Melissa McCarthy Is 'Impressed & Inspired' By Meghan Markle: 'I Love Someone Who Chooses To Lead Life The Way They Want To'
Aug. 17 2021, Published 12:44 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle pulled off an epic 40th birthday surprise by getting Melissa McCarthy to appear in her 40x40 video initiative, and now the actress has nothing but fond things to say about the Duchess.
"I am impressed and inspired by her," the Bridesmaids alum told Entertainment Tonight. "I love someone who chooses to lead life the way they want to and give their children the life they want to give them, and then to take an opportunity where it's her 40th — what fun thing does she want? Instead, she is like, 'How can I get more people to help other women that need help?' I was like, 'That is what we need. We need a billion more people like that in the world to do that. To take a little bit of time that you can really help somebody.' She is like, 'That is how I would like to celebrate my 40th,' and I was like, 'Sign me up. How do you not want to do that?'"
In the clip, the two banter back and forth, but ultimately, Meghan revealed she wants to help women get back into the workforce.
"Here's the idea, because I am 40, I am asking 40 friends to donate 40 minutes of their time to help mentor a woman who is mobilizing back into the workforce. Over two million women in the U.S. alone and tens of millions around the world have lost their jobs due to COVID, and I think if we all do it and all commit 40 minutes to some sort of active service, we can create a ripple effect. Are you in?"
Meghan later took to her Archewell website to give more details.
"In reflecting on my 40th birthday and the many things I am grateful for, I'm struck that TIME IS AMONG OUR GREATEST AND MOST ESSENTIAL GIFTS: Time with our loved ones, time doing the things we love, time spent learning, laughing, growing, and the sacred time we have on this earth," the mom-of-two wrote. "Amongst the most valuable gifts of time is also time spent in service to others knowing that it can contribute to incredible change. To that last point, and with my 40th lap around the sun in mind, it made me wonder: what would happen if we all committed 40 minutes to helping someone else or to mentoring someone in need? And then what would happen if we asked our friends to do the same?"
So far, many celebrities have participated including Kerry Washington, Princess Eugenie, Ciara and more.
