LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Halle Bailey commended Melissa McCarthy for teaching her to "speak up what works for" her in the job, but the co-star of 'The Little Mermaid' had a secret tale about a toxic work environment that she recently shared. The acclaimed actress, 52, who was recently swarmed by fans in Australia, said she was tortured on a "volatile, hostile" set and became "physically ill" from the harsh environment. She went on to say that the unknown person regularly made the team "weep" and would use Melissa to her advantage by firing people she "loved."
The veteran actress stated, "I did work for someone once who ran such a volatile, hostile set that it made me physically ill. My eyes were swelling up, I was absorbing all of this nuttiness." McCarthy portrays Ursula, the sea witch, in Disney's live-action 'The Little Mermaid.' It's the Oscar nominee’s first major Hollywood musical. She'll make her comeback in a Christmas-themed film for Peacock.
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Which movie was Melissa McCarthy talking about?
The 52-year-old McCarthy didn't specify on which movie set she experienced the toxic environment but the veteran actress decided to assist her Little Mermaid co-star Halle Bailey in dealing with the great strain of playing Ariel in the blockbuster live-action version of the animated classic. Halle told CNN that Melissa, who plays the bad Ursula in the Disney picture, strengthened her on set, "She was telling me, 'Yeah, I had to learn. I wasn't always this way, and when you’re young, you’re timid."'
McCarthy, according to the rising actress, taught her to "speak up and (say) what works for' her in her field. She also lauded McCarthy's certain demeanor on set, adding it was amazing to witness her "come onto set and be just so comfortable with who she was in her skin and (to see) her standing up for herself." The Little Mermaid is expected to make a significant sensation when the film opens in theatres on May 26. According to Deadline, Rob Marshall's live-action adaptation of the 1989 cartoon hit is expected to gross $110 million in its four-day opening weekend.
What happened on the sets of the film?
McCarthy said in a recent interview with The Observer that she once felt ill while working on a toxic set that had several of the cast and staff "weeping." McCarthy realized she couldn't remain silent in the face of such inhumane working circumstances. The 52-year-old said that a specific individual, who she did not name, was to blame for the toxic environment on set. "There were people weeping, visibly so upset by this one person. And I think that’s why the manipulation worked, because to get to me this person would fire people I loved, which kept me quiet." "It was very effective. Then one day, I was like, 'It stops today!' I just kept saying to them, it stops, it stops. And I know now I’ll never keep quiet again," the 'Bridesmaids' star added.