Melissa McCarthy turned heads at the ELLE Women in Hollywood celebration, stunning fans with her noticeably slimmer figure following her impressive 95-pound weight loss. The Bridesmaids star was one of the standout arrivals at the event, with HELLO! observing that her vibrant look sparked an immediate wave of praise and admiration.
The 55-year-old actress radiated confidence on the black carpet in a bold, voluminous floral gown with a dramatic high neckline and a flowing silhouette covered in vivid orange blooms and leafy green accents.
© Variety via Getty ImagesMelissa McCarthy at the 2025 ELLE Women in Hollywood Celebration
She paired the statement gown with burnt orange platform boots and a black velvet clutch, creating a fashion-forward moment that social media users quickly deemed “fabulous”, “empowering” and “glamorous”. Photos from the event show Melissa glowing under the spotlights, clearly relishing a new chapter in her style evolution.
Melissa has been open for years about her long, personal journey with weight, telling CBS Mornings that her recent transformation came when she shifted her mindset rather than following strict rules or extreme approaches.
“I finally said [to myself], ‘Oh, for God’s sake, stop worrying about it’, and it may be the best thing I’ve ever done,” she shared. “I truly stopped worrying about [my weight]. I stopped over-analyzing, over-thinking, over-doing anything. I just stopped constantly being worried about it, and I think there’s something to kinda loosening up and not being so nervous and rigid about it that, bizarrely, has worked.”
While Melissa has never tied her weight loss to a single programme, she has acknowledged that her weight has fluctuated throughout her life. Earlier in her career, she even attempted a four-month, doctor-supervised all-liquid diet after landing her role as Suki in Gilmore Girls, which left her feeling “starved and crazy”.
© Getty ImagesMelissa has been open for years about her long, personal journey with weight
She later admitted she had a skewed perception of herself, telling Us Weekly: “I’ve been every size in the world. Parts of my twenties, I was in great shape, but I didn’t appreciate it. If I was a six or an eight, I thought, ‘Why aren’t I a two or a four?’”
Melissa has also spoken candidly about lifestyle changes that contributed to her weight gain when she moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting full time.
“I stopped walking and ate [expletive] food,” she said, acknowledging how quickly unhealthy habits can creep in during busy chapters of life.
© FilmMagicMelissa attends The Gilmore Girls Celebrate 100th Episode
Health experts at institutions like the Mayo Clinic confirm that rapid lifestyle shifts, reduced movement, and chronic stress are among the most common triggers for midlife weight gain, helping to explain why Melissa’s experience resonates so strongly with women in their forties and fifties
Over the years, HELLO! has covered Melissa’s major career milestones, from her breakout in Bridesmaids to her acclaimed dramatic roles, and her appearance at the ELLE event marks another significant style and confidence moment for the star.
© Getty ImagesMelissa attends the Center Theatre Group Hosts CTG The Gala 2024
Beyond acting, Melissa has become a prominent advocate for body positivity and inclusivity in fashion, using her platform to call out the industry’s historic lack of representation. After struggling to find designers willing to dress her for major award shows, she launched her own clothing line with Lane Bryant in 2015, determined to give plus-size women access to stylish, well-made pieces.
“Women come in all sizes. Seventy percent of women in the United States are a size 14 or above, and that’s technically ‘plus-size’, so you’re taking your biggest category of people and telling them, ‘You’re not really worthy.’ I find that very strange,” she told Refinery29. “I just think, if you’re going to make women’s clothing, make women’s clothing. Designers that put everyone in categories are over-complicating something that should be easy.”
