Melissa McCarthy almost missed first role

US actress Melissa McCarthy. Photo / AFP

Melissa McCarthy is currently topping the US box office in her comedy film Spy, yet the creator of Gilmore Girls had to fight to get the actress cast in the TV show.

McCarthy played chef Sookie St James in the popular show which ran from 2000-2007, and starred the onscreen mother-daughter combo of Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel.

It was McCarthy's first role and she lasted the seven seasons of the show, but according to Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino she had to fight with TV executives to have McCarthy cast.

"To get Melissa, I had to fight," Sherman-Palladino said at the ATX TV festival, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A scene from the TV show Gilmore Girls.

"She had a different energy and the part was written for a woman, there was no body type. I need someone funny who can really act. It was a tricky sell and it took awhile ... everybody came around; it took a few shows."

McCarthy has certainly proved her worth as a comedy actress with her first US box office number one, Spy, estimated to have taken in US$30 million in its opening weekend. This just adds to McCarthy's successes in comedies such as Bridesmaids and The Heat.

But it wasn't easy for McCarthy to break into the industry.

"She is different and different is sometimes not the easiest thing to embrace. But that's true of life. If we want people to embrace more Melissa McCarthys and complicated parts ... we have to keep writing the parts, fighting the fights and be willing to be fired and say to Mr Person With Money, 'You're wrong.' Anything worth doing is a fight. If you don't have to fight for it, it's not worth doing," Sherman-Palladino said.

The cast and crew of the Gilmore Girls reunited at the TV festival for a panel where they answered fan's questions about the beloved show.

- AAP