“A heartbreaker”: The role Mindy Kaling will always rue as the one that got away
Comedy stars like Mindy Kaling find it most frustrating when they are denied the chance to be funny.
The line that divided movie stars and television actors began to blur towards the middle of the 21st century, in which it became more often for there to be crossovers. While television had traditionally been viewed as a ‘lesser’ medium, popular shows ended up highlighting emerging talent that could go on to have roles on the big screen, and in the last few decades, few sitcoms have produced as much talent as the American reboot of The Office.
Steve Carrel was already coming off the success of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, but being cast as Michael Scott only raised his profile, leading him to projects like Dinner for Schmucks, Get Smart, Dan in Real Life, and Crazy Stupid Love, and another breakout was John Krasinski, who would eventually prove to be a great director when he helmed the first two instalments in the A Quiet Place franchise.
Mindy Kaling had an interesting journey on The Office, even if she had come to regret some aspects of the show now. Her character, Kelly, had become a fan favourite and was given more to do in later scenes, including a romantic storyline with Ryan, played by BJ Novak, however, being so well-known for such a specific part did come with its disadvantages. Kaling would rarely get called in for auditions because she was perceived to be “so specific”, and the one audition she did earn was to be in Bridesmaids, which ended in disappointment.
“They called me in for Maya Rudolph’s part, and I practised it so much, and I was so into it, and I love that whole cast,” Kaling said, “That one was a heartbreaker”.
Although Bridesmaids was one of the many comedies that Judd Apatow produced, it was one of the first to have an entirely female ensemble and show no regrets about being raunchy, and was written by Kristen Wiig, who also played the lead role. It featured a stacked list of hilarious actors, including Rose Byrne, Rebel Wilson, Ellie Kemper, and Melissa McCarthy in a performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actress’.
It’s easy to see how Kaling would have fit within the troupe, as Rudolph’s character is in many ways the heart of the film because of the authentic friendship that she has with Wiig. That said, it’s hard to imagine that anyone but Rudolph would have been able to nail the role, given how much physical comedy it required, and while Kaling’s style of humour is equally funny, it tends to be more dialogue-centric.
Although losing the opportunity to be in one of the most iconic modern comedies is certainly a tough blow, her most brilliant career decision was to not pursue film roles in the same way that many of her other The Office co-stars did, instead taking to creating her own sitcom, The Mindy Project, and going on to also develop shows like The Sex Lives of College Girls, Never Have I Ever, and Running Point.
Kaling’s current role allows her to create an environment in which other comedians have an opportunity to work with one another, which is similar to what she would have been doing had she been part of Bridesmaids.
