‘I Realize How Lucky I Was’: Mindy Kaling Opens Up About Landing The Office At A Time When Her ‘Basic Needs’ Weren’t Being Met

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Despite having been off television since 2013, “The Office” continues to captivate audiences like it’s still airing. This beloved comedy series, now easily accessible for streaming at any time by Peacock subscribers, has not only maintained its popularity but also boosted the careers of many cast members, such as Mindy Kaling. In a recent interview, Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor and contributed to “The Office” as a writer, expressed that her role on the show felt incredibly fortunate to her when she looks back on it.

More than a decade since wrapping up “The Office,” Mindy Kaling has continued her ascent in Hollywood. She’s soon to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is co-creating a new comedy series for Netflix featuring Kate Hudson, set to premiere later this month. These achievements are all rooted in her memorable role on the sitcom, a topic she frequently discusses. In an interview with Variety, Kaling reminisced about landing the NBC series at age 24:

“When I think back to getting cast on the show, it still feels like a dream.” – Mindy Kaling

Over the course of my life, I’ve come to appreciate more and more how fortunate I was in my early job, which was my first step into off-off-Broadway theater. At that time, I wasn’t part of the Writers Guild of America, didn’t have health insurance, and my basic needs were all I could hope for. But then, working on that show for eight years and immersing myself in comedy writing and acting, being alongside stars like Steve Carell, Greg Daniels, B.J. Novak, and Mike Schur – learning from them for so long… My expectations at the time were so low that it feels like such a stroke of luck now. It was an opportunity to learn my craft and work with truly remarkable people who are still friends today. That job laid the foundation for my entire career.

Before taking on the role of Kelly Kapoor in The Office, Kaling initially made a significant impact as an intern on Late Night With Conan O’Brien during her sophomore year at college. Following her graduation, she continued to advance her career by performing standup comedy and acting in the off-Broadway play titled Matt & Ben, which she performed alongside her best friend, a fictional account of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck… naturally.

After creator Greg Daniels discovered her talent through a spec script she wrote, she found herself joining the cast of “The Office”. Since then, this television series has become much more than just a show – it’s an iconic part of our culture, running for nine seasons.

Currently, Mindy Kaling is making significant strides. For instance, she attended the premiere of Running Point with Kate Hudson, both adorning gold gowns, and received presents from Taylor Swift. Notably, she spearheaded her own show as creator and star of The Mindy Project, and has also excelled in other productions such as Never Have I Ever and The Sex Lives Of College Girls. Furthermore, she lent her voice to the Pixar movie Inside Out for the character Disgust.

Recently, Mindy Kaling has chosen to step away from acting temporarily to focus more on work behind the scenes and caring for her three children. She expressed her desire to return to acting soon. While many might agree that Kaling’s early success on “The Office” was a stroke of luck, it’s intriguing to learn about her viewpoint on how being part of that show laid the foundation for her career success and helped establish her as a prominent figure in the industry today.

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2025-02-19 18:08