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Melissa McCarthy Glows In ‘Gilmore Girls’ Reboot: Inside Her Role As Sookie & 75-Lb Weight Loss

By Joanne Eglash
Published on: 01:46 PST, Nov 26, 2016

Melissa McCarthy is one of the original Gilmore Girls stars who became a soaring success. For that reason, it wasn’t even certain for awhile whether McCarthy would find time in her busy schedule when the plan to create a revival of Gilmore Girls that would air on Netflix was announced. But Melissa managed to find a way to the delight of the cast, producers, and many fans, and now she’s reprising her role as Chef Sookie on the reboot, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, and flaunting her impressive 75-pound weight loss as well.

McCarthy took her role as Sookie and rocked it, revealed showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino to TVLine.

“We had [Melissa McCarthy] for one day and of course we threw her, like, a 10-page scene, because, why not?”

Discussing Melissa’s role in the four-part, six-hour Gilmore Girls revival, which debuted November 25 on Netflix, the showrunner revealed that the actress told them to “bring it,” and they obeyed and “brought it.” For anyone thinking there might be some drama on-set, given McCarthy’s success after her role, she slipped smoothly into her Sookie persona, added Amy.

Melissa McCarthy credits high protein, low carb diet for her 75-pound weight loss. [Image by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP Images]

Melissa and Lauren Graham working together again was “particularly fun,” shared the Gilmore Girls showrunner.

“[Melissa McCarthy] walked on [sporting Sookie’s signature] ponytails, with the chef thing…She was just delightful.”

Amy compared McCarthy and Graham together to a “weird, psychotic Ethel and Lucy when they get together off camera.” The two are so in sync that they even complete each other’s thoughts, she noted.

As for what reviewers thought of Melissa’s Gilmore Girls performance, Vulture summed it up as “brief but perfect,” describing the interactions of Sookie and Lorelai as a “reunion” that will “leave you misty-eyed.”

Since she played her role in the original Gilmore Girls as Lolerai’s BFF and culinary genius, Sookie St. James, McCarthy has become a “hot” commodity in the entertainment world, pointed out the media outlet. Consequently, fans may not see quite as much as Melissa as they desire in the A Year in the Life reboot.

Spoiler Alert

As for when Sookie does make her return, it’s right into the arms of Lorelai. Sookie whips up a variety of options for Lorelai’s wedding cake, even adorning a cake with all of her best friend’s major life milestones. The two play out their Lucy-and-Ethel style banter until the part where she bickers with Michel over granola. And (keep the kleenex box handy) there’s of course a section where tears seem inevitable, in true Gilmore Girls style.

Melissa reprises her role as Sookie at the “best time possible,” returning by Gilmore Girls‘ “Fall,” noted Bustle.

With Luke and Lorelai having agreed to get married and Lorelai finalizing preparations, Gilmore Girls shows just how close she is when she instinctively feels that something different is brewing in the Dragonfly Inn kitchen.

“Sookie,” she calls several times.

When McCarthy pops out (together with an icing bag), the wedding cake revelation provides one of the Gilmore Girls reboot’s most memorable moments.

“No matter what, the Dragonfly Inn kitchen will always belong to Sookie — but as fans have learned, it’s way better with her in it,” summed up Bustle.

As for how McCarthy achieved her noticeably slimmer body in the Gilmore Girls revival, the actress has credited a high protein, low carb diet and intense workout for her 75-pound weight loss, according to Foods4BetterHealth.

Once weighing 236 lbs, Melissa reportedly once admitted she has “been every size under the rainbow,” and she is also known for her clothing collection, Melissa McCarthy Seven7, which is for a wide range of sizes. To win her weight loss war, McCarthy used a high protein, low carb diet along with green tea and water with lemon.

The actress’s weight loss diet reportedly includes protein (such as fish, organic eggs and grass-fed beef), healthy fats (such as avocado and nuts), vegetables (such as broccoli and spinach) and fruits that are high in fiber. To boost her weight loss, Melissa worked out with a personal trainer, according to the media outlet.

McCarthy’s weight loss exercise regime ranges from martial arts to resistance training to jumping rope. The Gilmore Girls star reportedly works out five days a week, giving herself a break on weekends.

In addition, Melissa served up two weight loss secrets that aren’t related to diet or fitness, according to the Vine Report. The Gilmore Girls star recommends getting enough sleep and letting go of stressing about weight loss.

Melissa McCarthy is reprising her role as Sookie in the ‘Gilmore Girls’ revival. [Image by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Images]

“You go to bed at 7:30[p.m.]. That’s the trick,” summed up McCarthy.

And she also no longer frets about her weight loss.

“I truly stopped worrying about it. I think there’s something to kinda loosening up and not being so nervous and rigid about it that, bizarrely, has worked,” revealed Melissa.

[Featured Image by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Images]

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