Brooke Bunny
Further suggesting she’s definitely on her way to the big leagues, “Identity Thief” star Melissa McCarthy is in talks to play the female lead opposite Oscar Winner Bill Murray in ” St. Vincent De Van Nuys”.
Every funny lady in town wanted the part in Ted Melfi’s comedy, says Deadline.
Murray plays the title character, a cantankerous train wreck of a neighbor who takes under his corrupt wing the 12-year-old son of a struggling single mother who has moved in next door. McCarthy is the choice to play the single mother and she campaigned hard for this. The project, based on Melfi’s Black List script, has been compared to As Good As It Gets or even TWC’s recent Silver Linings Playbook for the way it mixes comedy and human pathos. Much the way that Jennifer Lawrence Skyped an audition that got her the Oscar-winning role in Silver Linings Playbook even though David O Russell initially thought she might be too young, McCarthy auditioned for this role and her work put her atop the list and will win her this job.
Shooting begins in July on the movie, at which time McCarthy would have completed her new project “Tammy”, which she’s directing with husband and co-writer Ben Falcone.
