Melissa McCarthy covers ‘People’ magazine’s “Beautiful” issue

ABC/Paula Lobo

Bridesmaids scene-stealer, former Mike & Molly star and the actress playing Ursula in the upcoming live-action Little Mermaid film, Melissa McCarthy, is the cover model for People magazine‘s latest “Beautiful” issue.

The magazine dropped the news Tuesday, ahead of the issue hitting the newsstand Friday. An “incredibly flattered” McCarthy said of the honor, “I felt like it was saying something really lovely to my younger self, to my 20-year-old self. And maybe to other people, too.”

The 52-year-old said she let her husband, Ben Falcone, in on the surprise announcement, but not their two daughters, 15-year-old Vivian and 13-year-old Georgette.

They have more pressing concerns: “They were trying to talk me into getting yet another gecko, so I haven’t gotten around to telling them yet,” Melissa said, adding she thinks the honor “might mean more to [them] as they get older.”

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