Director Paul Feig only casts female protagonists

There's one man in Hollywood who's so popular with the women now that actresses will drop everything - and do anything - just to work with him.

His name is Feig, Paul Feig, ladies' man.

The 52-year-old US writer-director is not a hunk or sexy in any way.

But perhaps it's because he knows how to shower his leading ladies with lots of attention.

In fact, he casts only women as protagonists, and has built his growing empire around the fairer sex, daring to portray them in a different light.

Feig demonstrated that in Bridesmaids, the 2011 chick flick comedy that was not just a major global box-office hit with earnings of US$288 million (S$384 million), but also revolutionised the industry.

Melissa McCarthy told Variety: "I will try anything for him."

Rose Byrne agreed, saying that Feig loves to make women "the smartest people in the room".

McCarthy and Byrne, who starred in Bridesmaids, have reunited with Feig in Spy, which opens here on May 21.

In the action-comedy, McCarthy plays low-level Central Intelligence Agency employee Susan Cooper who is tasked with helping the hotshot agents on their missions.

Byrne plays rich, spoilt arms dealer Raina Boyanov, who is the key to Susan's partner Bradley Fine's (Jude Law) disappearance.

THIRD TIME

Spy marks the third time that McCarthy has collaborated with Feig.

"He will never escape my clutches!" McCarthy joked.

Not that she intends to let go.

After all, the 44-year-old US actress earned her first Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her raunchy, scene-stealing breakout role in Bridesmaids.

Following Spy, McCarthy will team up with Feig and her Bridesmaids co-star Kristen Wiig for Ghostbusters, the 2016 reboot of the 1984 cult classic.

With the current trend of female-driven titles such as The Hunger Games, Insurgent and Fifty Shades Of Grey, Spy could be another shoo-in for Feig.

It received rave reviews when it premiered at the influential SXSW film festival in Texas last month.

If all else fails, the four-time Feig-McCarthy partnership is already a proven winning formula.

joannes@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 29, 2015.
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