Paul Feig’s “Spy” With Melissa McCarthy Is A Hit At SXSW

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Paul Feig’s Spy is a Hit At SXSW

The new action comedy from director Paul Feig and starring Melissa McCarthy had its premiere at the SXSW Film Festival on Sunday. The film is already getting praise especially for Melissa McCarthy’s performance. It’s being called another step forward for her comedy career. Variety said, “Melissa McCarthy gets the funniest, most versatile and sustained comic showcase of her movie career in this deliriously entertaining action-comedy.”

Director Paul Feig talked to ComingSoon.net and discussed how his love of spy films led him to making this movie. He said, Then I thought, “Why don’t I just write my own?” I love working with funny women, so let me actually create this female character. What’s the most relatable way to do it? She’s someone who wanted to be a spy and then maybe her boss made her feel like she couldn’t. Then she gets this opportunity to go out and really be a spy. It really just kind of came together in my head.”

Feig also talked about how grateful he was to get to work with one of his favorite collaborators, Melissa McCarthy. “We have so much fun together, though. I didn’t even write “Spy” for Melissa, because I didn’t think she was available. She was doing “Mike & Molly” and I was planning to shoot this in the fall of the previous year. She read it and just loved it so much. She really got the character and said she wanted to do it. I didn’t even really have to adjust the script that much. She’s such a chameleon and I wrote the part for this everywoman. She just slipped right into it.”

Melissa McCarthy’s co-star Jason Statham is getting glowing reviews for doing a comedy. Feig mentioned he had wanted Statham all along even though people around him were asking for someone else. He explained that most people assumed the part would go to someone like Will Ferrell. He said, “They always assumed it had to be someone comedic first and foremost. I had actually written it for Jason. We need that level of credibility so that you’re not sure and that you can be thrown. Plus, it’s just funnier.”

Here’s what some of the people who were at the SXSW “Spy” premiere are saying about Melissa McCarthy’s new comedy.

Melissa McCarthy talks about “Spy” and working with Paul Feig.

Spy” starring Melissa McCarthy and directed by Paul Feig opens nationwide on Friday, June 5th.

 

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