Photo Credit: Suzanne Hanover

‘Bridesmaids’ Star Wendi McClendon-Covey Missed Oscars Reunion Due to ‘Neck Lift’ and Says There’s ‘No Drama’

by · Variety

Actress Wendi McClendon-Covey is being characteristically blunt about why she did not take part in Sunday’s “Bridesmaids” reunion on the live Academy Awards telecast.

“I had a neck lift last week because I’m tired of looking like a melting candle. So I had to skip the Academy Awards. No drama. Everything is fine,” the actress and comedian posted Sunday night on Instagram. She said she spoke out in response to queries flowing in to her direct messages. The post included a close up photo of McClendon-Covey’s face with what appeared to be medical tape wrapped around her head and under her chin.

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The “Bridesmaids” segment brought together stars of the 2011 Paul Feig comedy — including Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Kristin Wiig, Rose Byrne and Ellie Kemper — for a feel-good segment during the Oscar telecast.

McClendon-Covey, who stars in the NBC comedy “St. Denis Medical” and is known for her starring role as the matriarch on the long-running ABC comedy “The Goldbergs,” would have been a natural addition to the ensemble brought together for the moment. McClendon-Covey closed her Instagram post with a happy-face emoji blowing kisses.

The responses to the post included one from her “St. Denis Medical” co-star Alison Tolman. “Congratulations queen, I cannot WAIT to see her. (Your neck),” Tolman wrote. Former “Saturday Night Live” star Cheri Oteri cheered McClendon-Covey on: “Rockstar anywhere anytime,” Oteri wrote.

“Bridesmaids” was a raunchy comedy hit for Feig and producer Judd Apatow. It helped expand the boundaries for female adult comedies at the box office.

(Pictured: Wendi McClendon-Covey, third from right, in 2011’s ‘Bridesmaids’)