The Truth About Melissa McCarthy's Husband, Ben Falcone
Comedy icon Melissa McCarthy has met her perfect match in husband, and frequent collaborator, Ben Falcone (he shows up in Bridesmaids as the air marshal her character accosts on the plane, just FYI).
McCarthy is something of a muse for her hubby, who's directed the actress in Tammy, Life of the Party, and The Boss, all of which Falcone also co-wrote alongside her. They've been married for 13 years as of January 2019, according to InStyle, but have known each other much longer. Given how supportive this Hollywood couple is in public, there's no doubt they're just as loving in private.
McCarthy and Falcone's relationship is based on shared laughter
The two met back in 1998, while both were performing as part of legendary Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings. As Falcone told The Hollywood Reporter, they "howled" their way through a skit about a Bob Seger-themed holiday. In an interview with More, via Us Weekly, Falcone revealed, "From the very first time we spoke, we were on the same page." The seeds of a relationship based on shared laughter were clearly sown. They married in 2005, with daughters Vivian and Georgette following soon after.
As for who's funnier, it depends on whom you ask. McCarthy told The Hollywood Reporter, "He's funnier and smarter; I'm just loud," while Falcone disagreed, arguing, "No way. I'm the boring structure guy. She's the fun one." However, Adria Arjona, who appeared in Life of the Party, told PopSugar, "No one makes Ben laugh more than Melissa," so make of that what you will.
Being parents brought them even closer
When discussing her first pregnancy with People in January 2007, McCarthy deadpanned, "I'm hoping the baby has a lot of Ben's calm traits and less of my spazzy ones." Although it's unclear whether Vivian took after Falcone in the chill department, she's definitely like her mother in certain, key ways.
Speaking to Today, McCarthy recalled, "Ben walked in and Viv and I were trying out a new bedspread I got, and Viv's like (thoughtfully), 'I just think it might compete with the headboard,'" leading her husband to recoil in (mock) horror. "Ben just turned around and went, 'Oh my God, I can't have two of you,'" she revealed.
Although Falcone jokingly worries about having multiple Melissas running around, if their girls ever try to rebel, both parents are on the same page for how to handle it. "I will threaten to show up in hot pants and a tube top," McCarthy told EW." Their dad will drive me. And he'll let me and my friend Lisa get pretty drunk in the backseat and we will come into that party and just rip it up."
Their kids are the bosses of the house
Being comedians themselves, McCarthy and Falcone understand the importance of getting the laugh no matter what — even when it comes to their daughters. "They get out of being disciplined because they are funny," Falcone admitted to People, explaining, "They'll do something [to get a laugh] and you're like, 'Alright, hold on, that's not the point.'" His wife agreed, noting, "We have very funny kids."
When questioned about who's the real boss in their family, both were, again, in agreement. "Our kids are the boss," McCarthy admitted. "When we get to be the boss, we'll let you know. It hasn't happened thus far." Falcone agreed, joking, "When they go to college, we'll be the boss. I'll be like, 'Now I can do what I want — but my hip! My hip — ouch!'"
For Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone, working together makes everything sweeter
For many couples, working together would add an extra layer of stress to their relationship. Not so for McCarthy and Falcone. As she gushed to E! News, "It's like you get to go to work with your best friend. It's exactly how we met and we became such good friends because we loved doing this together." Falcone agreed, saying "It's the best thing I could ever imagine. It's the best."
They support each other's separate creative endeavors too, with McCarthy writing the foreword for her husband's book, Being a Dad Is Weird: Lessons in Fatherhood from My Family to Yours, about his own experiences with his dad as well as being a father to two daughters. She also took to Instagram to promote it, writing, "Perfect Saturday with my honey's new book!" alongside a shot of her reading. Likewise, Falcone posted a video of a Life of the Party poster, quipping, "Always wild and fun to see (most of) your amazing wife's face on a poster."
Speaking to Daily Mail at the Australian premiere of The Boss, Falcone said the secret to their success is their shared goals. She also noted, "We love each other and respect each other and we give each other lots of breaks."