's. McCarthy wrote the script with husband Ben Falcone and it was delayed primarily due to her “Mike and Molly” schedule, but she was nonetheless still able to satisfy her road trip impulses with Jason Bateman in the questionable-looking “Identity Theft.”

Coming off of a fantastic performance opposite Jack Black this year in “Bernie,” Richard Linklater's tone-shifting serial killer delight, MacLaine needs to be on screen more these days, and “Tammy” would prove a worthy match for the actress, even as it slightly nudges into “Due Date” territory with the premise. Meanwhile, “Tammy” continues its search for a director, but with this talented pair of actresses heading up the film, the long-gestating project should find swift progression soon.

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