Melissa McCarthy Graces PEOPLE’s Beautiful Issue Cover: “Beauty Is Owning Who You Are“ | PEOPLE

When Melissa McCarthy heard the news that she had been chosen to grace the cover of PEOPLE’s 2023 Beautiful Issue, her first thought was, “Did my mom and my dad have the two main votes?” All joking aside, the ’Little Mermaid’ star admits she was “incredibly flattered“ over the honor. “I thought the younger version of myself or everybody out there who isn’t the youngest or whatever... I felt like it was saying something really lovely to my younger self, to my 20-year-old self,“ she tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “And maybe to other people, too.“ Watch our exclusive interview with the hilarious star on why compassion is her superpower, how husband Ben Falcone has helped her feel comfortable in her own skin and the real-world advice she gives her two teen girls. Subscribe to People ►► #MelissaMcCarthy #BeautifulIssue #PEOPLE Catch up on the latest celebrity news, top stories and