30. Melissa McCarthy

30. Melissa McCarthy

She's witty. She's funny. She's even played White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on more than a few episodes of Saturday Night Live. Who could this laugh-inducing comedian be? None other than Melissa McCarthy. Born on August 26, 1970 in Plainfield, Illinois, McCarthy has been active in her career as an actress, comedian, writer, and producer since the late-1990s. She became a household name during her time on the set of "Gilmore Girls".

In recent years, this talented woman has been ranked by Forbes as one of the highest-paid actresses on their lists. Her earnings have topped between $23 million and $33 million in both 2015 and 2016 respectively. And it's no surprise, given all her hard work. She even has her own fashion line! Trivia Fact: Melissa McCarthy is the cousin of Jenny McCarthy, Playboy model from the early 1990s.

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Did You Know...

I

Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.

II

Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.

III

Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.

IV

Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.

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