Actress and producer Mindy Kaling became a household name when she starred as Kelly Kapoor in the US version of The Office. The actress of Indian origin was also a writer and executive producer on the show, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Writing. Kaling also created the series Never Have I Ever for Netflix.
While Kaling has been killing it behind the scenes, she has starred only in a few films. The screenwriter recently revealed that she was considered for a role in the Kristen Wiig-starrer Bridesmaids. While she auditioned for the role and had put effort into it, Kaling regretted that she did not get the role, which eventually went to Maya Rudolph.
Mindy Kaling’s Life And Career
Actress Mindy Kaling began her comedic career in college when she interned on the talk show Late Night with Conan O’Brien. She did shows as a stand-up comic while also working as a production assistant. She gained notoriety for writing and performing in the off-Broadway show Matt & Ben, which was a comedic take on Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
Kaling joined as a writer on The Office after co-creator Greg Daniels liked a spec script that Kaling had written. She also joined the cast as Kelly Kapoor and was also a director on the show. Kaling was the only woman writer on the show at the time of its inception. She also became an executive producer for Season 8 of the show.
Kaling was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series after fighting hard to get a producer credit on the series. She revealed the various struggles she faced to get recognized as a producer, as the TV Academy left out her name citing that there were too many producers on the list.
Kaling then created her own sitcom, The Mindy Project, which was produced, written by, and starred her in the lead role. The sitcom ran for six seasons, earning positive reviews for the writing and performances. She also created the popular coming-of-age Netflix series Never Have I Ever, which recently ended its four-season run.
Mindy Kaling Reportedly Missed Out On Bridesmaids
Apart from her tenure as Kelly Kapoor in The Office, Mindy Kaling has had a few acting roles. She has been featured in films such as Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, No Strings Attached, A Wrinkle in Time, and Ocean’s 8. The actress revealed on the talk show Watch What Happens Live (via Us Magazine) that she is a very picky actor.
Kaling revealed on the show that she was offered the role of Lillian Donovan in the comedy Bridesmaids. The film was directed by Paul Feig from a script by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, with the latter also starring in the lead role. The film follows the story of Wiig, who goes through a series of comedic misfortunes as she agrees to be the maid-of-honor for her best friend’s wedding.
Talking about her audition process and her disappointment with not being selected, Mindy Kaling said,
“No one ever calls me in to audition for things because I’m so specific. Actually, you know what it was — Bridesmaids, which I loved. They called me in for Maya Rudolph’s part, and I practiced it so much and I was so into it, and I love that whole cast. That one was a heartbreaker.”
The character, who was eventually played by Maya Rudolph is the bride. The film was lauded upon release and was nominated for a Golden Globe. Mellissa McCarthy, who played a role in the film, received a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Oscars.
