Pairing the stars of Bridesmaids with their creative soulmates
We play matchmaker with the whole wedding party.
(L to R) MELISSA MCCARTHY, ELLIE KEMPER, ROSE BYRNE, WENDI MCLENDON-COVEY, MAYA RUDOLPH and KRISTEN WIIG in "Bridesmaids", from producer Judd Apatow. In the comedy, Wiig leads the cast as Annie, a maid of honor whose life unravels as she leads a group of colorful bridesmaids on a wild ride down the road to matrimony.
After tearing up the box office this summer, the ladies of Bridesmaids caught everyone’s eye, but who should walk them down the Hollywood aisle? We recall the roles that gave them their happiest unions and the ones that left them holding the bouquets, and we weigh in on the creative pairings that would make the perfect match.
Kristen Wiig
Annie, the basket-case maid of honor
Bride
After making us laugh on Saturday Night Live since 2005 and stealing scenes in films like Knocked Up and Adventureland, Wiig finally graduated to leading lady in Bridesmaids.
Bridesmaid
A witty turn as a flirtatious yoga instructor in Forgetting Sarah Marshall landed on the cutting-room floor, but you can catch it on the unrated DVD.
Perfect match
Partnering with fellow Groundlings performer Annie Mumolo to pen the screenplay for Bridesmaids, Wiig found her artistic soulmate. Here’s hoping they work together again.
Maya Rudolph
Lillian, the cool and patient bride
Bride
Rudolph impressed by showing her softer side in 2009’s Away We Go.
Bridesmaid
An incredible talent no one seems to know what to do with, she’s played supporting roles in disasters like Grown Ups and MacGruber.
Perfect match
It would be great to see Rudolph pair with her real-life partner, Oscar-nominated writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood).
Rose Byrne
Helen, party planner extraordinaire and wanna-be maid of honor
Bride
In 2010’s Get Him to the Greek, Byrne showed off her singing voice and her funny bone as self-involved rock star Jackie Q.
Bridesmaid
In a film full of superheroic mutants, Byrne was reduced to lingerie-clad cheerleading in this summer’s X-Men: First Class.
Perfect match
She lost out on the lead in Hideous Kinky, but we’d love for her to work with Kate Winslet anyway.
Melissa McCarthy
Megan, the wise and tomboyish sister to the groom
Bride
Gilmore Girls fans fell in love with her as accident-prone chef Sookie St. James.
Bridesmaid
It may have won her an Emmy, but Mike & Molly has little to offer beyond crass fat jokes.
Perfect match
McCarthy’s flirtation with real-life hubby Ben Falcone in Bridesmaids deserves its own romcom.
Wendi McLendon-Covey
Rita, the love-starved and exhausted veteran wife and mother
Bride
She served five years on Reno 911!, playing the promiscuous Clementine Johnson.
Bridesmaid
Despite its popularity on the small screen, the movie Reno 911!: Miami failed to impress.
Perfect match
She’s snagged a role in Fox’s dreadful new show I Hate My Teenage Daughter with Katie Finneran, but the two ladies would make a great sister act.
Ellie Kemper
Becca, the naive and wide-eyed newlywed
Bride
The flirtation between Kemper and Ed Helms on The Office is a newer, dorkier version of the Jim and Pam love story.
Bridesmaid
Outside of Dunder Mifflin, her résumé is slim.
Perfect match
She’s on fire when paired with Office writer-actor Mindy Kaling.
Bridesmaids is now available on VOD, DVD and Blu-ray.
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