Melissa McCarthy on Her New Bangs: My Hairstylist Talked Me Into Them With His Suave Italian Accent!

Melissa McCarthy’s bangs received a lot of “hearts” from PEOPLE readers when she debuted it last week, and now we have all the details on what prompted the haircut. Naturally, it’s a funny story.

Melissa McCarthy BangsGregg DeGuire/Getty

Already, McCarthy’s fresh fringe has influenced her style: She hit the red carpet at the Tammy L.A. premiere in a very rock-and-roll leather dress teamed with hot-pink lips and tousled waves, earning her some Joan Jett comparisons. (“I’m liking all of this,” she laughed of the compliments.)

And as for the story behind her new cut? Turns out, she couldn’t say no to her charming Italian hairstylist Renato Campora. “Renato, who does my hair — we were actually on a plane and I said, ‘Is it time to change the old girl?’ because I’ve been wearing the same hair forever. He’s Italian and everything sounds better when he says it, so he said, ‘Yes, it’s time to change! It’s gonna be so fresh and so modern!’” she said, imitating Campora’s suave accent.

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“He could sell any of us anything at any time,” joked McCarthy’s husband (and Tammy director) Ben Falcone of Campora’s Italian accent. Added McCarthy, “He could have been saying, ‘Yes, we’re going to pluck it all out,’ and I would have been like, ‘That sounds great, Renato!’”

Campora is also the mane master behind Jessica Chastain’s recent fringe, and has a number of celebrity clients on his roster. Do you think McCarthy should keep the bangs for good? Are you loving the style? Sound off below!

–Brittany Talarico, with reporting by Reagan Alexander

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