Mindy Kaling is spilling fresh tea on the pressure of representing Indian Americans on screen. The 46-year-old actress shared candid thoughts in recent interviews about both community expectations and a career-defining setback. Her words are turning heads in Hollywood circles.
The Office alum told The Hollywood Reporter she feels scrutinized by her own community because it is starved for representation. 'My community is so starved for any kind of representation, so there’s a lot of pressure on that,' Kaling said on the Awards Chatter podcast. She also reflected on landing her breakout role after a brutal rejection. Kaling and college friend Brenda Withers wrote a pilot that The WB recast with other actors, a move she called her worst Hollywood experience. That pilot not being picked up, she noted, became the best thing that ever happened because it freed her to write on The Office. Kaling added that getting cast as Kelly was a perfect fit for the mockumentary format. She has long embraced her dark skin and recently invested in the Lion Pose skincare brand aimed at people of color.
