Elle Magazine Responds To Critics Who Call Melissa McCarthy A 'Token Plus-Size Cover Girl'

Actresses Melissa McCarthy, Marion Cotillard, Shailene Woodley, Reese Witherspoon, Naomie Harris, and Penelope Cruz are all Elle cover models on this month's "Women in Hollywood" issue.

But while the five slim actresses are wearing skimpy tops, dresses, and even swimsuits on the cover, "Bridesmaids" star Melissa McCarthy is fully covered in an oversized, grey coat.

And now critics are slamming Elle for covering up the curvy actress.

Slate went so far as to call McCarthy the magazine's "token plus-size cover girl," whose coat is "so huge that she could hide her 'Mike and Molly' co-star Billy Gardel underneath."

Fashion blog Go Fug Yourself were among the most vocal, writing: "I kind of can't believe they put the plus-size actress on their cover BURIED INSIDE A GIANT COAT."

Former model Cynthia Bailey told "Good Morning America" that "times have changed. Fashion has changed ... I just immediately thought, "What a missed opportunity to represent all the curvy girls of the world."

Elle just released a statement responding to the controversy:

"On all of our shoots, our stylists work with the stars to choose pieces they feel good in, and this is no different: Melissa loved this look, and is gorgeous on our cover. We are thrilled to honor her as one of our Women in Hollywood this year."

McCarthy, too, even previously said of the cover shoot: "[Elle is] a magazine I grew up with and I hadn't done anything quite like that. I was nervous… It was kind of amazing."

Here's some of the other cover models' shots. One of these things is not like the other: