'Bridesmaids' cast to present at Oscars

BEVERLY HILLS (AP) — Even though "Bridesmaids" didn't get nominated for best picture, all the bridesmaids will be on stage at the Oscars.

Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig will be presenters.

Two of them have their first Oscar nominations: McCarthy for supporting actress and Wiig for original screenplay.

The cast is also up for a SAG Award Sunday night. The cast met two months prior to filming, reading through the script and then going through rigorous improv sessions so "Bridesmaids" helmer Paul Feig and the movie's writers could tailor new material to the actresses' strengths and personalities.

During this revision process, the filmmakers expanded Melissa McCarthy's part, most notably, putting her in a key, emotionally layered scene opposite Kristen Wiig late in the movie. McCarthy wound up being the one individual "Bridesmaids" cast member nominated for a SAG Award.

"It's when you're rehearsing more and more, you start to think, 'Wow. These girls together are strong," Feig says. "That's also when, as a director, you get nervous. You're thinking, 'Oh boy. I'm the only thing that could throw this all off.'