Chuck Lorre Says CBS “Hated” Melissa McCarthy Casting In ‘Mike & Molly’: “They Wanted A Hot Young Woman”

Chuck Lorre opens up about casting Melissa McCarthy in Mike & Molly and the pushback he faced from CBS.

In his memoir Sitcom, Lorre described the “torturous journey” of getting the network to approve the Gilmore Girls alum as its lead star.

“Once again, my brilliant casting director, Nikki Valko, brought in a comic genius. Melissa McCarthy. And once again, CBS hated her,” Lorre said in his memoir, comparing the situation to casting Jon Cryer in Two and a Half Men.

McCarthy was the last one to be cast in Mike & Molly opposite Billy Gardell, about a couple who meet at an Overeaters Anonymous group and fall in love. The comedy series ran for six seasons and earned McCarthy an Emmy in 2011.

“Believe it or not, they wanted a hot young woman to play a woman struggling with her weight,” Lorre said of CBS’s vision for Molly’s role. “It was even suggested by one exec —­ a female exec —­ that I consider casting a more attractive actress and put her in a fat suit.”

Lorre went with his instincts and pushed back at the network, adding, “I was no longer an origami showrunner, ready to fold at first push. Melissa was going to be my Molly. End of discussion.”

After Mike & Molly premiered in 2010, McCarthy went on to star in Bridesmaids, a role that earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

“Forgive me for being a little smug, but when Bridesmaids came out, I felt pretty god-damn smart,” Lorre said.