- August's birthstones are the peridot, sardonyx, and spinel.
- Its birth flower is the gladiolus or poppy, meaning beauty, strength of character, love, marriage and family.
- The Western zodiac signs for the month of August are Leo (until August 21) and Virgo (from August 22 onwards).
Melissa Ann McCarthy (born August 26, 1970) is an American actress, screenwriter, and producer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and nominations for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. McCarthy was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016, and she has been featured multiple times in annual rankings of the highest-paid actresses in the world. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her #22 in its list of the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century.
McCarthy began appearing in television and film in the late 1990s and first gained recognition for her role as Sookie St. James on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000–2007). She played Dena on the ABC sitcom Samantha Who? (2007–2009) before starring as Molly Flynn on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly (2010–2016), for which she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011. McCarthy's appearances as a host on Saturday Night Live (2011–2017) led to a win for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2017.
McCarthy gained critical acclaim for her performance in the comedy film Bridesmaids (2011), receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to star in several commercially successful comedies, including Identity Thief (2013), The Heat (2013), Tammy (2014), St. Vincent (2014), Spy (2015), and The Boss (2016). In 2018, McCarthy received critical acclaim for her portrayal of writer Lee Israel in the biographical film Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018), earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She has since starred in the drama miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers (2021) and played Ursula in the musical fantasy film The Little Mermaid (2023).
McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone are the founders of the production company On the Day Productions, under which they have collaborated on several comedy films including Life of the Party (2018), Super Intelligence (2020), and Thunder Force (2021). In 2015, she launched her own clothing line for plus-sized women, named Melissa McCarthy Seven7, and she received a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Melissa Ann McCarthy was born on August 26, 1970, in Plainfield, Illinois, to Sandra and Michael McCarthy. She is a cousin of actress and model Jenny McCarthy. McCarthy was raised on a farm in a large Catholic family. Her father is of Irish descent, while her mother is of English, German, and Irish ancestry. Some of her forebears were from County Cork. She graduated from St. Francis Academy (now Joliet Catholic Academy) in Joliet, Illinois, and attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Her career started with stand-up comedy in Los Angeles, and later in New York City. McCarthy is an alumna of The Groundlings, an improvisational and sketch comedy troupe based in Los Angeles, California. She also performed in New York City as a drag queen under the moniker Miss Y, including at the Wigstock festival.
McCarthy made her first television appearance in an episode of the NBC comedy series Jenny, opposite her cousin Jenny McCarthy. She made her feature film debut in a minor role in the 1999 comedy Go, and later had roles in the films Drowning Mona, Disney's The Kid, Charlie's Angels, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Third Wheel and The Life of David Gale. She also worked in three episodes of Kim Possible, voicing DNAmy. In 2000, McCarthy was cast as Sookie St. James, the upbeat and klutzy best friend of Lorelai Gilmore, on The WB television series Gilmore Girls. Throughout the series, Sookie is Lorelai's business partner and cheerleader. On April 7, 2016, McCarthy announced on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she would be returning for the show's revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, on Netflix. The series was released November 25, 2016 and McCarthy appeared in one of its four episodes.
In 2007, she starred opposite Ryan Reynolds in the science fantasy psychological thriller The Nines, written and directed by John August. She later starred in the independent comedies The Captain, Just Add Water, and Pretty Ugly People. Also in 2007, McCarthy starred as Dena Stevens on the ABC sitcom Samantha Who?. McCarthy played Samantha's socially awkward childhood best friend, whom Samantha hasn't seen since seventh grade. When Samantha wakes from her coma, Dena convinces Samantha that they have always been best friends. While Andrea eventually forces her to reveal the truth, Samantha still remains friends with Dena. She guest starred in Rita Rocks and on Private Practice. In 2010, McCarthy played supporting roles in films The Back-up Plan and Life as We Know It.
McCarthy married her longtime boyfriend Ben Falcone, an actor and member of The Groundlings, on October 8, 2005. The couple have two daughters, Vivian and Georgette. McCarthy's pregnancy with Vivian was written into the last season of Gilmore Girls. Vivian and Georgette both made an appearance in the 2016 film The Boss, with the former playing a younger version of her mother's character.
Falcone often makes cameo appearances in McCarthy's films and TV series, such as a third-season episode of Gilmore Girls, The Nines, Bridesmaids, The Heat, Tammy, Identity Thief, Spy, The Boss, Life of the Party, The Happytime Murders, Thunder Force, Can You Ever Forgive Me? and Nine Perfect Strangers.
In the April 2021 issue of Instyle, McCarthy said that, with regard to politics, "It's very polarizing, but, I mean, I'm on the left for sure, though I'm not an extremist. And I think just saying like, "Can't we all just be kind to each other?" and that gets a "F— you, lady," I don't know what to do."
In August 2021, McCarthy joined the 40x40 campaign launched by Meghan Markle to mark her 40th birthday. 40x40 is a campaign that asks people around the world to spend 40 minutes of their time mentoring women reentering the workforce and combating the outsized economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women.
If you want to read more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_McCarthy
- MAKES
- 2 Strudel
- COOK TIME
- 25 Min
Wake up, boys and girls! We're having a fantastic brunch. What's on the menu, you ask? How about this tasty Sausage and Broccoli Strudel? It may not be your traditional fruit strudel recipe, but this savory recipe is loaded with flavor from some of our favorite ingredients. Plus, it's a great way to sneak in a serving of veggies for any kids around the table. You won't want to miss it!
- 1 (17.25-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup milk
- 8 eggs, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 pre-cooked sausage patties, chopped
- 1 cup chopped frozen broccoli, thawed
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Preheat oven to 400º. Place each sheet of pastry dough on a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add 7 eggs, salt, and pepper; beat until well combined. Stir in sausage and broccoli. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter; add egg mixture and scramble until set. Remove skillet from heat and stir in cheddar cheese.
- With the short side of the dough towards you, spoon half of the scrambled egg mixture down center of each sheet of dough. Cut an equal number of slits, about 1-inch apart, (each about 3-inches long), on both sides of the egg mixture.
- In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg. Brush each strip with beaten egg and alternately crisscross strips over filling, creating a woven look. Brush top of dough with beaten egg. Repeat with second pastry dough and remaining scrambled egg mixture.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Cut into slices and serve immediately