Oscar-nominated Melissa McCarthy will receive this year’s CinemaCon Cinema Vérité Award, Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon, announced today. CinemaCon, the official convention of NATO, will be held April 24-27, 2023, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. McCarthy will be presented with this special honor at the Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony taking place on the evening of Thursday, April 27, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and hosted by official presenting sponsor The Coca-Cola Company.

“Melissa McCarthy has had audiences around the world howling in the theaters with such unforgettable performances in films like “Bridesmaids”, “The Heat” and “Spy” and has left them on the edge of their seats with her memorable roles in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”, and “St. Vincent” to name just a few,” noted Neuhauser. “Her upcoming turn in the iconic role of Ursula is sure to entertain audiences across the globe and we couldn’t be more honored to present her with this year’s CinemaCon Cinema Vérité Award.”

McCarthy can be seen next month in “The Little Mermaid”, from visionary filmmaker Rob Marshall. The live-action reimagining of the studio’s Oscar-winning animated musical classic opens exclusively in theaters nationwide May 26, 2023. The beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure, stars singer and actress Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian, Awkwafina as the voice of Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as the voice of Flounder, Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina, Art Malik as Sir Grimsby, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem as King Triton. The songs feature music from multiple Academy Award winner Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, with new lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

McCarthy first made her mark on the comedy stage performing stand-up in New York and received dramatic training from The Actors Studio. She then spent nine years as a main-stage member of The Groundlings in Los Angeles. Her standout role as Megan in the smash hit comedy “Bridesmaids” garnered her Oscar, BAFTA, Critics Choice and SAG Award nominations. She received a second Academy Award nomination for her outstanding work in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”. McCarthy’s extensive list of film credits include “Superintelligence”, “The Kitchen”, “Life of the Party”, “The Boss”, “Ghostbusters”, “St. Vincent”, “Tammy”, “The Heat”, “Identity Thief” and “This is 40”. On television, she has earned Emmy Awards for her work on Mike & Molly and Saturday Night Live, which she has hosted many times. She is currently shooting Richard Curtis’ untitled New York Christmas comedy movie and recently wrapped production on Jerry Seinfeld’s “Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story”.

About CinemaCon
CinemaCon attracts upwards of 6,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry – from exhibition and distribution to the equipment and concession areas – all on hand to celebrate the movie-going experience and the cinema industry.

CinemaCon is delighted to have both the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) as its tradeshow partners. CinemaCon is also thrilled to have The Coca-Cola Company – one of the industry’s most highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies – as its official presenting sponsor.

About NATO
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 35,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 32,000 screens in 100 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world as well as hundreds of independent theatre owners.

Additional information on CinemaCon can be found at www.cinemacon.com.