Melissa McCarthy once worked on a Hollywood set so toxic and “hostile,” it took a toll on her mental and physical health.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, McCarthy, 52, spoke candidly about a negative experience she had while working on an unspecified project earlier in her career. The Oscar-nominated actress is currently doing promo for her upcoming role as Ursula in Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid.
“I did work for someone once who ran such a volatile, hostile set that it made me physically ill,” she revealed. “My eyes were swelling up; I was absorbing all of this nuttiness.”
According to McCarthy, one person on set was the source of the toxicity. She didn’t name this person either, but she did state that they had enough power and authority to fire people, which her and others “quiet” for quite some time.
“There were people weeping, visibly so upset by this one person,” she said. “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.”
Ultimately, McCarthy reached her personal breaking point and called this person out: “One day, I was like, ‘It stops today!’” she continued. “I just kept saying to them, it stops, it stops.”