CBS pitched an actor in a fat suit over Melissa McCarthy for Mike & Molly, says Chuck Lorre

"Believe it or not, they wanted a hot young woman to play a woman struggling with her weight," Lorre said.

By Olivia Singh  |  October 14, 2026 | 1:34pm
Photo: CBS
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CBS pitched an actor in a fat suit over Melissa McCarthy for Mike & Molly, says Chuck Lorre

Chuck Lorre is not holding back any details about the casting process for the 2010s CBS sitcom Mike & Molly. In his new memoir, Sitcom, Lorre, the creator of shows like Two And A Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, reveals that convincing the network executives to cast Melissa McCarthy as Molly was a “torturous journey,” per Deadline. “Once again, my brilliant casting director, Nikki Valko, brought in a comic genius. Melissa McCarthy. And once again, CBS hated her,” Lorre wrote in his memoir, reportedly likening the situation to the opposition to Jon Cryer’s casting on Two And A Half Men. Mike & Molly, which ran for six seasons, followed a police officer named Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell) and an elementary school teacher named Molly Flynn (McCarthy), who meet at a Chicago Overeaters Anonymous group while trying to lose weight.  

“Believe it or not, they wanted a hot young woman to play a woman struggling with her weight,” Lorre said. “It was even suggested by one exec—­a female exec—­that I consider casting a more attractive actress and put her in a fat suit.” It’s a particularly ridiculous stance, but not entirely surprising, given how many actors have been passed over for roles because industry or conventional standards deem them not attractive enough. The executive producer said he stood his ground, believing McCarthy was the right fit to play the character—and he admittedly felt “a little smug” and vindicated when Bridesmaids came out in 2011, and confirmed his instincts about McCarthy. “I was no longer an origami showrunner, ready to fold at first push,” Lorre recalled. “Melissa was going to be my Molly. End of discussion.” That same year, McCarthy won an Emmy for her work on Mike & Molly, undoubtedly adding to Lorre’s validation.  

 
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