‘Ghostbusters’ Star Melissa McCarthy Wants Women To Accept Compliments: ‘Don’t Negate It’

Ghostbusters actress Melissa McCarthy is pursuing two dreams, and each one, acting and fashion design, is a passion she doesn’t take lightly. For Melissa, pursuing her love of fashion is something that came about as a necessity. The Ghostbusters actress felt frustrated that there weren’t any flattering outfits for women of her body type.

Melissa revealed that her difficulties with fashion resulted in a social awkwardness that taught her to negate compliments, when they were offered. Now, as a mother of two daughters herself, McCarthy is trying to correct that behavior and instill positive self-images in her girls.

Melissa McCarthy thinks learning to accept compliments is important to a positive body image

McCarthy is starring in The Boss, a film about a successful woman who lacks social courtesy to a degree that often lands her in hot water. For Melissa, her biggest flaw in relation to social courtesies is her inability to take a compliment, which can turn into an awkward situation rather quickly.

McCarthy says the problem isn’t hers alone, but one many women share. When many women are offered a compliment, Melissa says they make excuses, like saying they bought the outfit on sale or that there is really something wrong with the outfit. The Ghostbusters actress feels these types of responses are the equivalent of throwing the compliment back in the person’s face.

McCarthy says women should learn to accept the compliment for what it is and just move on.

“Someone gives you a compliment and you’re basically telling them to shut up and they’re wrong,” Ms. McCarthy says. “All you have to do is say ‘Thank you.'”

These are the lessons Melissa says she’s trying to instill in her daughters, Vivian, 8, and Georgette, 6. McCarthy wants her daughters to understand that it’s okay to be different and that it’s those differences that makes each one of us unique.

“Don’t negate it. Don’t tell them they’re crazy. Just say ‘Thank you. I love it too. That’s why I put it on.'”

The Boss actress Melissa McCarthy’s other artistic love

At a recent press interview intended to promote The Boss, McCarthy revealed that her dress size is now a size 14. The new size is the result of some fairly impressive weight loss, so some reporters were more interested in Melissa’s technique than in the film.

The secret, as McCarthy revealed it, is to live a “superboring life.”

She seemed to be only partially speaking in jest, as she continued to reveal the secret to achieving her fitness goals.

“You bring it real down, you don’t do anything fun and you go to bed at 7:30 — that’s the trick.”

This led to a discussion of the actress’ clothing line, the Melissa McCarthy Seven7 Collection, a project about which Melissa feels extremely passionate. The actress turned fashion mogul says she’s getting a positive response to her clothing line, which launched last fall on The Home Shopping Network.

“I find it wildly creative. It’s something that I’ve dreamed of doing since I was probably in sixth grade,” she said. “Every time I fight for a seam or a better fabric or something, I think the fight’s worthwhile.”

McCarthy’s clothing line offers sizes ranging from a 2 to a 28W, but that wide range in sizes isn’t the only thing that makes her products unique. The actress reveals that she oversees all stages of the creation process, including making sure none of her products are “scratchy” or uncomfortable.

Ms. McCarthy says she takes her clothing line very seriously, because it was something she had planned to do for a living. Fortunately, Melissa also found success as an actress.

The Boss, starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell, and Peter Dinklage, opens in theaters on April 8.

[Image by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]