Her name may be difficult to remember, but her talents are unforgettable. Wendi McLendon-Covey, the harried housewife who played behind Kristen Wiig in the supreme comedy Bridesmaids, will be expanding in Steven Soderbergh’s stripper-themed comedy/drama Magic Mike.
The film has earned notoriety both for its provocative subject matter and for its rapidly growing cast of stars. Included are Channing Tatum (also a producer), upon whose teenaged experiences as an exotic dancer this movie is based on, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer, Cody Horn, Riley Keough, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Gabriel Iglesias, and the most recent addition: Olivia Munn.
Wendi McLendon-Covey has had a career almost exclusively in comedy so far. Although Bridesmaids is perhaps the vehicle from which she is springing to stardom, the actress has been a fixture in comedy television series (especially the particularly offbeat) for many years. Her most recognizeable television role comes from Reno 911, on which she played Deputy Clementine Johnson. She also played a desperate matchmaker who has been dating a married man for over twenty years in the short-lived comedy series Lovespring International.
All this considered, the actress’ role (as of yet unspecified) will probably be one heavily productive of comedy. McLendon-Covey’s best characters are ones not completely “in control” or “satisfied with their situations.” Considering the setting is the underworld of stripping, there’s probably going to be a lot of opportunity for the comedian to all but lose it.
What with her additional roles several other upcoming films (the also hypercast pregnancy comedy What to Expect When You’re Expecting, the “open-relationship” comedy Sleeping Around, and the Dweezil Zappa-starring, not-volkswagon-related Fully Loaded), we can hope that this is the start to a long line of films featuring this indubitably talented performer.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
