There’s no question David Letterman left a major mark on the late night landscape, particularly during his time on The Late Show over at CBS. Celebrities over the course of decades interacted with the famously curmudgeonly man, who often kept people on their toes with acerbic observations and pointed questions. Letterman would later say he “had it coming” when it came to any “criticism” lobbed his way, but did you know the late night host was so eccentric that major stars were told not to compliment him?

It’s not the only example of eccentric behavior by late night hosts, but Amy Poehler and Mindy Kaling both got candid about their experiences with Dave recently.

Mindy Kaling And Amy Poehler Revealed They Were Advised Not To Be Too Nice To Letterman

Kaling recently gave Amy Poehler a compliment of the highest order when she said she loved the positive vibes the other NBC comedian brings to her now-famous “Good Hang” podcast. You can feel the love in the room, but amusingly Kaling set up this compliment by pointing out she and Poehler used to get told “it’s like an insult” to say something nice about David Letterman.

The warning from her agents really stuck with her for years. In fact, it led her to go on shows over and over again where she spent time worrying about it not being “cool” to say something nice. She’s been working on it, and she wanted to tell Poehler she was a fan of the way "Good Hang" works in light of that.

Amy Poehler was also very familiar with the Letterman advice. Interestingly, when Kaling complimented her, Poehler in her typical way also did deflect the former Mindy Project star’s compliment, joking:

So, maybe not taking a compliment is an epidemic among hosts? Though, I will say Poehler was good-natured about the whole conversation, and it’s always fun when totally unrelated factoids about other people get brought up by celebrities. In this case, David Letterman is famously known for hating compliments, and this specific topic has come up again and again over the years.

Letterman Himself Has Admitted He Hates Compliments

Probably the most specific incident came in 2017, just two years after David Letterman had retired from The Late Show. That year, the former host was given an award: The Mark Twain Prize For American Humor. This meant there was an event and a bunch of celebrities attended. It also meant there were a lot of nice things said about Letterman, who even the Washington Post noted at the time, “hates compliments.” In fact, when asked about people fawning over him, he admitted the whole thing was cringy to him.

David Letterman’s entire comedic persona lives on that edge between funny and uncomfortable. He’s often at his most engaging and amusing when there’s just a sliver of awkwardness between himself and whomever he is talking with, whether that be a celebrity, a journalist, or just someone random he happens to be chatting with. He's always willing to ask the uncomfortable thing, and that sometimes made him the less popular late night host during his run.

No one is perfect, of course, and that means sometimes he doesn't tow that line correctly. Other times he does things like compare The Late Show ending to an adult bookstore coming in, and it works perfectly. No matter what, though, you never really know exactly what’s going to come out of Dave’s mouth. I’m sure that can be very difficult, particularly when you are early in your celebrity career, wearing uncomfortable celebrity fashion, and trying to make a positive impression on late night – without literally saying anything positive to said host.

These days, Mindy Kaling is obviously a prominent actress and producer who is always behind multiple comedies on the 2026 TV schedule, but of course, it all started on the set of The Office. Did you know the wild way Kelly Kapoor actually became a character on the beloved comedy? I had no idea what the story behind Kaling's role was until now.

Kaling was hired on The Office as a writer by creator Greg Daniels back in 2004 when she was around 25. This happened after she turned heads in the comedy world when she and her college bestie co-wrote and starred in an off-Broadway play called Matt & Ben (a goofy reimagining of how Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote Good Will Hunting). Here’s what happened next, per Mindy Kaling:

The second episode ever of The Office is about Steve Carell’s Michael Scott deciding to lead a racial diversity seminar after he’s unhappy with how the consultant hired to conduct it initially does. Scott’s version crosses some major lines, but the writers quickly realized the episode wouldn't hit the same if the office had all white characters. So, Greg Daniels had the idea to invite Mindy Kaling on board as one of the office’s employees. As Kaling continued:

As Mindy Kaling shared on Good Hang with Amy Poehler, she had no expectations to be an actor when she moved to Los Angeles from New York to work on The Office. She was completely “content” with being a writer behind the scenes – which she still managed, by the way, with 24 episodes to her name on the show.

But what would The Office be without Kelly Kapoor? Truly, she remains a fan-favorite character who very much helped make the show what it is.

The writer of “Diversity Day”, B.J. Novak, is also the actor behind the character of Ryan Howard. He wrote a total of 15 episodes throughout the series. Novak and Kaling remain close friends over two decades afterThe Office’s premiere.

While Kaling has spoken before about thinking that The Office would be “so inappropriate now” in the eyes of modern viewers, it of course remains to be one of the most popular comedies of the 21st century. Plus, it allowed Kaling to launch a broader career in entertainment after spending eight years there.

Since then, she has also created TV shows like Never Have I Ever, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Running Point and her latest endeavor, Hulu’s Not Suitable For Work. It’s a pretty great story how Kelly Kapoor ended up on The Office, and I’m so happy it happened.

One of my primary reasons for having a Hulu subscription recently has been for the show Not Suitable for Work. The comedy hit the 2026 TV schedule fairly recently, and I've been following a bunch of 20-somethings during the early days of their careers ever since. In fact, as a city girl myself, I had an absolute blast hanging out with them in New York City. However, the Rotten Tomatoes score suggests that not everyone agrees with me. Well, I’m here to say: I think the critics are wrong.

Not Suitable For Work Has A 52% On Rotten Tomatoes

Now, admittedly, even I wasn’t immediately sold on Not Suitable for Work. However, after learning how creator Mindy Kaling viewed it as part of her trilogy of shows that also includes Never Have I Ever and Sex Lives of College Girls (which are available to stream with a Netflix subscription and HBO Max subscription, respectively), I knew I’d have to at least give it a chance. I enjoyed it, so I was surprised to see so many critics lambast the show!

I mean seriously. In Variety’s review of NSFW, Alison Herman called the show a “bland take on a well-trodden setup,” while noting that there are “glimmers of a more biting, memorable take on young people juggling jobs and love in New York City.” Meanwhile, Nandini Balial's review for Roger Ebert states the series “offers too many cliches to result in anything other than mediocrity.”

Not all the reviews are horrible. THR’s Angie Han complimented the cast and called the show “a nice hang.” Plus, the project does boast a 82% Popcornmeter. However, for the most part, critics are down on NSFW, and It really surprised me.

Why Not Suitable For Work Was Very Suitable For Me

I’ve grown up on comfort comedies like Friends and New Girl. They’re some of the best sitcoms, and they’re wonderful hangout shows. However, I’m not of either of those generations. I am of the Not Suitable for Work generation. I’m the same age as most of the cast in real life, and I’m just a few years further along in my professional journey than their characters. So, I can relate to their highs and lows in a very real way.

I know what it’s like to be a 20-something in New York, I’ve been there, I’m still doing that, and I know many people who are still very much in the thick of it, too. So, it was fun and very relatable to watch AJ, Davis, Kel, Josh and Abby go through all this.

Along with that, I think NSFW brings the drama in a fun and unique way while also being genuinely funny. I loved seeing how the boys dealt with the bad news they had to give Davis. I couldn’t stop laughing as I watched Kel move in with the girls for an episode. And I am so here for the romantic drama that’s going on between AJ, Davis, and Josh (that’s right, I’m shipping AJ and Josh for the long haul). Is it a perfect show? No. Does it deserve a negative RT score? Also no.

All in all, I think Not Suitable for Work is an awesome show about Gen Z joining the workforce, and I had a fantastic time watching it. So, here’s hoping Hulu can see past this critics score and this comedy can get a Season 2.

I love so many of Mindy Kaling’s TV shows. I think I am her target audience because I am a rom-com lover who appreciates complex female leads. Many of her best projects fall in this category. If I see Kaling’s name attached to a project, I will check it out. I adored Never Have I Ever through its run, and even debated between Team Ben and Team Paxton.

I watched The Mindy Project, Champions, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Running Point, and Four Weddings and a Funeral (one that was severely underrated). Therefore, I was willing to give Not Suitable for Work a chance. I wasn’t sold on the concept, but I trusted Kaling to not let me down.

Warning: Not Suitable for Work spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Not Suitable For Work Doesn’t Make Me Swoon, But I Haven’t Given Up on It Yet

The series follows five 20-somethings trying to make it in their various fields. They have creative and corporate jobs to show the spectrum of the workforce. Not Suitable for Work feels like many other sitcoms similar to Friends. That may be the show’s main issue. It feels too similar to Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Living Single, and many other sitcoms surrounding friend groups.

This makes it hard not to compare Not Suitable for Work to those shows. Most of them execute this premise better. Additionally, because the series feels so standard, it has become extremely predictable. I found it very easy to guess all the major moments in the Not Suitable for Work Season 1 finale. They followed a similar concept to other movies and TV shows. There is a similar comfort level to Mindy Kaling’s shows, but I wouldn’t call them predictable.

This is the first of her series that I felt was too easy to predict and lacked some originality. It could also be because of how much I loved FX’s Adults. Though the shows aren’t very similar, they feel in competition because of their premises. That one is such a funny, unique look at Gen Z living, loving, and working. Not Suitable for Work doesn’t have the same coolness as that show, and that’s fine, but it’s still missing some classic Kaling charm.

However, I have not written the show off yet. It still has a lot of potential. Abby (Avantika Vandanapu) and Kel’s (Nicholas Duvernay) romance has the possibility of being the show’s saving grace. They already remind me of some classic secondary couples, like Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) from Friends and all their great moments. Kaling’s shows often need a great romance to make us invest in it.

Not Suitable for Work is banking on AJ (Ella Hunt) and Josh (Jack Martin) being that couple, but I think it will be Abby and Kel. They’re already more interesting and had so many cute moments in the first season. It makes me curious to see the bigger ones in future seasons. Abby and Kel’s potential is enough to keep me invested.

Not Suitable for Work is not a bad show by any means, but I just know there is a better show within it. I hope that comes out if Hulu renews it. I need its renewal to prove my criticisms wrong.

It may be Father’s Day weekend, but it looks like both Anne Hathaway and her husband Adam Shulman have something to celebrate, as the actress announced that she is pregnant with their third child. After the 43-year-old Academy Award winner took to social media for the big reveal, many of her celebrity friends including Mindy Kaling, Gigi Hadid and Lily Collins chimed in to congratulate her and her family on becoming a party of 5.

Anne Hathaway gave a glimpse at her growing baby bump in an adorable Instagram video set to the tune of Barbara Lewis’ 1965 hit “Baby I’m Yours,” which you can see below:

In the video, Anne Hathaway walks into the frame wearing a flowy white crop-top and matching maxi skirt with her arms crossed over her midriff. She smiles before dropping her arms to reveal her bump, then wraps her arms around it in a hug as she giggles and dashes away.

As far as pregnancy announcements go, this one wasn’t as bombastic as Keke Palmer’s viral SNL bump reveal, and the stage is admittedly smaller than Rihanna’s epic Super Bowl announcement, but Anne Hathaway did it in way that was emotional and classically simple, which fits her style just perfectly.

Fans and celebrities alike were overjoyed with her big news, as some recognizable names hit the comments section in celebration, including:

• Gigi Hadid: YESSSS MOMMMYYYYY💖💖💘💘💘💝
• Lily Collins: Oh my!!! 😍😍😍😍 congratulations to you all!!! Soooooo happy
• Mindy Kaling: ❤️
• Tracie Thoms: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Oh, honey!!! I’m BEYOND thrilled for you!!!!! 😍😍😍
• Priyanka Chopra: 👏🥹😍yesss congratulations
• Dinah Jane: 🥹😭😭 congratulations princess of Genovia

The former Fifth Harmony member nailed it with the mention of Genovia, as many fans were referencing the beloved character from The Princess Diaries. Playing Mia Thermopolis even provided Anne Hathaway with the opportunity to glean some parenting advice from the royal family.

We already knew this was a huge year for Anne Hathaway, who has a whopping five projects hitting the 2026 movie calendar. In addition to Mother Mary and The Devil Wears Prada 2, which came out earlier this year, fans will be able catch her in The Odyssey next month, The End of Oak Street in August, and the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s Verity in October.

Little did we know that none of these would be the biggest arrival for Anne Hathaway this year.

The actress and Adam Shulman were married in 2012 and share sons Jonathan, 10, and Jack, 6. Anne Hathaway has opened up in the past about fertility struggles, and she revealed in a 2024 interview that she had experienced a miscarriage in 2019.

You can see so much emotion in Anne Hathaway's face in the new pregnancy announcement, and we couldn't be happier for her and her family as they prepare to welcome a new addition. Here's hoping for all the health and happiness.

I’ll admit it: when I saw Not Suitable for Work on the 2026 TV schedule, I wasn’t convinced I’d watch it. I wasn’t sure if the sense of humor would be for me, and I’m not in the mood for a coming-of-age story at the moment. So I was on the fence about using my Hulu subscription to watch it. However, then I heard Mindy Kaling talk about her new comedy and how it fits in with the other projects she’s created that focus on young people, and I realized I do, in fact, need to tune in.

What Mindy Kaling Said About Not Suitable For Work

Now, Not Suitable for Work follows a group of twenty-somethings played by Avantika, Ella Hunt, Will Angus, Nicholas Duvernay and Jack Martin, as they work in Manhattan. It feels like a coming-of-age comedy that tells the story of a group of friends who are career-focused and high-achieving. Kaling also said it’s full of “drama” and “romance.”

So, as NSFW was getting ready to premiere on Hulu, the creator and her cast went to GMA to promote it. While The Office actress is not in the show, she is the co-creator of it, and it’s a personal project for her. Explaining why that’s the case, she said:

Again, I wasn’t totally sold on this show at first. However, I am a big fan of both of Kaling’s other coming-of-age shows, Never Have I Ever and Sex Lives of College Girls. So, hearing her explain how NSFW fits in with them forced me to have a realization about why I actually do need to watch this new comedy.

Why I’ll Now Be Watching Not Suitable For Work

To fully explain why I now have a strong urge to tune into Not Suitable for Work as new episodes drop on Tuesdays, I need to give a bit of a history lesson. When Never Have I Ever premiered, I was halfway through college, and watching Devi navigate high school gave me flashbacks to being a teen. After streaming that with my Netflix subscription, I was quick to use my HBO Max subscription to watch Sex Lives of College Girls, which premiered when I was in grad school, and, again, gave me flashbacks to a chapter of my life that had recently concluded.

So, I’ve always kind of felt like these characters’ older sister, as I was typically one step ahead of these programs in terms of which chapter of life I was in.

The same is true for Not Suitable for Work. I, too, am a twenty-something and in the early stages of my career. However, I’m not the new kid at work anymore, and I’m officially in my late twenties. So, like I was with Never Have I Ever and Sex Lives of College Girls, I feel just barely one step ahead of this show, or like an older sister to these characters, if you will.

I love that too. Never Have I Ever and Sex Lives of College Girls were so fun to experience because I was fairly fresh off my experiences in high school and college when I watched them. I had just been through it, and watching the NHIE cast and the SLOCG ensemble go through similar experiences I had allowed me to reflect and laugh at how crazy these times of life can be.

I’m assuming I’ll have a similar experience watching Not Suitable for Work, since it’s the next in this line of Kaling’s shows about growing up. So, you best believe I’ll be tuning in, as I feel fairly certain this show will make me both laugh and look back on my first few years of work after college.

Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak have been close for years now, and their bond has arguably endeared them to their fans. At the same time, many have had questions about the exact nature of their relationship, specifically whether there’s a romantic component to it. While Novak and Kaling did date during the early aughts, they’ve shut down speculation that they’re intimately involved now. Kaling is now addressing the questions she gets about the friendship, and I’m surprised by one specific part of her response.

For some time now, Kaling (46) has had to acknowledge a number of rumors involving both her and Novak (46). Just a few years ago, Kaling refuted claims that Novak fathered her first two children and, on another occasion, humorously denied that their friendship was on the rocks. The ongoing discussion came up during the Mindy Project creator’s recent interview with Bustle as well. Kaling’s response to the chatter was relatively even-keeled and, as part of that, she actually shared a refreshing admission:

What I wasn’t expecting was for the multihyphenate to admit that she would also be asking questions about a relationship like hers and Novak’s and have similar responses. This signifies a keen amount of self-awareness on Kaling’s part, and I’m honestly impressed. I suppose I should’ve expected a comment like that from the star, though, considering she’s made light of her dynamic with Novak before. Check out this comment she made when they both presented at the 2022 Emmys:

B.J. Novak and Mindy Kaling became close while they were writers and cast members on The Office, and they reportedly dated off and on during that time. Something that’s frequently brought up is how that romantic era in their relationship has parallels with the relationship between their Office characters, Kelly Kapoor and Ryan Howard. While Kaling previously admitted to being “so angry” with Novak early on for turning in a better draft for the “Diversity Day” episode. Yet, at this point, they do indeed seem to be like “family.”

While Kaling isn’t involved with Novak, who’s also godfather to two of her three kids, she’s not currently seeing anyone. She went on to speak about the irony of her single status within the context of her body of work:

There’s certainly nothing wrong with the single life, and I love hearing that Kaling has fully embraced it. And, not that Kaling couldn’t theoretically balance work and love lives, she remains quite busy when it comes to the former. Her sports comedy, Running Point, has been popular amongst Netflix subscription holders and is set to return for a third season. Kaling’s also the creator of the Hulu series Not Suitable for Work, which premieres in June amid the 2026 TV schedule and has already been renewed for a second season.

So it would seem that, at least for right now, the public may not want to make too many assumptions when it comes to Mindy Kaling’s love life. And, as has been the case for a while, it would seem the chatter surrounding her and B.J. Novak continues to be just that: chatter.

Reese Witherspoon celebrated a milestone birthday this weekend, turning 50 on March 22, and it’s no surprise that the beloved actress was showered with parasocial love from those around her. As she received lovely (and, in one case, musical) messages from friends like Kerry Washington, Jennifer Garner, Mindy Kaling, Gwyneth Paltrow and many more, she returned the favor with sweet words of her own for her loved ones.

In the case of Jennifer Garner, I can definitely see why Reese Witherspoon would be inspired to share a personalized message to her Instagram Stories. The 13 Going on 30 star whipped out the saxophone for a rendition of “You Are My Sunshine,” with images of the birthday girl and animated suns popping up around her as she played:

She wasn’t the only one to receive a Story of gratitude, however. Kerry Washington, who co-starred in and executive produced Little Fires Everywhere with Reese Witherspoon back in 2020, shared a photo of them together, with the latter’s post showing this exchange:

• Kerry Washington: Happy [Reese Witherspoon] day everyone!!!! Happy Birthday to this very very very special light of a human being. So grateful you were born. LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH RW ♥️♥️♥️♥️
• Reese Witherspoon: [Kerry Washington] you are the best! I love you, thank you friend ♥️

Going even further back into Reese Witherspoon’s greatest movies and TV roles, her Cruel Intentions co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar had a hilarious take on her friend turning 50, which apparently had Witherspoon laughing:

This practice of responding to well-wishes with personalized greetings is actually really on brand for Reese Witherspoon, given her “very important” rule about returning to The Morning Show. It makes a lot of sense that someone who would make a point of telling everyone hello on the first day back on set would also prioritize replying to her birthday posts.

Gwyneth Paltrow received one of those responses after she shared a pic with the actress:

You can tell that she was really feeling the love, as she responded to people from her team, author Harlan Coben, who co-wrote her novel Gone Before Goodbye, former colleagues like Big Little Lies’ Darby Camp, comedian Leanne Morgan, singer Kelsea Ballerini, and Mindy Kaling, who shared this exchange with Reese Witherspoon:

While birthdays are something of a personal holiday, it seems like Reese Witherspoon is insistent on spreading the love around and not just enjoying her day in the spotlight. Should we really expect anything less from the woman who throws Halloween parties for her colleagues or creates a “Magical Wonderland” at her house over the holidays? I’ll bet she even sends Thank You cards for her gifts. What a woman.

Hopefully the actress felt as much love as she sent out on her birthday, and we’ll be keeping an eye out for her next projects on the 2026 TV schedule. While The Morning Show Season 5 is filming now, we’re unlikely to get that batch of episodes before 2027, but we’re definitely looking forward to the Legally Blonde prequel Elle, which Reese Witherspoon is executive producing. That’s set to premiere July 1 and can be streamed with a Prime Video subscription.

Those who fired up their Netflix subscriptions on March 1 to watch the Actor Awards were given quite the treat, from stunning red carpet fashion to lots of love for Sinners. For some, however, the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the sweet cast reunion that brought some of the stars of The Office together on stage, and apparently we’ve got Mindy Kaling to thank for that.

On Sunday night, Angela Kinsey, Ellie Kemper, Jenna Fischer and Mindy Kaling took the stage to present the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (The Studio took the honors), and according to Actor Awards executive producer Mark Bracco, that never would have happened without Kaling. The EP told Variety:

It honestly speaks to how beloved the show is — by its fans and cast — that Mindy Kaling was able to secure the actresses in less than two hours. It’s fitting, too, that she would have the other Dunder Mifflin ladies there, too, since they were presenting an award for an ensemble.

The actors responsible for portraying Pam Beesly (Fischer), Angela Martin (Kinsey), Kelly Kapoor (Kaling) and Erin Hannon (Kemper) also used their platform to reflect on how much has changed since The Office wrapped in 2013, particularly the long seasons. They said:

• Mindy Kaling: We are women who survived 22-episode seasons.
• Angela Kinsey: There were no short orders.
• Ellie Kemper: You didn’t plan a season around a pregnancy.
• Kaling: Yeah, you just gave birth on camera and named the baby after a grip.
• Jenna Fischer: Then you came back the next week with another episode.

As grueling as the schedule was, the actresses admitted they were lucky to be employed from September to May for each season they appeared on. Their lampooning of one of the best sitcoms of all time continued:

• Fischer: It meant Christmas episodes and Valentine’s episodes and Super Bowl episodes…
• Kaling: And sometimes filler episodes that were kinda bad.

Sure, there are some episodes that didn’t have a chance at making the list of The Office’s best episodes ever, but with more than 200 episodes over nine seasons, there are bound to be a couple of clunkers. Those “filler episodes” didn’t hurt the mockumentary’s legacy, because it was still such a treat for fans to be able to see this reunion. So, our thanks goes out to Mindy Kaling.

You can watch The Office’s entire series — including the new Season 9 Superfan episodes — with a Peacock subscription.

If you haven’t heard, dating is rough out there. Using dating apps has become an increasingly popular way for singles to meet each other. However, in the world of Hollywood big-shots like Mindy Kaling and Reese Witherspoon, who always have new projects on the streaming schedule, apparently an old-fashioned setup isn’t out of the question. In fact, one time, Witherspoon tried to play matchmaker with her real-life pal.

Mindy Kaling, who’s always writing fascinating female characters for movies and TV, decided to become a mother back in 2017 without having a romantic partner to share parenthood with. Here’s the recent love life update the actor, writer and producer shared:

Witherspoon and Kaling have worked together a lot over the years, from starring together in 2018’s A Wrinkle In Time to Kaling having a guest spot on The Morning Show to Witherspoon cameoing on The Mindy Project. Now, they are working together on Legally Blonde 3. The pals have gotten close enough that a matchmaking moment was on the table, but The Office star decided to pass on it due to timing. As she continued:

Between Mindy Kaling’s continually booming career and spending her time raising three young children, it sounds like her life is pretty full right now. Even though Witherspoon must have had someone really good for Kaling to consider, the comedian decided against even entertaining the idea recently when discussing the current state of her dating life with Bustle.

Mindy Kaling became a mother in December 2017 when her eldest Katherine “Kit” Kaling arrived. She expanded her family further when she secretly had a baby during quarantine in 2020 with her son, Spencer. After two pregnancies, Kaling lost 40 pounds before privately welcoming her third child, Anne, early last year.

Certainly, there have been rumors about who fathered Kaling’s kids, but she has decided to keep his identity private. If or when Kaling decides it’s time to get into dating, surely her kids will still be a massive priority, and the lucky guy will also have to be fit to include her family of four into his lifestyle. And hey, if Kaling decides it’s never “time”, she’s proof that one doesn’t necessarily need to follow the traditional life model in order to be happy.

There’s been a lot of chatter about Meghan Markle since her lifestyle series With Love, Meghan debuted on the 2024 TV calendar. Everything from its delayed release on the Netflix schedule to the duchess’ pasta recipe to her chosen brand of cookware has been debated by fans, but nothing has caused as much of a ruckus as Mindy Kaling using the Suits star’s maiden name “Markle,” rather than Prince Harry’s surname, “Sussex.” Now with the release of her new project, she’s going by something else.

What Name Is Meghan Markle Going By Now?

Meghan Markle is on the hustle lately. Since the first season of With Love, Meghan (available to stream with a Netflix subscription) was released, she’s launched the new lifestyle brand As Ever, as well as a new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder. The Duchess of Sussex addresses her name at the top of each episode, telling listeners:

Going the mononymous route is definitely one way to avoid future gaffes, and it serves the double purpose of also letting herself be more casual and relatable with her podcast guests and fans. No royal title necessary.

So how did his whole Markle vs. Sussex brouhaha start? Well, we have Mindy Kaling to thank for that.

Mindy Kaling’s Meghan Markle Misstep Explained

In case you are not up-to-date on all things Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the debate over the actress’ last name came up on the second episode of With Love, Meghan, when Mindy Kaling joined the lifestyle expert to make some sandwiches.

The Office alum marveled at the fact that “Meghan Markle has eaten Jack in the Box and loves it,” (a statement nobody loved more than Jack in the Box), prompting the estranged royal to chastise her guest in a viral moment that will live in infamy:

Mindy Kaling told The View that she didn’t even remember the viral scolding because it was filmed so far in advance, but a body language expert suggested there was a “flash of surprise” on the Running Point creator’s face in that moment.

Mindy Kaling is the only person who knows exactly what was going through her head when she mistakenly uttered the “Markle,” but I doubt anybody’s going to make that mistake again after all the hoopla over it. Either way, the duchess seems to have figured out the best solution by avoiding a last name altogether.

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has had a few very viral moments this year. However, before the recent Sentebale charity happenings, her series, With Love, Meghan (which you can stream with a Netflix subscription), played host to a notable viral moment, and it seems to have waves of continuing criticism. I'm of course refering to the name correction exchange between her and guest Mindy Kaling. However, now, as Markle moves ahead, it seems she’s being more careful to avoid blunders like the one shared with the Running Point creator.

The Duchess of Sussex seemingly course-corrected to dance around the Sussex-Markle hubbub. In her new Lemonada Media podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, she simply introduces herself as ‘Meghan.’ It's a small but significant choice, considering all the discussion around her last name.

For context, the Suits alum has faced plenty of discourse regarding her show on Netflix's 2025 schedule, but the last name conversation with Kaling really took root. And even though it’s a small moment where the two friends talk about their childhood favorite fast food faves, the Markle-Sussex name correction exploded online.

A body language expert weighed in on the scene, Jack in the Box capitalized on the moment and The View asked Kaling to share her feelings about the virality of it all. Needless to say, the public was surprised and deeply invested in the small confrontation, and Markle seems to have taken note of how to avoid it.

Along with the intro and podcast’s release, Markle talked to People about the meaning and significance behind the last name change. She noted that it’s a highly valuable part of her life, in that her husband, Harry, and kids, Archie and Lilibet, share it with her. In her words:

Clearly, Meghan Markle feels very connected to her family's last name, as it ties her, her husband and her kids together. And that makes sense.

It also provides some clarity to the moment she shared with The Mindy Project star.

Now, based on her podcast, it seems like she simply wants to go by Meghan. Considering her Netflix shows are also first-name-forward - Harry & Meghan and With Love, Meghan - this move makes sense.

Looking at the bigger picture now, regardless of what Meghan and Harry Sussex are up to, Netflix hasn't dropped them and seems to have no plans in doing so. Her podcast is also fully up and running now. Meanwhile, we'll keep you posted on any major updates about the Royal Family and their viral moments.

Mindy Kaling is a television creator whom I have come to trust. I know her shows will showcase impressive comedy writing. Some of Kaling’s shows are my favorite television romantic comedies because they feel relatable. She creates great romantic comedy television shows, and that’s mainly because of her expertise at making unforgettable female characters.

These funny women have depth, are not afraid to be messy, feel genuine, and know the highs and lows of navigating the complications of love and life. After recently finishing Running Point, I was reminded of Kaling’s ability to create fully formed fictional women.

It made me think of some of my favorites in the Kaling television universe.

Mindy (The Mindy Project)

Mindy (Mindy Kaling) is the ultimate complicated girl boss. She’s successful at work, but struggling at almost every other aspect, especially her love life. Mindy has the same level of dysfunction you may expect from a male comedy doctor.

Most of her charm comes from her being such a mess. Mindy's life shows that you can have and do it all at your job but be borderline terrible at everything else.

Isla (Running Point)

As Isla, Kate Hudson reminds us just how good she is at acting and character embodiment. Isla on Running Point has to deal with and manage a lot of egotistical, judgmental, and some just plain stupid, men. She tackles this while also navigating her own complex and chaotic life.

The character is the perfect person to lead this team and company because the men surrounding her are hilarious, but she manages to upstage them at every turn — credit to the writing and Hudson’s screen presence for still being the star even when paired with very funny supporting actors.

Devi (Never Have I Ever)

Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) is not the typical teen girl. She’s nerdier and hornier, at least more than most on television. Never Have I Ever is easily one of the best teen rom-com shows ever created. That’s mainly because of Mindy Kaling and her team’s knowledge of the rom-com space. They implement some of the traits of the best films in this genre. It is also great because Devi is one of the ultimate romantic comedy leads.

She feels like a real teen girl with all her flaws, including not always being rational and temperamental at times. Never Have I Ever may have been Ramakrishnan’s breakout role, but she makes on-screen chemistry look easy. The Paxton (Darren Barnet) vs. Ben (Jaren Lewison) wars raged on for a reason. Ramakrishnan has so much chemistry with both actors.

Maya (Four Weddings and a Funeral)

I consider myself a girl’s girl, which means I support women’s rights and wrongs. Maya (Nathalie Emmanuel) commits a lot of wrongs during Four Weddings and a Funeral. If the show continued, we would likely see a lot more complications from Maya.

On paper, she sounds terrible. She slept with a married man and fell in love with her best friend’s ex-fiancé. However, Emmanuel exudes so much girl-next-door on-screen charm that it’s hard not to like her. Additionally, Four Weddings and a Funeral shows Maya’s layered personality, which makes her hard to hate, even if you don’t agree with all her actions.

Leighton (The Sex Lives of College Girls)

The problem with The Sex Lives of College Girls is that there are so many enjoyable characters played by equally likable actors. However, Leighton (Reneé Rapp) managed to win me over the most. Her journey with coming out and just evolving is one of the best parts of the first two seasons. This is what makes her Season 3 departure so hard of a readjustment.

Leighton is a mean girl who makes being mean look cool and charming. I would also argue that she may be one of the best LGBTQ+ characters of the last decade, and definitely in a Mindy Kaling TV show.

Tamara (The Mindy Project)

Tamara (Xosha Roquemore) is easily The Mindy Project’s funniest character. She starts the series in a limited role but easily becomes a scene-stealer. Tamara’s increased screen time just makes her even more likable.

Roquemore doesn’t get enough credit for her comedic timing. There are only a handful of Mindy Project characters that constantly make me laugh, and Tamara is the main one.

Nalini (Never Have I Ever)

Something I have noticed is that even the best teen shows’ writers put a lot of effort into the teen characters but neglect the parents. This isn’t the case with Never Have I Ever. The parents feel just as layered as the teens. Some of the parents I find even more interesting than the children.

Nalini (Poorna Jagannathan) is by far one of the best parent characters in the Mindy Kaling showverse. She’s just as complex as Devi. Nalini can be tough, but she’s also very caring and kind.

One of my issues with Never Have I Ever’s final season is that we don’t get enough of her. Hopefully, Kaling and Jagannathan will work together again, because I would love to see Jagannathan lead a romantic comedy. She's such a captivating actor.

Gemma (Four Weddings and a Funeral)

Gemma (Zoe Boyle) is the classic case of the seemingly unlikable character changing and showing real depth. She may have a stiff upper lip, but you can’t help but feel endeared towards her, especially after witnessing her heartbreaking journey.

Gemma and Duffy (John Reynolds) ended up becoming my favorite romance in Four Weddings and a Funeral. Their courtship just has charm. Gemma is one of the most complex characters of this miniseries, which makes her so compelling to watch.

Daphne (Velma)

Velma, for better or worse, is not a typical Scooby-Doo story. Therefore, these aren’t the versions of the characters that many may be used to. This isn’t your mother’s Daphne. That may be what makes her stand out in this animated series.

Voiced by Constance Wu, this version of the character is complicated, more sexually confident, and has an interesting origin story. Daphne is one of the fun evolutions in this Kaling animated series.

Ruby (Champions)

I may have been one of the few people who watched the entire short-lived Mindy Kaling series Champions. I mainly watched it because I thought Anders Holm and Kaling had great chemistry on The Mindy Project and wanted to see if they tapped into that on this series. The show follows a bachelor and his younger brother who have their lives rocked when his ex drops off a surprise child they had together 15 years ago.

Most of Champions revolves around the three male characters. However, Ruby (Fortune Feimster) is one of the series' regulars. Feimster is a comedian that Kaling often works with. She has played many funny side characters, but Champions is one of the rare shows that highlight her as a lead. The character is as strange and weird as you would expect, but still very funny.

I can’t wait to meet more thrilling and complex female characters in Mindy Kaling’s next television projects.

There likely aren’t many people who manage to land their dream jobs basically right out of college, but The Office star and writer/producer extraordinaire Mindy Kaling is one who had “such incredible luck.” She was only 24 when she was appointed to the writer’s room for the beloved hit comedy, and ended up becoming long-time best buddies with another writer/cast member, B.J. Novak. However, she just opened up about being “so angry” at him when she started on the series.

What Did Mindy Kaling Say About Being Angry At B.J. Novak When They Started The Office?

I don’t know if there’s a mixed-gender celebrity best friend duo who’s been more discussed over the past few years than Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak. While the two admit to dating on and off early on after meeting on The Office, they’ve been committed best-friends-only for years now (despite the fact that rumors he fathered her kids have persisted).

So, I’m sure it would surprise many to know that Ryan Howard’s portrayer made her kinda mad when the show began. But, as Kaling explained to The Hollywood Reporter recently, the reason actually makes sense, considering what they both did on the long-running comedy. As the big Outlander fan said:

Wow. OK, while I love The Office, I am nowhere near being a scholar of the mockumentary hit (which has a spinoff in the works), so I had no idea that Novak even wrote that episode. However, I can completely imagine getting a job in a writer’s room for a network TV show while still so young, and being absolutely pissed that someone else around your age was already excelling at the job.

“Diversity Day” isn’t just one of the best/most-loved episodes of The Office, it was also one of the most important. Along with being only the second episode, it was also the first one not based on anything from Ricky Gervais’ hit series of the same name. Plus, this was when Running Point’s well-dressed co-creator made her first appearance as Kelly Kapoor, and made quite an impression by slapping Michael.

Kaling is correct that this episode set the bar and let everyone know what kind of comedy we’d be in for as The Office rolled along for nine eventual seasons. Who knows? If it hadn’t been for Novak nailing the second episode, maybe viewers wouldn’t have been able to witness the brilliance of a show with numerous problematic characters and hilarious inside jokes for so long.

Meghan Markle has a new show on Netflix, and like many things that involve the Duchess of Sussex, there was controversy before its premiere date even hit the 2025 TV schedule. Things haven’t exactly quieted down now that With Love, Meghan has been released, either, as a clip of Markle correcting Mindy Kaling on her name has gone viral. So, of course, when The Office alum visited The View, Whoopi Goldberg and the gang had to ask about it.

Mindy Kaling sat down with the co-hosts on ABC’s award-winning daytime talk show to promote her own new Netflix series Running Point (which debuted to mixed reviews), but the viral moment when Meghan Markle clarified to Kaling that her last name is “Sussex,” not “Markle” was definitely on everyone’s minds. Kaling said on The View:

Meghan Markle definitely has a way of evoking a reaction from people. In fact, it was former The View co-host Meghan McCain who spoke out against the release of With Love, Meghan amidst the Los Angeles wildfires, calling Markle “utterly tone deaf.” The premiere date of the duchess’ lifestyle series was ultimately pushed back but is now available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

So it’s fitting that the current cast of The View would be the ones to bring up the latest headlines involving Prince Harry’s wife. As they said on the show, Meghan Markle and Mindy Kaling were making sandwiches and talking about fast food (which Jack in the Box has totally capitalized on) when The Mindy Project star marveled:

The Suits alum laughed heartily as she replied:

As Mindy Kaling said on The View, the clips circulating on social media focus on her facial expression in the aftermath of that exchange, and regardless of whether or not Kaling had forgotten about the interaction in the months that followed, she really did look stung in the moment. But only she can say how she really felt.

Personally, I don’t think either woman was in the wrong. Mindy Kaling can’t be at fault for referring to Meghan Markle by her professional name, and if Markle wants to be called “Sussex,” rather than “Markle,” she should be able to tell people that.

If you want to see what all the fuss is about, With Love, Meghan is available to stream now.

Some things just go together: peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robin, day and night. What doesn’t are Jack in the Box and Meghan Markle, or so you’d think. The restaurant chain was mentioned in the Netflix subscription show called With Love, Meghan during the now-viral moment of the host correcting her guest, Mindy Kaling. JITB didn’t skip a beat to create a marketable video that features the name drop as well as Markle correcting the actor-director of her Sussex name change.

The chain, which originated in the '50s, ran with the scene from the 2025 Netflix TV and movie schedule series quickly after the premiere. A cut version of the surprising exchange was posted to their Instagram with a simple caption of, “Eat like royalty with my 2 tacos. With love, Jack Box.”

The clip comes from the episode where The Office actress is working with Sussex – although the actress is still more widely known as Meghan Markle – in preparing a children-oriented party when the topic of fast food comes up. In the chain’s video, their mascot, Jack Box, is overlaid Kaling sharing her astonishment of the ex-royal indulging in fast food, only to get the surprise correction. Take a look for yourself below:

The whole occurrence is odd, from the initial exchange to Jack Box covering someone else’s text from a reposted TikTok. This viral video of course comes after the flak over the With Love, Meghan delay following the Los Angeles wildfires in January. The show just has hit bump after bump in the road, and I’m frankly a little surprised the conversation wasn’t edited out of the show. Although I guess it was a chance for the Suits alum to have a public platform to remind that she's a Sussex now in a casual way. The JITB plug is just an unexpected result of the whole thing.

Even still, all of it feels uncomfortable and a little bizarre in my book. I think if she wanted to make the name change more prominent, it could’ve been done in so many different ways. This also isn’t the first time the ex-royals have had some complications with shows regarding their Netflix deal. They faced backlash of their Harry & Meghan documentary.

It’s a surprise that both streaming projects have been met with criticism as far as I'm concerned, but it’s not uncommon in Hollywood. The surprise, of course, is when Jack in the Box capitalizes on the somewhat awkward moment shared between friends that happened to mention fast food. If the new show does get renewed, hopefully it’ll make a comeback and be on par with some of the greats, because thinking about the food made made me hungry.

As for Jack in the Box, their IG post – while goofy and apt – could’ve been left unposted, for me. The name change conversation between Meghan Sussex and Mindy Kaling was viral enough as it is; the restaurant chain didn’t need to cash in on it.

There are plenty of great sports movies available to stream on Netflix right now, but what about sports comedy series? Mindy Kaling is one of the creators of the new Netflix show Running Point, which just hit the 2025 TV schedule. Critics had the chance to screen the series — which stars Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon, who unexpectedly is made president of her family’s basketball team — and the reviews are mixed.

Running Point — streaming now with a Netflix subscription — boasts a fun cast that, in addition to Kate Hudson, includes Drew Tarver (The Other Two), Scott MacArthur (The Mick) and Justin Theroux. However, Kristen Baldwin of EW says their collective comedic talents are wasted on uninspired writing and unlikeable characters. She gives the series a C-, writing:

Hanna Ines Flint of IGN agrees this story inspired by (and executive produced by) the L.A. Lakers’ Jeanie Buss is an unremarkable addition to the sports comedy genre with a hackneyed take on women breaking the glass ceiling. The critic rates it a “Mediocre” 5 out of 10 and says:

Not all critics were calling fouls on the basketball comedy. Alison Herman of Variety says the interesting premise and charismatic cast should be enough to earn Running Point a second season and the chance to further develop its characters and go deeper into the family’s complicated dynamic. Herman writes:

Leah Marilla Thomas of AV Club also hopes to see Running Point renewed after being pleased overall with the result, especially the thrilling finale. Thomas gives the series a grade of B+, calling Kate Hudson “winning” and “hilarious” in this smart sports sitcom. The critic continues:

Ben Travers of IndieWire, however, connects more with the first critics, calling it an “office comedy built with the general blandness of most broadcast TV.” With some swearing, of course. It also wastes Kate Hudson’s talent, Travers says, as he gives it a C- and writes:

Many critics compared Running Point as something like Succession meets Ted Lasso, so if any part of this sounds like a series you want to check out, the entire 10-episode first season is available to stream now on Netflix.

Outlander, both the book series by Diana Gabaldon and the Starz Network show, is a sweeping epic. As the books' second life got translated onto the screen in 2014, the series has collected a growing fan base with each season, and it includes Mindy Kaling. In fact, she revealed her love for the series after Season 7 wrapped on the 2025 TV schedule, specifically praising its complex and excellent world-building ability.

With the upcoming eighth season marking the end of Outlander's run, Kaling's comments are well-timed. The newest and notable addition to the fandom talked about her love and appreciation of Outlander’s addictable qualities with Swooon. The Office alum noted how even though this isn’t a typical genre for her, she couldn’t quit the series, saying:

Kaling’s surprise adoration for the time-traveling historical romance is much appreciated. As a fan of The Sex Lives of College Girls showrunner, I’m intrigued by the book-turned-show but may have never even thought of committing without her hype. It’s always cool to see people in Hollywood outwardly praise other projects, especially those in starkly different genres.

Now, I’m curious to know more of her thoughts, and I’m sure fans of both parties would love to learn more about her feelings regarding Season 7's book to show variations if she’s caught up.

While we didn't get her thoughts on the show specifically, The Mindy Project star did gush about Gabaldon’s ability to build this incredible world. She weighed in on how hard world-building is for her when creating a show, mentioning many of her projects are based on real-life experiences, sharing:

Again, her compliments of the Outlander world are very cool, to me, and motivate me to pick up the first book or season. While a more realistic premise, like Kaling’s, is more than okay for any medium, she isn’t wrong when she says that great and fantastical world-building is an undeniable and impressive feat.

The comedian’s recent writing for HBO saw great success with the SLOCG S3 finale because of the intentional decision not to have a dramatic cliffhanger. It’ll be interesting to see what she’ll do with her new show, Running Point which you can stream with a Netflix subscription starting February 27. While it won't feature time travel like Outlander, I'm sure we'll get more rich characters and fun settings that show her ability to build a world.

Regardless of how Mindy Kaling's creative abilities manifest in the worlds she creates, it’s great to know that she’s hyping others like Outlander. And although the show is coming to an end quickly, it seems like a new fan (me) may be time-traveling back to the story’s inception.

If you’re looking to catch up or get on the Outlander bandwagon, and don’t have Starz, the first six seasons are available on Netflix. Then, make sure to keep an eye on the 2025 TV schedule for updates about Season 8.

Mindy Kaling has been a steady force in Hollywood for many years, from her serendipitous beginnings on The Office to completing Season 3 of Sex Lives Of College Girls. While Kaling’s resume is vast and chock full of excellent projects, one of my favorites has always been her titular one –The Mindy Project. When I caught up with premiere photos for her latest Netflix subscription show, Running Point, I realized something: one of my favorites from the 2012 show, Ike Barinholtz, was in attendance. And that reunion has me wanting more from the two.

The eponymous 2010s series, where the duo previously worked together, followed Mindy Lahiri, a gynecologist in NYC, and her life through the ups and downs. Early in the first season, Morgan Tookers (Ike Barinholtz, who was also a writer on the show) is a comically questionable nurse who gets hired out of necessity. Morgan humorously seeks Mindy’s approval until they become buddies. Kaling and Barinholtz's comedy stylings together on screen as doctor and nurse, respectively, are my favorite part of the Fox show.

The Mindy Project Reunion of Kaling and Ike Barinholtz At The Running Point Premiere Made Me Happy

On February 13, the cast and crew of Running Point had a carpet premiere for the coming February 27 series. Of course, Mindy Kaling and Kate Hudson were in attendance along with Brenda Song, Max Greenfield, and Drew Tarver, among others. But when I realized Ike Barinholtz worked alongside the Ocean’s 8 actress behind the scenes, everyone else disappeared for me. I know that same Morgan-Mindy electric humor radiated off of both of them as they joked through photos.

What I can't help but think while looking at this photo of the two of them, alongside Kate Hudson and David Stassen, is that they’ve got that Schulman & Associates (the office they worked at on TMP) twinkle in their eye. As a fan, I’m begging them to get in front of the camera again. They’re essentially my modern-day Abbott & Costello. Anyways, check out the carpet pic for yourself:

With This Kaling-Barinholtz Reunion Behind The Camera Makes Me Want One In Front of The Camera

The best part of the coming series, premiering soon on our 2025 Netflix movie and TV schedule, has her pairing up with Ike Barinholtz again, and it has me excited. And while I have high hopes for the coming basketball comedy, I'd much rather see the pair for a new movie or show. Honestly, I’d watch them in anything, even if it was a personal YouTube channel where they cook food or unbox products together. Or a space odyssey or period piece! Whatever it is, I’ll be there, and who knows? It seems like there might even be possibilities of a Mindy Project reboot somewhere down the line.

As of now, the Late Night actress just received her Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame along with a newly greenlit NYC-based show titled Not Suitable For Work. She's also still at work creating the long-awaited and highly-anticipated Legally Blonde 3. Meanwhile, Barinholtz is set to appear inThe Studio, and is in the process of acting in and producing a movie called Happy Life (directed by a Running Point peer). Time will tell if they intersect in any of these projects on screen, but you know I'm crossing my fingers for it.

I’m glad to get any Mindy Project reunion or rekindling these days. Hopefully, Running Point has a similar tone or energy to tide me over until Mindy Kaling and Ike Barinholtz reunite on the other side of the camera. And if you want to revisit, or discover, the immaculate onscreen comedy stylings of these two, stream The Mindy Project with a Hulu subscription.

Even though The Office has been off the air since 2013, it’s one of those shows that seems to have a current audience at all times. The comedy series, which only got more popular when it became available to stream 24/7 for those with a Peacock subscription, certainly helped jumpstart the career of a ton of its cast, including Mindy Kaling. The actress behind Kelly Kapoor, who also served as a writer on The Office, recently talked about why her place on the show feels like sheer “luck” to her when she reflects on it.

Over a decade after wrapping on The Office, Mindy Kaling has only climbed the ladder in Hollywood further. She’s set to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and she co-created a new comedy series for Kate Hudson coming to Netflix later this month. It of course all comes back to her hilarious role on the sitcom, which she still often talks about. When reflecting on getting on the NBC series at the age of 24, Kaling said this to Variety:

Prior to Kaling’s tenure as Kelly Kapoor on The Office, she got her first big break as an intern on Late Night With Conan O’Brien when she was a college sophomore. After college, she pursued a career further by doing standup comedy and did an off-Broadway play called Matt & Ben with her best friend about Matt Damon and Ben Affleck… of course.

She got on The Office after creator Greg Daniels noticed her talent while reading a spec script she had written. The rest is history! The Office was on for nine seasons, and is more than a TV show; it’s a cultural phenomenon.

These days, Mindy Kaling has done massive things like wear gold dresses with Kate Hudson at their premiere for Running Point and received gifts from Taylor Swift. She led her own show as the creator and lead of The Mindy Project along with helming other successful shows like Never Have I Ever and The Sex Lives Of College Girls. She’s been a voice for a Pixar movie as Disgust in Inside Out.

As of late, Mindy Kaling has been taking a break from acting in order to work more behind the scenes and raise her three children, but she said she wants to act again soon. Anyone can say Kaling struck gold by getting on The Office so early in her career, but it’s interesting to hear her perspective regarding how being on the show “set up” her career and allowed her to become the big name she is today.

Kate Hudson and Mindy Kaling have a show that’s set to come out soon on Netflix’s 2025 release schedule, and they’re going for the gold both literally and figuratively speaking. I say that because as they celebrated their new sports comedy, Running Point, both women wore gorgeous gold gowns that made them look like goddesses. Now, I’m hoping this becomes a big trend, because I think we all need some sparkle like this in our lives.

In the lead-up to folks being able to stream Running Point with a Netflix subscription on February 27, the cast gathered at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood for the premiere. This included the series’ co-creator, Mindy Kaling, and the show’s star, Kate Hudson. While both wore shining, shimmering gold gowns, they had totally different takes, as you can see below:

Hudson was wearing a champagne satin dress by Roberto Cavalli, per InStyle. It featured thigh-high slits on both legs and a plunging neckline. The gold details around her chest plus the slits, make the look unique as it’s both chic and edgy. She paired the floor-length dress with a simple necklace and wore her hair straight and tucked behind her ears.

Meanwhile, Kaling shimmered in a darker gold gown. The garment is Rahul Mishra Couture, and the designer noted that it’s a hand-embroidered piece called the “‘Resurgence’ gilded gown.” If you want to talk about lavish, this dress is it. The designer explained in his post that it took “1600 hours” to make it, and it “features traditional Indian embroidery surfaces adorned with glass bugle beads, mother of pearl, metallic sequins and dangling brass leaves to articulate the designer’s idea of nature’s resurgence from a dark time.”

Gold seems to be Kaling’s color too, seeing as she wore it when she and Hudson announced some of the 2025 Golden Globe winners last month.

Overall, both women absolutely slayed in these goddess-like looks, and they were perfect for celebrating their show Running Point – which is a comedy about a basketball team that’s trying to have another winning season. Now, I’m hoping this becomes a bigger trend, and it seems to be considering The Mindy Project star has worn the color twice recently, and she and Hudson both donned it to the premiere of their show.

So, with that in mind, if you are looking to give gold and Running Point, take some inspo from these women and these dress options below:

Now, while I want gold to be the next big fashion trend, I’d also love to see Running Point be a big hit too. The series on the 2025 TV schedule is a sports comedy about a woman who takes over the family business – and that business happens to be a professional basketball team. Alongside Hudson, the series also stars Brenda Song, Max Greenfield, Scott MacArthur, Drew Tarver and more. So, it seems like comedy gold in the making, and maybe it will become one of Netflix’s most binge-able shows.

If Kate Hudson and Mindy Kaling’s looks are any sign, I’d say that dream is certainly possible, because it seems like they’re going for the gold.

It's been over a decade since one of the best sitcoms of all time, The Office, ended its successful nine-season run. However, it doesn’t mean the Dunder Mifflin crew doesn’t pull together like a family when support is most needed. Jenna Fischer, who's known for playing receptionist-turned-saleswoman Pam Beesly, just revealed her breast cancer diagnosis. With that, she's received overwhelming support from Office castmates Mindy Kaling and Angela Kinsey as well as other stars.

Jenna Fischer revealed on her Instagram that she was diagnosed with breast cancer last December. The actress laid out the entire situation in a truly candid post. You can read below for details on the comedic actress’ health journey, from learning about her diagnosis to undergoing treatment and then becoming cancer-free:

Reading the beloved actress’ story is enough to make a person emotional. There are a lot of takeaways that come from the Emmy nominee's vulnerable messages, chief among them being the importance of women getting breast cancer screenings. Like the Hall Pass star said, she was very fortunate for to get tested when her cancer was in stage one or her diagnosis could have become a lot worse with time.

Additionally, it's wonderful to hear about the massive amount of support the Blades of Glory actress received amid her health struggles. It signifies that tragedy presents the opportunity for people to show all of the love they can muster for someone who could really use it. Jenna Fischer couldn’t finish her post without thanking her husband Lee Kirk, who she fell in love with when he directed her in The Giant Mechanical Man, for being present every step of the way. I'd say she’s very lucky to have a dedicated spouse like him by her side.

Under the 50-year-old star's IG post were a host of loving comments from fans and fellow actors alike. Aside from some of her Office cohorts, Olivia Munn, Jennifer Garner and others also weighed in with sweet sentiments. Check those out:

• ❤️ - Mindy Kaling
• I love you and I’m so glad you're sharing. I got your back, always. ❤️ - Angela Kinsey
• We love you, Jenna ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you for sharing and for inspiring. - Ellie Kemper
• You already know how much I love you and how incredibly proud of you I am. But I just want to say it again; I love you and by sharing your story you’re helping so many women and saving so many lives. You’re just the best. 💖💖💖💖 - Olivia Munn
• [Jenna Fischer] I’m so happy to hear your beating this with all your amazing strength and the love that continues to surround you. Kick cancers butt girl! - Tiffani Thiessen
• Congratulations, [Jenna Fischer] !! I’m so grateful to know you’re on the other side and cancer free! - Jennifer Garner
• 🩷🩷🩷 - Candace Cameron Bure

Most would probably agree that it's wonderful to have friends. It’s so meaningful to see stars like Tiffani Thiessen, Candace Cameron Bure and Jennifer Garner -- who are all breast cancer awareness advocates -- showing support. Also, this year, Olivia Munn confirmed her own breast cancer diagnosis , so she's had her own experiences. There's a lot of power in having a community, and that seems to be what the Promotion star possesses.

Even though the cast of The Office has been on numerous TV shows and movies since the final episode aired in 2013, they still have Office reunion moments. Whether it’s getting together for drinks, sharing selfies, attending a virtual wedding or reuniting on SNL for Steve Carell, the love still seems to be there.

In fact, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey have their own podcast, Office Ladies, where they reveal juicy stories about their time on the NBC sitcom. They've discussed various topics like why the show ended with Season 9 and the emotional letter co-star John Krasinski left in the teapot for Fischer to read. The Top 50 podcast plans to have an “Office Ladies 6.0” with new interviews, set stories, “deep dives” into random topics, and rewatching their hit mockumentary series from the beginning starting on November 11th.

That success aside, though, I'm very happy for Jenna Fischer and that she’s now cancer-free. As time goes on, let's all send her healthy vibes and well wishes. Also, check out Fischer and other Office stars by streaming episodes from all nine seasons using a Peacock subscription. Also, make sure to also look at our 2024 TV schedule so you’re caught up on new and returning shows.

At this point, The Office is basically guaranteed to go down in history as not only one of the best sitcoms of all time, but also as one of the comedies that people love to rewatch and as a series that made a number of actors famous because of their roles on the nine-season hit.

Speaking of which, many of the actors we know and love from the ever-popular mockumentary about the (frequently wacky) employees at the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin paper company have starred (or popped up memorably) in a number of other movies and shows both before, during and after their time on the NBC classic. So let’s take a look at what else you can watch the cast of The Office in!

Foxcatcher

Even though Steve Carell was known as a comedic actor before he led The Office cast as the sometimes good at his job Michael Scott, it was definitely his role on the comedy that propelled him to new heights and led to opportunities for him to branch out. One such case of that was his creepy starring turn in the drama Foxcatcher, an acclaimed biographical sports thriller that saw him nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in 2015.

Inside Out

It seems that 2015 was a good year for The Office cast, as this was when the Pixar mega-hit Inside Out was released, starring the voice of Phyllis Smith as Sadness. The animated film, of course, followed the personified emotions of a young girl going through a tough time, and was popular enough to get a sequel in 2024.

Away We Go

Of all The Office characters, it’s possible that John Krasinski’s Jim Halpert is the most beloved, and the actor rode that wave into 2009’s romantic road trip film Away We Go. The comedy-drama is about a couple in their early 30s trying to decide where to settle before the birth of their first child, and really should be sought out if you haven’t seen it yet.

Blades Of Glory

I know what you’re thinking, What about Pam? Well, Jenna Fischer’s Pam Beesly Halpert was, many think, the heart of the sitcom, and the actress became the heart of the ice-skating comedy Blades of Glory in 2007.

The Mindy Project

While Kelly Kapoor is one of the most memorably ridiculous staffers at Dunder Mifflin, the same can’t (totally) be said for Mindy Kaling’s OB/GYN, Mindy Lahiri, in The Mindy Project. The doctor may be analytical, friendly and good at her job, but she’s also blunt and shallow, making her fun to watch.

Bridesmaids

Because of the number of hilarious performances from the ensemble cast of the one-liner-filled comedy, Bridesmaids, you might have forgotten that Ellie Kemper (that’s receptionist Erin Hannon to you) starred in the somewhat raunchy 2011 hit as Becca, a newlywed member of the bridal party who loses some of her naivete because of the antics of the assembled group.

Parks And Recreation

Did you forget about Karen Filippelli? You know, Jim’s girlfriend who quickly realized that he was in love with Pam once they were all working together? Well, Rashida Jones was a much bigger part of Parks and Recreation, where her nurse, Anne Perkins, was a (mostly) reasonable member of the wacky ensemble.

Super

There probably aren’t a lot of us who watched the NBC workplace sitcom and envisioned any of the characters as superheroes, which is part of the point to Dwight Schrute actor Rainn Wilson taking on his reading role in Super. The dark comedy follows a short order cook who becomes a masked vigilante, and should be experienced at least once.

The Hangover

A hit comedy you’ve almost definitely seen at least once is 2009’s The Hangover, starring Ed Helms, a.k.a. Andy Bernard. Actually, no one would be surprised if you’ve seen this movie plus its two sequels multiple times.

This Is The End

Apocalyptic horror comedies don’t come around all that often, and when they do they’re rarely as insane as This Is The End. The 2013 film stars a number of notable famous folks playing versions of themselves who try to survive the Biblical event, including Darryl Philbin’s portrayer, Craig Robinson.

Leatherheads

John Krasinski also lent his talents to the George Clooney-directed, 1925-set football comedy, Leatherheads. It might not have been a big hit, but it definitely let fans see more of Krasinski’s big-screen potential early on.

Fresh Off The Boat

It hasn’t been uncommon for some of the cast to pop up on other popular shows, and that’s what we saw with Angela Kinsey (yup, she played Dwight’s eventual boo Angela) when it came to the ABC family comedy Fresh Off the Boat. Kinsey guest starred in a handful of episodes across Seasons 4 and 5 as Amy Chestnut, a nemesis for Jessica Huang.

The Lost City

It’s a bit of a wonder that Oscar managed to continue working at Dunder Mifflin Scranton, considering how professional and free of foolishness he was. But, his portrayer, Oscar Nuñez, did play an important oddball in 2022’s The Lost City, and to hilarious effect.

The Morning Show

Steve Carell continued to take on more dramatic roles after leaving The Office behind, and he kept his streak going by playing the disgraced former co-host for the first two seasons of the titular show that’s the focus of this Apple TV+ series.

The Giant Mechanical Man

While none of our beloved Office cast members have led what will come to be known as one of the best romantic comedies of all time just yet, Jenna Fischer did star in a lovely little rom-com called The Giant Mechanical Man, where she plays a struggling zoo worker who falls for a financially strapped street performer.

Family Switch

Sometimes you just need a good, fun family movie, and Ed Helms helped give us one with Family Switch. The movie, which you can watch with your Netflix subscription, gets its Freaky Friday on by having two parents (and the family dog) swap bodies with their two teens (and the baby of the family).

Galaxy Quest

Unfortunately, sci-fi and comedy simply don’t overlap that much, because when they do we end up with wondrous movies like Galaxy Quest. This now classic features Rainn Wilson as one of the decent, octopus-like Thermians, who juuuuust manage to pose as human.

Gone Baby Gone

Though she’d been a working actor for many years, most people really got to know about Amy Ryan because of her Oscar-nominated role in 2007’s Gone Baby Gone as the mother of a missing girl; a role that was quite different from her sweet Holly Flax.

The Bold Type

It’s a bad idea to get involved with your boss; that is, if your boss is like the domineering Jan Levinson, as played by Melora Hardin. However, if your boss is tough but fair and an all-around good human like The Bold Type’s Jacqueline Carlyle, then maybe things won’t go as badly for you as they did for Michael.

Silicon Valley

While Zach Woods brought even more weirdness to The Office as Gabe Woods for Seasons 6-9, he was more of a secure and stabilizing presence for the tech team on HBO’s comedy, Silicon Valley.

Ocean’s Eight

The Mindy Project hasn’t been the only way to watch Mindy Kaling outside of Scranton. In 2018 she branched out by starring as jeweler Amita in the crime comedy Ocean’s Eight, as one of the so-named group with a plan for a big jewelry heist.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Naive, nice and endlessly hopeful seems to be a specialty of Ellie Kemper. She added another such character to the one from Bridesmaids and The Office when she took on the role of former underground (literally) doomsday cult member Kimmy Schmidt as she attempted to make a life for herself in New York City after being rescued. You can watch her in all four seasons and one interactive movie on one of the best streaming services, Netflix.

The Blacklist

Anyone who enjoyed James Spader as the intimidating and mysterious Robert California, odd though he was, would probably have no problem seeing the actor as, well…mysterious, intimidating and charming criminal mastermind/FBI informant/probable sociopath, Raymond “Red” Reddington for 10 seasons of the NBC drama, The Blacklist, which wrapped its long run in 2023.

The Wire

The Wire is an amazing drama that is one of the TV shows that actually ended well, and it also made Idris Elba a household name because of his long-running role as smooth criminal Stringer Bell. Were it not for this series, we might not have gotten him as Michael’s strict (and eventually antagonistic) boss who had quite an effect on the ladies, Charles Miner. FYI, you can also see Amy Ryan in this show, beginning in Season 2.

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

Few fans of our favorite mockumentary could have guessed that there would be a time when superhero fans around the world would call for John Krasinski (he of the flippy Jim haircut and consistent bemused looks to the camera) to portray Marvel icon Mister Fantastic, a.k.a. Reed Richards. Well, Disney finally gave them their wish in a wildly short-lived fashion when he appeared as a version of the Fantastic Four leader in 2022’s multiverse-hopping Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness.

Six Feet Under

Yet another 2000s HBO drama has delivered another way to see someone from The Office. One of the rare family shows that’s about death in a real way, Six Feet Under helped Rainn Wilson show the world a happier, though still incredibly peculiar, character in mortuary intern Arthur Martin during Season 3.

Hot Tub Time Machine

One of the stranger time travel movies in recent memory can easily be said to be Hot Tub Time Machine, where our time travelers do, indeed, trip through time via an energy drink-powered hot tub. In both this classic comedy and its sequel, you can watch Craig Robinson experience the many benefits and dangers of time travel.

The Daily Show

A number of correspondents have passed by the news desk on Comedy Central’s politically aware pop culture program, The Daily Show. From 2002-2006, Ed Helms lent his talents to segments like Digital Watch, We Love Showbiz and This Week in God. The added bonus for you? This series launched Steve Carell’s early career, as he was also a correspondent from 1999 through 2005, and has returned several times since then as a guest.

Inglourious Basterds

We’ve already come upon some surprising portrayals from our wild and wacky Office workers, and fans were treated to another one with the release of Quentin Tarantino’s Academy Award-nominated Inglourious Basterds in 2009. While B.J. Novak’s Smithson "Little Man" Utivich was simply a loyal soldier and accomplished smart-alek, the environment he thrived in was much more stressful than anything Ryan could have survived.

Upload

Remember that dutiful movie and TV viewers can easily spot one of the Scranton denizens as they pop up in any number of other well-known projects. However, when Creed Bratton (yes, that Creed) appeared in a Season 1 episode of Amazon Prime’s Upload, he probably delivered the briefest, most hilariously gruesome guest star spot of them all.

Doctor Who

If there’s any one show in the history of TV shows that continues to provide us with a near-endless stream of cameos and guest starring roles from up-and-comers, it would be Doctor Who and its 60-year, 40-season history. And, we can actually watch a whole season (the fourth modern one) plus six specials of Catherine Tate (Nellie Bertram, Seasons 7-9) as The Doctor’s companion, Donna Noble.

The White Lotus

Last but not least, we take you to The White Lotus. This Emmy-winning HBO (Should we all just stick with HBO if we want to see our Office mates?) satire has already given us innumerable memorable characters and performances, and Season 1 saw Jake Lacy (who played Pete “New Jim” Miller in Season 9) take on the role of the easily unlikable, arrogant rich guy Shane Patton.

As you can see, The Office cast has thrived outside of the comedy that made so many of them famous!

At the 2024 Met Gala, we saw so many stars stun in floral or garden-inspired looks. For example, Jennifer Lopez rocked a silver see-through number, while Zendaya wore a sleek peacock-colored dress and a black gown with a hat made of flowers. Alexandra Daddario and Mindy Kaling were also there, donning wonderful looks that fit The Garden of Time theme, and now they’re bringing the florals into the summer, and I love it.

Alexandra Daddario Went To The F1 Grand Prix Of Monaco In A Lovely Yellow And White Dress

Alexandra Daddario was living the high life in Monaco, and she was doing it in style. The White Lotus star is known for embracing trends, like the sheer one, in her own way, and now she’s hopefully helping florals make a comeback.

Along with going all in on black bikini summer, the actress is hopping on the flower-based trend this season as she posted a round-up from the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco on her Instagram. Along with videos of the race and images of the yachts, she shared some photos of the gorgeous yellow dress she wore on race day, as you can see in the image above. 

She appeared to be there with the brand Tag Heuer (she’s an ambassador for the luxury watch company), and she posed for selfies with Nicholas Galitzine and Kelsey Merritt. 

However, what I can’t take my eyes off is that gorgeous yellow dress – which has pockets, might I add. I love the white base and how it contrasts with the bright yellow flowers and deep green leaves, plus she gets bonus points for the fact that her VIP badge matches the fit. 

Honestly, the ensemble mixed with the event just screams summer!

Mindy Kaling Rocked A Gorgeous Off-The-Shoulder Pink And Whtie Floral Gown

Do you know who else was embracing florals for summer recently? Mindy Kaling. The actress showed up to the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfronts on May 15 looking fresh in her flowery dress. While her Met Gala look took florals in an avante-garde direction, this fit from her was classic. 

Mindy Kaling wore a wonderful midi-length dress to the event that featured pink and red flowers with deep green leaves on a white background. It also featured an off-the-shoulder moment with spaghetti straps, making the top of the look super unique. She paired it with some black pumps, and overall, she showed up ready for business. 

While at this Warner Bros. event, Kaling spoke about the upcoming season of Sex Lives of College Girls, per Deadline, and her look was perfect for both it and summer. 

Last summer, we saw The Mindy Project star in some on-trend swimsuits, and now we get to see her in these lovely floral dresses. All around, it’s just further proof that Mindy Kaling is a fashion queen.

Overall, both Alexandra Daddario and Mindy Kaling looked fun and fresh in their floral dresses, and now I’m really hoping this sweet look will become a trend. 

While these two ladies continue to stun this summer – and hopefully it’s in florals – make sure to keep up with the 2024 TV schedule so you don’t miss their latest work, which will possibly include Mayfair Witches for Daddario and most definitely includes Monsters at Work and Velma for Kaling.

Nearly two decades ago, Greg Daniels brought the U.S. version of The Office to NBC, reshaping the landscape of American network comedy. Over nine unforgettable seasons and 200 episodes, this adaptation of Ricky Gervais' British series introduced  iconic characters, endlessly clever pranks, and surprisingly tender moments from Michael Scott and the Dunder Mifflin Scranton crew. Now, excitement is building as Daniels is working on something new related to everyone’s favorite mid-level Scranton paper company --  the officially confirmed Office spinoff series. Now, one of the original stars, Mindy Kaling, has some advice for the new cast, and I really hope they take note.

As the buzz around the Office spinoff intensifies, Mindy Kaling has some wise words for the new cast stepping into the iconic show's universe. During a recent appearance on SiriusXM's The Morning Mash Up (via People), Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor and also served as a writer and producer on the original series, shared a key piece of advice for the actors regarding their performances. She said: 

That's sage advice from the Velma executive producer and voice actress. Given the series' blooper reels—many of which I've spent countless hours laughing at, almost as much as the regular episodes—it’s clear that maintaining a straight face on the original The Office set was a tough challenge. Yes, the breaks may help the blooper reel, but the stars will want to make sure they're able to get through takes while acting out scenes. Hopefully, should these quotes reach the stars currently cast and future ones, they'll keep the notes in mind.

Peacock announced over a week ago that the spinoff had received a series order, with Greg Daniels teaming up with Michael Koman as the showrunner. Leading the cast are Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore, the breakout star as fan-favorite Valentina of The White Lotus season 2, with production set to begin in July, so don’t expect it to land on the fall 2024 TV schedule. The new series will follow the same documentary crew that "immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch" as they embark on a quest for a new subject—a struggling newspaper company in the midwest.

As a diehard The Office fan, I was initially apprehensive about the upcoming series. However, based on what we know thus far, Greg Daniels is aiming to bring the show back in a fresh way. I don't know about all of you, but I find the premise incredibly intriguing and look forward to seeing the rest of the cast get filled out.

Mindy Kaling isn’t the only original cast member to share thoughts on the beloved comedy series' spinoff. CinemaBlend recently interviewed Rainn Wilson and Craig Robinson during their reunion for an AT&T ad. Wilson shared a bittersweet take on the new show, explaining that he feels "sad," because the series will move from Scranton, Pennsylvania to an entirely new city and region. This shift means it's unlikely that his character, Dwight Schrute, everyone's favorite beet enthusiast, will appear. Though, never say never. 

Aside from that, though, fans will have to wait a bit longer to see if Rainn Wilson's concerns come to pass or if Mindy Kaling's advice is heeded. In the meantime, die-hard lovers of the show can look forward to the next installment, which will be available to stream with a Peacock subscription. Additionally, said membership will get you access to the latest chapter in this comedic franchise.

There are a lot of reasons that a young actor may change their name. Sometimes it's as simple as just wanting a cool new name. Often it's because someone is already in the union was using the actor's real name and they have to adjust. Here's a list of some of Hollywood's biggest stars and their real names. 

Ben Kingsley (Krishna Pandit Bhanji)

The great Ben Kingsley won an Oscar for his role in the great biopic Gandhi. It makes sense he would play the Indian freedom fighter, as Kingsley himself is Indian. Born to an Indian father and an English mother, Kingsley grew up in England and while his father was a practicing Shia Muslim, Kinglsey is not and considers himself a Quaker. He changed his name for that oh-so-common reason, that he feared a foreign-sounding name would hurt his career. 

Whoopi Goldberg (Caryn Elaine Johnson)

The story is both hilarious and heartfelt. She was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in New York, but when she started acting, she was accused of being flatulent, so Whoopi "short for whoopee cushion." Her surname came from a Jewish ancestor, Goldberg, so she could celebrate the diversity in her family line. 

Judy Garland (Frances Ethel Gumm)

Judy Garland first started in show business as a singer with her sisters, going by their names, The Gumm Sisters. After they were billed as the "Glum Sisters" for a show, it was suggested they change their name. Judy Gumm took her mother's maiden name, Garland, and the rest is history. 

Martin Sheen (Ramon Gerard Estevez)

Martin Sheen's real name is Ramon Gerard Estevez, but he changed it when he broke into the business for the same reason so many others have made the decision, to be less ethnic, as early in his career they said he looked Irish. One of his sons, Charlie Sheen, chose to use the same screen name, but one of his other sons, Emilio Estevez, chose to use his given name. Sheen's daughter, Renée Estevez, an occasional cast member of The West Wing with her father, also stuck with the family name. 

Vin Diesel (Mark Sinclair)

Vin Diesel took on that name after being born Mark Sinclair when he worked as a bouncer as he tried to break into show business. "Vin" comes from his adoptive surname, Vincent, and Diesel came simply because he wanted a cool name as a bouncer. 

Miley Cyrus (Destiny Hope Cyrus)

Though she was born Destiny Hope Cyrus, Miley Cyrus decided to go by the moniker she's best known as because that was simply what her family called her growing up. Her nickname in the family was originally "Smiley" which was eventually shortened to Miley. Her first couple of professional acting gigs, in the TV show Doc and the Tim Burton movie Big Fish, she was billed by her real name, Destiny Cyrus. 

Cary Grant (Archibald Alec Leach)

Early in his Vaudeville career, the great Cary Grant used his real name, Archibald Leach. When he got to Hollywood, as is so often the case, the studio didn't think the name wasn't "box office" enough, so he changed it to Cary Grant. 

Natalie Portman (Natalie Hershlag)

Natalie Portman's real name is Natalie Hershlag, but unlike so many others, she didn't change it because the name was "too ethnic" or not generic enough. As she explained to Vanity Fair in 2024, it was because she wanted to create a separate identity for her work and personal life. 

Portia De Rossi (Amanda Lee Rogers)

Portia de Rossi's name change came, at least originally, because she simply wanted a more exotic-sounding name when she started acting in her teens. Her given name, Amanda Lee Rogers, was just bland. She later revealed it may have been in part because she was struggling with her sexual identity as well. After marrying Ellen Degeneres in 2008, she changed it again, this time combining her real and stage names, Portia Lee James DeGeneres. Professionally she is still Portia de Rossi though. 

Joaquin Phoenix (Joaquin Rafael Bottom)

The Phoenix family has a fascinating history, one that includes time in the cult Children of God. When the family left that group, they made a collective decision to change their last name to one of rebirth, and Joaquin Rafael Bottom became Joaquin Phoenix.

Jamie Foxx (Eric Marlon Bishop)

Born Eric Marlon Bishop in 1967, Jamie Foxx took his stage name early when he was a standup. He says that he noticed women often got preferential spots during open mics, so he decided he wanted a more androgynous name, choosing Jamie. For his last name, he picked it as a tribute to his favorite comedian, Redd Foxx. 

John Wayne (Marion Robert Morrison)

It was a lot more common back in the day for actors to adopt cooler-sounding stage names and that was pretty much the case for Marion Robert Morrison, who ended up John Wayne. It's easy to see why he did it, whether it was a good idea or not. It worked for him. 

Tom Cruise (Thomas Cruise Mapother IV)

Top Gun: Maverick star Tom Cruise didn't change much, but it was a meaningful change. His real name at birth was Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, obviously named after his father, hence the suffix. Cruise had a very difficult relationship with his dad, so when he began his career, he dropped the Mapother in part to distance himself from his then-estranged father. The two later reunited when his father was on his deathbed. 

Olivia Wilde (Olivia Cockburn)

Actor and director Olivia Wilde's story about why she changed her name is pretty simple. She decided she wanted to stage name, and at the time was acting in Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest, which she loved. So she went with Wilde as a homage to the legendary playwright. 

Meg Ryan (Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra)

It's pretty easy to see why Meg Ryan chose to simplify her name when she started acting. Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra sure is a mouthful, so cutting a 25-letter name down to a seven-letter one makes sense. Meg is short for Margaret and Ryan is the maiden name of maternal grandmother. 

Kirk Douglas (Issur Danielovitch)

In another example of early Hollywood stars fearing their given names would hold them back for sounding too ethnic, Kirk Douglas changed his name from Issur Danielovitch. He told People it was because he feared it would hold him back and it sounded "too Semitic." 

Mahershala Ali (Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore)

Like others on this list, it's easy to see why Mahershala Ali changed his name from Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore. Not only is Mahershalalhashbaz really hard to spell and pronounce, but the Green Book actor also converted to Islam as a teenager, taking Mahershala Ali as his Muslim name. 

Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jeane Mortenson)

One of the most famous name changes in Hollywood history is Norma Jeane Mortensen changing her name to Marilyn Monroe. There is no big story behind it, it simply was a snazzier name and Monroe was her mother's maiden name. 

Michael Keaton (Michael Douglas)

This one is easy to understand. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star Michael Keaton's real name is Michael Douglas. Obviously with an actor already in the union (Romancing The Stone star Michael Douglas), Keaton had to come up with a new name for billing. He chose the last name out of respect for early Hollywood star Buster Keaton. 

Michael Caine (Maurice Joseph Micklewhite)

If you think Maurice Micklewhite is a bit of a mouthful, you're not alone. English legend Michael Caine thought so too. In 2016, he legally changed his name from Micklewhite to Caine, because, according to the Batman Begins actor says it caused too much confusion at airports. 

Winona Ryder (Winona Laura Horowitz)

This one is a little in dispute - though not really. Charlie Sheen once claimed he gave Winona Horowitz her new name, Ryder, after listening to The Doors song "Riders on the Storm." Ryder says she got it when her father asked if she wanted a stage name while they were listening to Mitch Ryder. 

Demi Moore (Demetria Gene Guynes)

The story of Demi Moore's stage name (changed from Demetria Guynes) is both mundane and unique. Before she started appearing in acting roles, Moore married musician Freddy Moore when she was 18. So while Moore was her married name, it was a new name, just as her career was taking off. Demi is simply short for Demetria. 

Dove Cameron (Chloe Celeste Hosterman)

Dove Cameron has never explained why she chose Cameron as her stage name, but her reason for choosing Dove is bittersweet. Dove was her father's nickname for her and after he took his own life, she decided she wanted to go by that, in tribute to him. 

Cher (Cherilyn Sarkisian)

It takes a lot of gall and a lot of talent to decide you're going to go with a one-name moniker, and Cher has oodles of both. It's not hard to see what she did, she simply shortened her first name, Cherilyn, and dropped her last. 

Olivia Colman (Sarah Caroline Colman)

Like others on this list, Olivia Colman couldn't join the actors union with her birth name, Sarah Colman, so she changed it. As she explained in 2013, Colman chose Olivia because it is one of her best friends from college's name and she loved it. 

Carmen Electra (Tara Leigh Patrick)

There aren't many people who can claim the legendary Prince gave them their name, but Carmen Electra can. Way back at the start of her career, when she was working with the Purple One, he decided Tara wasn't good enough and named her Carmen. In 2023, Tara Leigh Patrick officially changed her legal name to Carmen Electra, because who wouldn't?

Lily James (Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson)

Like others here, Lily James renamed herself in honor of her late father, James. Though Thomson was also her father's name, of course, she wanted to do more, deciding taking on the stage name "James" to do so. 

Nicolas Cage (Nicolas Kim Coppola)

Nicolas Cage's first movie role was basically just a background character in Fast Times At Ridgemont High. He is billed in the credits by his legal name, Nicolas Coppola, and yeah, it's that Coppola. While on the set of Fast Times, his co-stars would endlessly quote his famous uncle's (Francis Ford Coppola) movies. He decided then and there he needed to distance himself from his famous family (Talia Shire is his aunt, and Sophia Coppola and Jason Schwartzman are cousins).

Julianne Moore (Julie Anne Smith)

Julie Smith is a pretty common name, and when the great Julieanne Moore hit Hollywood, she soon discovered the name was already taken in the union. She tried different combinations, but they were all spoken for. In the end, she combined her first and middle names, and took her father's name, Moore, as her surname. It's like having to go through dozens of combos to find the right vanity plate, but in the end, it's hard to imagine the actor with any other name. 

Mindy Kaling (Vera Mindy Chokalingam)

It seems Hollywood is still getting people to change their names if they or people around them fear a real name is too complicated or foreign. Indian actor and writer Mindy Kaling is a recent example when she simplified her name from Vera Mindy Chokalingam to Mindy Kaling. 

David Tennant (David John McDonald)

Former Dr. Who and Jessica Jones star David Tennant has a tried and true story as well, his real name, David McDonald, was taken. He explained some years ago on James Corden's show, where he also explained that he chose "Tennant" because he saw the name from a music magazine in an article about Neil Tennant of The Pet Shop Boys. 

Chevy Chase (Cornelius Crane Chase)

Chevy Chase comes from a very blood-blue family who can trace their roots in America back to the Mayflower. Cornelius Crane Chase, the Vacation star's real name, reflects this perfectly. The reason he goes by "Chevy" is because his grandmother started calling him that when he was a kid. So, not much of a story here, but he's real name is just so posh, that we had to include it here. 

Helen Mirren (Helen Lydia Mironoff)

Like others, this one is just a technicality. Helen Mirren was born Helen Lydia Mironoff in London to an English mother and a Russian father. When Mirren was 10 years old, her father anglicized the family name to "Mirren." 

There is something about Taylor Swift’s music that just connects with people. Whether it’s her vulnerable, heartbreaking lyrics or her high-energy pop beats, there is a lot to love about the Grammy winning artist. This includes her personal care packages she sends her friends and admirers after an album release. To celebrate the release of The Tortured Poets Department, Swift sent merch packages with a handwritten note to other creatives that she considers to be “members of the Tortured Poets Department,” and included a heartfelt note as a thank you. Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, and many other celebs were amongst the “members” who received a package from Swift, and I personally am just as excited as they were about the goodies.

Swift has been open about finding inspiration everywhere when creating her record breaking albums and coming up with new ideas. She revealed that Mad Men was an inspiration for “Lavender Haze” , and the movie Something Great inspired “Death By A Thousand Cuts.” She also has been candid about other entertainment professionals inspiring her in different ways, and it’s super interesting to see who she included in the TTPD club who received sweet gifts from Swift as a thank you. Many posted their care packages, including Mindy Kaling, who couldn’t be happier to rock her sweatshirt gifted by the “Fortnight” singer. You can see her Instagram below:

Mindy Kaling, by her admission is a huge Swiftie, and even attended her first LA show on the Eras Tour. It’s no wonder Swift feels a kinship with Kaling, as the actress is a prolific writer who has made an effort to uplift other female voices, much like the pop star. The same goes for Reese Witherspoon, who has done the same with her own career and found herself receiving a package from Swift as well. The Legally Blonde actress even ranked some of her favorite songs off the album. You can see her Instagram story post below:

Swift of course didn’t leave her fellow female singers behind, as Kelsea Ballerini also posted her own sweet package from Swift, and referred to the singer as having a “beautiful mind” in her Instagram story.

Rosé from the K-Pop girl group BLACKPINK also was excited to receive her care package on Instagram. Swift is notoriously a fan of the girl group, and even posted a TikTok using a BLACKPINK song in 2022.

Lin-Manuel Miranda has a beautiful mind of his own, and this was seemingly acknowledged by the pop star with his own package. He even shared one of his favorite songs from the album, accompanying his Instagram story post with the new song “Florida!!!”

Eras Tour attendees seemingly were prioritized with this merch drop. Simu Liu acquired a massive friendship bracelet collection at Swift’s Seattle show, and has been prolific about his love for the singer on social media. He got a package of his own and based on his Instagram story reaction, was in shock to be included.

One of the cutest items in the package was the TTPD gold bracelet which Buffy The Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar rocked in an Instagram post. She also attended the Eras Tour alongside Seth Green at one of the SoFi shows in 2023.

Lastly, of course, Grey’s Anatomy actress Ellen Pompeo got her own “thank you” from Swift. The “Love Story” singer is a massive fan of her show, and even named one of her cats “Meredith Grey” after Pompeo’s titular character. The love seems to be mutual, as Pompeo posted her own Swift gift on her Instagram story.

There were probably plenty of other packages to go around that didn’t make it to social media, but based on just these, it seems like Swift really took her time with the presentation. The handwritten note in every gift is a nice touch, and makes the whole thing feel so special and personal. “The Tortured Poets Department” is certainly well staffed, and now the members finally have the uniform for the job. Who knew a uniform could be this cute and cozy?

Not everyone could receive a merch package from Taylor Swift herself, but everyone can receive Swift’s greatest gift, her music. You can check out her latest album The Tortured Poets Department now by streaming it on Apple Music and Spotify. Swifties should also check out our feature on other Taylor Swift projects coming down the pike in the near future.

When it comes to longstanding celebrity friendships, Mindy Kaling and BJ Novak are seemingly as solid as the likes of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, or Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez. Their relationship dates back to 2004, when they met on The Office and dated off-and-on for a few years before deciding to be just best friends. However, rumors began swirling recently that the pair had a falling out, and Kaling responded to the gossip using her signature comedic sensibilities.

The celebrity gossip site DeuxMoi reported that their sources indicated Mindy Kaling and BJ Novak’s friendship was on the rocks, after the Why Not Me? author initiated a break from the actor and he reportedly agreed that he needed some distance. Kaling herself responded in the comments of DeuxMoi’s Instagram post, writing: 

The presumably sarcastic comment has since been removed from the post, but many people are taking her words to mean that there’s no merit behind the speculation.

The podcaster says in the post that she reached out to sources after being asked about the lack of social media activity between BJ Novak and Mindy Kaling lately. She recalled what the source reported back: 

Again, this appears to not be the case, per Mindy Kaling herself, although neither she nor BJ Novak have provided any additional context to flaunt their friendship or defend themselves against the rumors (nor should they have to, honestly). 

Despite their dating history and repeated insistence that their relationship is platonic, many people have trouble believing that Mindy Kaling and BJ Novak aren’t romantically involved. There’s even a long-standing rumor that Novak is her children’s biological father (whose identity she has chosen to keep private). The Book With No Pictures author, however, is proudly the godfather of both Katherine and Spencer, and Kaling has gushed about the connection her kids have with him.

Sometimes with rumors like this, it’s a “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” situation, but If the “falling out” rumors are fueled simply by their social media interactions and one anonymous source, I think we have to take that with a big grain of salt, especially after Mindy Kaling seemingly refuted it. Fans won’t be satisfied, however, until they get confirmation straight from the sources, so we’ll be waiting.

In the meantime, you can relive the early days of BJ Novak and Mindy Kaling’s relationship by rewatching The Office, whose nine seasons are available to stream with a Peacock subscription, and keep an eye on the 2024 TV schedule for all of the upcoming premiere dates. 

Mindy Kaling seemed to find “Wonderland” when she attended the first night of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Los Angeles, and I’m obsessed. The actress was not only rocking a fab 1989 shirt, she also had two forearms full of friendship bracelets and the sweetest caption proving that she’s a serious Swiftie. 

As someone who had her brain chemistry altered by the Eras Tour and its seriously amazing moments, The Office alum’s enthusiastic post about her experience was so relatable. She took to Instagram to show off the highlights from seeing Taylor Swift, and it’s adorable, check it out:

Honestly, she looks like a kid whose “Wildest Dreams” just came true, and I love that for her. I think my favorite thing about her caption is that she wrote: 

That notion was also evident in the videos she posted. Mindy Kaling had clips from the Fearless, evermore and 1989 eras in her carousel. She also explained in her caption that there’s a video of her screaming “Delicate.” However, it didn’t make the post’s final cut, but it did prove her love for Reputation too. So, our girl really adores all of Taylor Swift’s work, which is amazing.  

Not only did Kaling clearly have the best time, her outfit also made it super clear she’s a real Swiftie. We’ve all been clowning about which upcoming project Taylor Swift will release next, and the majority opinion seems to be she might announce the release date for 1989 (Taylor’s Version) while she’s in Los Angeles. While that didn’t happen on night one, The Mindy Project star was still dressed for the occasion and made her era of choice clear. 

Also, it looks like she took trading friendship bracelets seriously. Her arms were full of candy-colored jewelry, and I assume that means she had tons of lovely interactions with Swifties who were in her section. 

Mindy Kaling wasn’t the only one who attended the first night of LA’s Eras Tour stop in “Style.” Alexandra Daddario, Brie Larson, Lupita Nyong’o and a whole murderer’s row of celebs were at SoFi Stadium to see Taylor Swift, and this was only night one of six. Then on night two, even more famous folks, like Max Greenfield and Kristen Bell, were spotted. There’s also still four more concerts in the City of Angeles, so I think we’re bound to see a laundry list of artists who also identify as Swifties. 

As Taylor Swift’s first leg of the Eras Tour comes to an end in the United States, it’s been fun to see actors, artists and all the fans showing up in their best “Dress” to “Shake It Off” with the pop star. And Mindy Kaling partying like it was 1989 was the perfect example of this. 

As a female comedian of Indian heritage who co-starred in one of the most beloved and popular TV comedies of the modern era, Mindy Kaling is an inspiration to many, even if that kind of attention may not always be the most desired. Being a role model comes with its own list of challenges, obviously, and The Office vet earned new waves of attention in recent months when showing off some weight loss while rocking a swimsuit, and then again more recently with a Legally Blonde-inspired bikini shot. But while she might be all good with having fun on camera, she’s less inclined to keep talking about her weight and others’ thoughts about her body size.

While speaking with Allure about her skincare and makeup routines, and the issues she’s faced on that front from having melanated skin, Mindy Kaling was asked to address fans who may believe they’ve lost a voice of compassion, given her past comments about body positivity and the lack of a desire to be traditionally “skinny.” But she side-stepped a direct answer as not to have her thoughts taken in the wrong direction, saying:

Celebrities' comments often get taken out of context, or can be perceived too literally when that's not the case. And that goes double/triple/etc. when such comments are tied to beauty, body health and other sensitive and personal topics. So instead of going down that route again and inviting more criticisms, Kaling backed away from it altogether, and was honest about the reasoning. Can't hate on that, even though others' mileage will vary.

Kaling has become a high-profile target of sorts for both diversity advocates to raise up, and for those on the direct opposite side to attempt to tear down. Or, when it came to the Max adult-animated comedy Velma, both sides were happy to join forces in voicing their anger. (Personally, I didn't think it was that bad.) That kind of public response plays into why Kaling keeps her personal life highly private and away from prying eyes.

That said, the Sex Lives of College Girls co-creator is still happy to talk about the role that turned her into a household name, Kelly Kapoor, and how the character's own makeup routine was a window into her personality. In Kaling's words:

Kelly was indeed endearing, even if Ryan didn't always want to admit just how much he was smitted with her. She clearly had trouble admitting things to herself about Ryan as well, but that's a whole other conversation.

Fans can check out all of Kelly Kapoor's makeup styles by streaming episodes of The Office with a Peacock subscription, while a Max subscription will grant fans access to both seasons of Sex Lives of College Girls (with Season 3 on the way) and the first season of Velma (with Season 2 coming). 

There are many iconic scenes in Legally Blonde, however, one of the most memorable has to be Elle’s video essay to get into Harvard Law School. Of course, that scene features Reese Witherspoon’s spunky character wearing a sparkly green bikini and talking about getting into school while floating in a pool. So, to honor her friend, and this legendary scene, Mindy Kaling recreated the moment for a poolside post, and she looks magnificent. 

While this summer has been all about the black bikini, and we’ve seen other celebs rocking Barbiecore swimwear, Mindy Kaling decided to take a page out of Elle Woods’ book. In a sponsored post for Andie Swim, The Mindy Project star posted:

“What? Like it’s hard?” While Kaling shouted out her pal and her iconic movie, she looked effortlessly stunning in these poolside pics that go hand in hand with the other yellow swimsuit pics she shared in March. Most importantly though, she’s doing a wonderful job paying homage to the early ‘00s classic. 

The Never Have I Ever co-creator went on to write about her love for Legally Blonde and how it inspired the photoshoot as she posted:

The Andie Swim account paid homage to Witherspoon too, as they commented:

I love this sweet post that honors such a classic movie. Now, the question is: When are we getting Legally Blonde 3?

As far as we know, Legally Blonde 3 is still on the way, with the OG lead actress attached to star and Kaling set to pen the script. While we don’t know if anyone else from the Legally Blonde cast will be returning, the Sex Lives of College Girls co-creator did give her two cents on the Elle Woods actress’s daughter possibly joining the film. Witherspoon has also opened up about Jennifer Coolidge returning to Elle’s world, and it sounds like the Emmy winner is bound to bend and snap again. 

So, while we wait to see these two longtime pals collaborate on the highly anticipated Legally Blonde 3, we can appreciate Kaling’s A+ tribute to Elle’s iconic Harvard Law video. To see what inspired this fun photoshoot, check out the full video essay from the MGM movie below: 

Watching this clip, and thinking about the shows Mindy Kaling has created and starred in, I must admit her friendship with Reese Witherspoon makes total sense. They seem to share a sense of humor, which is likely why The Office alum was brought on to write the third installment in Elle Woods’ story. 

We don’t know when Legally Blonde 3 is coming, but luckily both Kaling and Witherspoon love to show their adoration for the 2001 classic. So, while we wait to see these two pals finally work together, you can stream Legally Blonde with an Amazon Prime subscription. 

Sex and the City remains an incredibly culturally significant show. The reboot series, And Just Like That… has reignited the love for the show and rehashed some debates over the characters from the classic HBO series. Recently, the question as to who was the shows’ worst boyfriend was posed, with many celebrities like Mindy Kaling weighing in. What made it even better was when some I realized that some of the commenters hilariously were exes of the lead characters, who you may have forgotten guest starred on the show. 

Vanity Fair recently asked the Instagram community who the worst man was on the Manhattan set series. Turns out many people had a lot of opinions on the matter. Kaling may have given the hottest take of all, stating that Mr. Big (Carrie’s primary love interest on the show) was actually the worst boyfriend any of the cast had. She defended her point well, stating:

Honestly, she is so real for this. Carrie and Big’s will they/won’t they relationship ended up wearing on viewers after a while, and the relationship ended up becoming pretty toxic over the years. I bet there's even a chance that Kaling believes the shocking Peleton death of the character was for the best. 

Some alum on the show also gave their two cents. Justin Theroux, for example, gave a definitive answer to the question.

For context, Jared was a minor character Theroux played in Season 1 of the show, who has a brief fling with Carrie. The Leftovers star came back later to the show to play the more significant role of Vaughn, who was a writer that had a brief romance with the same character. For Theroux to come back to play a different character, and date the same girl, is pretty funny. Also, clearly, he has his favorites. 

Kyle MacLachlan, who played a partner of Charlotte’s, also weighed in. His character, Trey, is historically unpopular with Sex and the City fans due to his odd behavior and mommy issues. While the Twin Peaks star has also expressed his own hate for Trey, he decided to defend his character against the influx of Trey trolling in the comments. He said:

Celebrities like Ellie Goulding, Lena Waithe and Katie Couric also provided comments and passionate replies, naming universally hated characters like Aidan and Berger. Both of these characters were love interests of Carrie’s that demonstrated heaps of toxic masculinity behavior. I think it’s safe to say Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha all dated some terrible men, and there are valid reasons for disliking most of their boyfriends. 

For fans wanting to relive these romances from the HBO comedy, you can stream Sex and the City now with a Max subscription. The reboot series, And Just Like That… is also available on the platform with even more drama and new romances. For more information on other great HBO shows available to stream, make sure to consult our feature on the best HBO Max original shows to stream now.

Summer is just around the corner, and while some celebs like Kylie Jenner have been celebrating bikini winter, more and more famous faces have been popping up as the weather gets warmer to show off their best beach-ready looks. Even for those who are used to being in front of the camera, it takes some self-confidence to share swimsuit pics with millions of Instagram users, and Mindy Kaling is knocking it out of the park, talking about looking “cute and sexy” as a mom of two after her recent weight loss.

The Office alum has partnered with Andie Swim on a line of swimsuits, bikinis and cover-ups that come in a variety of colors and sizes, and she showed off what she told People was one of her favorite items in the collection — a daffodil-colored one-piece suit — as she promoted the line on Instagram: 

She acknowledged in the post that women have different tastes when it comes to swimwear, and while you can’t go wrong with classic colors (it is the year of the black bikini, after all), nobody should assume that just because someone has curves or is a mom that they don’t also want to feel cute and show some color when they hit the pool. As she told People: 

Mindy Kaling showed off a bold look at the 2023 Academy Awards in March, after reportedly losing more than 40 pounds, and she said the partnership with Andie comes after sporting the brand through several changes to her body over the years. She has two children — Katherine Swati, 5, and Spencer Avu, 2 — and she wants other mothers look and feel amazing, Kaling said on Instagram, as she showed off a simple black swimsuit: 

It’s great to see the Never Have I Ever creator feeling so confident in her body and working to help other women do the same. We’ve seen other celebrities continue to contribute to the body positivity movement as swimsuit season approaches. Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi clapped back at trolls recently, as she rocked a bikini for Sports Illustrated at age 52 (decades later than the model had thought the opportunity might come). 

While we wait for Mindy Kaling’s creations Velma and The Sex Lives of College Girls to return, you can check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other shows are premiering soon. 

While we watch the Academy Awards to celebrate the 2023 Oscar winners, we also tune in for the stunning looks worn by the nominees and presenters. This year there were lots of bold looks from the celebs as they rocked ensembles that featured bright colors, unique cuts and capitalized on today’s trends while paying homage to classic styles. From Rihanna to Florence Pugh to Dwayne Johnson there were tons of memorable looks, here are six of our favorites. 

Rihanna

Following her iconic Super Bowl performance and the surprise pregnancy announcement, Rihanna came to the Oscars in another gorgeous gown that showed off her baby bump. According to Harpers Bazaar, the singer was wearing a black, mesh, leather Alaïa dress. The gown featured three distinct elements: a black leather bra, a mesh long-sleeved top and a long black leather maxi skirt. The mesh beautifully highlighted her baby bump, and she complimented the look with an updo, simple dangly earrings and a red lip. Overall, it’s a gorgeous, bold and unique look that was totally Rihanna!

Rihanna was nominated and performed her song “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

Florence Pugh

Once again, Florence Pugh showed up in an unconventional, bold and daring outfit. Most recently the Don’t Worry Darling star wore a beautiful sheer skirt and sweater, and she took her style to another level at the Oscars by rocking this grey gown and black shorts. She explained to E! News that the look is: 

I love it! The romantic gown mixed with the punk rock shorts is such a mood, and proves once again why Florence Pugh is a fashion icon. 

Florence Pugh voices a character in the Oscar-nominated animated movie Puss and Boots: The Last Wish. 

Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling’s gorgeous, white deconstructed corset dress was somehow both classic and unique, making it one of my favorite bold looks. According to TMZ, The Mindy Project star was styled by Molly Dickson in this Vera Wang gown that features a corset and a sheer bodice. 

According to the article the dress was originally supposed to be black and white, however, she had requested white. It was both classic and modern with the gorgeous white and framing of the dress while the corset top added a hint of edge to the look. 

Mindy Kaling presented at the Academy Awards this year. 

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson took a page out of Jason Momoa’s fashion book as he rocked a salmon pink silky blazer. The Rock’s suit was made by Dolce & Gabbana according to Parade, the same designer brand that made Halle Bailey’s princess sheer gown for the evening. It seems like this brand wanted to go for the light and bright colors, and I'm here for it. Complimenting the standout blazer the actor wore simple black slacks and a black bow tie, making sure all the attention was on the jacket.

He walked the carpet with Emily Blunt, and the two presented an award together. His Jungle Cruise co-star wore a sleek white gown, and the two actors complimented each other very well. 

Angela Bassett

Angela Bassett did the thing as she regally walked the red carpet in a royal purple gown by Moschino, per Harpers Bazaar. This is not the first time the Oscar-nominated actress has rocked purple on the carpet, and she is proving once again that this is her color. The gown was bold and unique. It featured pieces that elevated above the dress, adding lots of texture and layers, and the shade of purple was vibrant and stunning. The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star finished her look with a diamond snake necklace, black purse and neutral glam. Overall, this actress proved once again that she is a queen. 

Angela Bassett was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her historic performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

Malala Yousafzai 

Malala Yousafzai was shining on the red carpet in her sequined Ralph Lauren gown and hijab, per Marie Claire. The article notes that this gorgeous gown uses a timeless color and cut with trendy sequins to create a shimmery look, and it was amazing.

Along with the sequined gown and hijab Malala had on dangly white earrings and a classic red lip. 

Malala Yousafzai was nominated for the Documentary Short Film Stranger at the Gate. 

These are only six of the amazing looks from the night, and there were so many more from all the nominees and presenters. Overall, the looks from the night were gorgeous, classic, and bold and showed the ways fashion can evolve. 

Mild spoilers below for the early episodes of Velma. 

Almost as if it was the result of a masked villain’s terror-fueled antics, HBO Max’s latest meddling foray into adult animation, the Scooby-Doo-less prequel Velma, has been subject to some wildly negative critical reviews, viewer reactions, social media commentary, and other forms of brutal lambasting. And not even the same ignorance-based criticisms (at least entirely) that came out when it was revealed Velma’s central character would be an Indian teen voiced by Mindy Kaling, but rather some astute and fairly on-point judgment calls. Almost offensively too self-aware? Yep. Too grossly horny to balance out its sex positivity? Yep. Boasting an overeagerness to treat Scooby-Doo history as snarkily as possible? For the most part. But it’s not necessarily the avoid-at-all-costs trainwreck that it’s being perceived as.

Even in today’s plague of pop culture oversaturation, it’s pretty hard for any piece of entertainment to get released that is inarguably 100% absent of value, and the same goes for Velma. As such, here are five things that are still worth highlighting and celebrating about the NSFW series.  

The Entire Cast's Voice-Acting Skills

For all the complaints aimed at Velma’s content and characters, far fewer are criticisms aimed directly at the performances of the star-studded cast. The core Mystery Inc. characters are voiced with aplomb by the aforementioned Mindy Kaling as Velma; It’s Always Sunny’s Glenn Howerton as the infantile Fred; Veep vet Sam Richardson as the race-swapped proto-Shaggy, Norville; and Crazy Rich Asians’ Constance Wu as Daphne. Beyond those talents, Velma boasts a wide variety of talented co-stars in Nicole Byer (Nailed It), stand-up comedians Fortune Feimster and Russell Peters, Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Sarayu Blue (Never Have I Ever), Yvonne Orji (Insecure), Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws), Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and Office Space co-stars Stephen Root and Gary Cole. That’s not even an exhaustive list, either, as Scooby-Doo’s voice himself Frank Welker is also in the mix.

Velma's Horror-Tinged Animation Looks Pretty Awesome

I don't so much dig the concept of Velma sporadically hallucinating whenever mystery-solving is addressed — not only for being similar to Wednesday, since I don't really like her "vision" power either. But those hallucinations are admittedly where Velma's animation is at its best, and it achieves a semblance of the legitimately creepy visuals occasionally conjured up by Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? and the many different spinoffs over the years. But even outside of those segments, Velma has quite a few macabre and vivid moments that would serve as excellent posters for a horror fan's walls. 

The Jokes That AREN'T Overly Meta Or About Sex And Drugs Are Funny

All the fan goodwill that accompanied Velma's first LGBTQ+ storyline in the 2022 feature Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! has largely been lost within Velma's sloppy sheets, but most of the time when the show opts for situational humor, or jokes born out of complete randomness, it can indeed inspire audible snorts and chortles. I really don't need Norville's character development being split between lackluster weed references and lusting over Velma, but I could spend all day listening to Sam Richardson generally musing about whatever weirdness is happening. This show is also a veritable buffet for anyone who particularly enjoys self-deprecating humor, though I’ll admit that it does get a bit too needlessly hateful with these beloved characters. 

Daphne's Moms Are The Best

Even though I already put a spotlight on the voice cast at large, it's worth doubling down to celebrate Jane Lynch and Wanda Sykes for voicing arguably Velma's best characters, Donna and Linda. The pair serve as Daphne's moms, as well as bumbling police officers, and they fit squarely into the sillier side of things, where just pronouncing a word a certain way can spark giggles. Perhaps my appreciation is tied also to the fact that, at least for the first batch of episodes, Donna and Linda's relationship to each other and to Daphne isn't endlessly mined for trite lesbian jokes and mixed race gags that would have seemed inevitable based on a lot of the other humor.

Velma's Aesthetic Callbacks To Scooby-Doo Lore

As indicated above, Velma can often be its own worst enemy when referencing well-established Scooby-Doo elements and lore, as it wields the heaviest of tools to hammer things home. Which inevitably adds more enjoyment to the fan service-y details that don't scream at viewers to acknowledge them. Such as posters and other imagery of classic villains and monster costumes. (Those specific details, as seen above, also warrant an interesting thought experiment about what those images are actually depicting within this universe.) Other bits, such as the screennames above, serve as references to Scrappy-Doo, obviously, but also to Scooby-Doo co-creator Joe Ruby (who also served as the name sake for the titular Great Dane's sister Ruby), and to The Hex Girls rock band that first appeared in Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost before later showing up in various other projects. References like those are a lot more fun to think about when viewers aren't being bludgeoned with them.

So while you won't find me going to bat in saying Velma was absolutely worth everyone's efforts, I also don't think the seemingly endless hatred pointed in its direction is warranted, either. As it goes with most shows, those who don't like it don't need to watch it, with the comfort of assuming HBO Max might have blindly cancelled it anyway.

Velma streams new episodes each Thursday for everyone with HBO Max subscriptions, with two episodes dropping each week. Head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are dropping that hopefully won’t turn the Internet into an upside-down dumpster fire.

SPOILERS are ahead for the first two episodes of Velma, now streaming with an HBO Max subscription. Tread lightly if you don’t want the early mysteries of the series revealed. 

Scooby-Doo has been a mainstay on television ever since CBS premiered its first series back in 1969 with the same ingredients in place: a group of four teenagers, a Great Dane named Scooby-Doo and their trusty The Mystery Machine solving supernatural mysteries. Over more than fifty years, the Scooby-Doo franchise has remained one of the most popular TV cartoon series of all time and found many iterations, from the live-action Scooby-Doo movies, to numerous animated films and TV shows. The latest from the property, HBO Max’s Velma, from producer and star Mindy Kaling, is looking to be the most controversial yet due to the many ways it updates the classic Scooby-Doo gang. 

When the series starring an Indian Velma premiered last week, critics and audiences alike slammed the show for changing the identities of many of the characters. The reaction isn’t surprising given Velma totally recontextualizes them for a contemporary and adult audience. Having tuned into Velma after being a longtime fan of the franchise, I totally see why many will stop in their tracks of all the changes here. But, rather than moving Velma right to the doghouse, I want to talk through how exactly the series is seeking to revise the classic Scooby-Doo gang. 

Mindy Kaling’s South Asian Velma Has Depth And Mystery

When executive producer and the new voice of Velma, Mindy Kaling, previously spoke to the decision to change the Scooby-Doo character’s race, The Office star shared that they felt that the character was “not necessarily tied to her whiteness.” Additionally, Kaling felt she could personally identify so much with Velma, so they decided to make her Indian like her for the series. Velma feels like a completely new version of the character, who doesn’t hold the same innocent “jinkies!” just-lost-her-glasses at all times presentation of previous iterations, though does embody her to essence to a degree. Rather, it seems the writers were going for a more realistic depiction of who a Velma would be in 2023, with a new backstory and all. 

Although Kaling’s Velma doesn't have the same sweet charm of the original character for sure, she does have an increasingly interesting backstory as the show unfolds that we've not seen from the teen detective before. As we learn early in the show, she’s been long haunted by her mother leaving her and her father when she was a child and how it’s connected with her love for solving mysteries. At the moment, she’s too traumatized by her abandonment issues to go into mystery mode, but as the season presents a tantalizing one for her to dig into, it looks like she’ll have to face her fears and embrace her character’s destiny. 

Velma Is A Super Raunchy Adult Animation Series 

Another difference between Velma and the Scooby-Doo we know is through the fact that it is no longer an all-ages affair. The property has been rated G for decades, except for the R-rated James Gunn movie that never came to be, but this HBO Max series imagines it as a purely adult animation property that very much is walking right past its family-friendly roots in fun and cheeky ways. And yes, that’s the slippery slope for Velma since casual audiences clicking on the series might assume it's adhering to its typical branding, along with the assumption that animation is typically for kids. 

Though, the case I’ll make here is this is for the curious who don’t mind seeing the book thrown out to see these characters conceptualized in entirely different ways. What if Scooby-Doo had debuted today without its half a century of nostalgia for an adult audience? To determine whether that is your cup of tea, the question you have to ask yourself is if you can laugh at these characters in this reimagining or are they too precious to you to be desanitized?  

The Series Reimagines How The Scooby-Doo Gang Came Together 

Noticeably absent from Velma is Scooby-Doo himself, but as it’s made apparent in the intro episodes for the HBO Max series, it will explore how Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and Fred come together and perhaps become a mystery-solving team. We’ve seen prequel type stories for the Scooby-Doo gang before, but this one uses its modern and adult spin to craft how the four unlikely crew become entangled together through this lens. 

The first season revolves around a string of brutal killings at their high school where popular girls are found dead with their brains removed from their bodies. Velma becomes the first suspect of the case before Fred gets accused and prosecuted for it early in the season. Through the prosecution, Velma characterizes Fred as a privileged teen who can’t do anything himself whereas Shaggy is a Black man who is super into snacks and secretly in love with Velma, but not at all the stoner he is famously thought of to be. It certainly feels like Velma knows the history that comes with each character and is playing with our expectations to shock and play for laughs along with coming up with a bigger central story as to how the gang comes together. Oh, and as for Daphne… 

Jinkies, We Might Get Velma And Daphne’s Love Story 

In Velma, Velma and Daphne are childhood friends who have grown apart as they grew up due to them fitting into different social circles in high school. Whereas Velma is an outcast, Daphne is a popular girl, which makes perfect sense. Played by Constance Wu, Velma establishes Daphne as Asian American who secretly sells drugs to other students to raise money to find her biological parents. This is when things click between Velma and Daphne again. Between Velma’s own abandonment issues regarding her mother and Daphne’s own obsession about her family secrets, a flirtation forms. 

Velma has long been a lesbian icon among fans and recently got a queer storyline in a recent animated Scooby-Doo movie for the first time. And those fans have particularly often shipped Velma with Daphne. Two episodes in, Velma looks to be very much leading toward telling a love story between the two Scooby-Doo characters not unlike the raunchy animated Harley Quinn series has done for Harley and Poison Ivy. 

There you have it! That’s the scoop on how Velma updates the classic franchise. While I agree with some early criticism of it definitely not honoring the spirit of the source material, color me curious regarding how its twisted humor will continue to rethink the classic franchise just cause, including by having a more inclusive cast of characters. We can always go back to good ‘ole Scooby-Doo when we want to and here's hoping the characters how we know and love them continue to exist in new forms as well.

There seemed to be plenty of reasons to be excited for Mindy Kaling’s Scooby-Doo spinoff, Velma. For one thing, the writer/actor/producer has proven herself over the years, with creations including The Mindy Project, Never Have I Ever and The Sex Life of College Girls. The series also boasts a stellar supporting cast of Sam Richardson, Constance Wu and Glenn Howerton to round out the Mystery Inc. gang, and the titular character was finally getting queer storyline. With the release of the first two episodes on HBO Max, however, Velma is getting slammed by fans and critics alike, with accusations of a childhood favorite being ruined.

A lot of changes were made to the characters so many of us grew up watching for Velma, with one of the more perplexing decisions being to remove Scooby-Doo altogether. Kaling said she faced backlash when it was announced she would voice Velma, but much of the criticism surrounding the series’ release centered around the beloved characters’ personalities being unrecognizable, rather than the changes in their race. Rotten Tomatoes user Jess B was apparently thrown off by the whole thing, commenting: 

That viewer was one of many on Rotten Tomatoes to question why developer Charlie Grandy didn’t just create an original animation, rather than make such drastic changes to existing IP. The series had compiled an audience score of just 8% on the review-aggregation site as of this writing, and the viewers didn’t hold back when it came to sharing their opinions. More of the comments read: 

• I don't care about the race changes, but they're not the same characters... at all. There's not an ounce of reverence for the source material. It's got as much to do with scooby doo as the Clue board game does. This show isn't for scooby doo fans. – Kyle S
• I saw the clips so I tried to watch some of the first episode. Too awful for a hate watch. Why was this even made? Did the people in it not realize it was so awful? Very confusing. – Sean O 
• I grew up with the orginal Scooby-do, but it appears the writers never did. – Rikwin d
• Think of the worst thing you have ever seen or can remember (from your entire life). This is like that, but with someone constantly slapping you in the face and shouting laugh now, laugh now, laugh now. – Steve P
• A Scooby-Doo show without scooby-doo. It's exactly what I expected. Terrible. – Cabbage

It wasn’t just the fans that took issue with Velma, but the critics did too. And while the critical score was a much higher 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, the reviews weren’t exactly complimentary. Joshua Alston of Variety emphasized it’s not the change to the characters’ race or the LGBTQ+ storylines that are the issue. Rather he calls the characters “unpleasant” and questions how this belongs in the Scooby-Doo universe, saying: 

Angie Han of THR says that while Velma clearly has affection for the classic character, it’s snarky to a fault, and the abundance of meta humor gets in the way of its heart. Some of the humor doesn’t hit as intended either, as the critic notes: 

The first two episodes of Velma are available for streaming now with an HBO Max subscription, with Episodes 3 and 4 coming on Thursday, January 19. Be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming soon to TV and streaming. 

2015’s Inside Out remains among the best Pixar movies the animation studio has ever made. So when we heard a sequel is in the works a few months back, we weren’t at all surprised Pixar might want to play with emotions again. However, when it comes to casting, only Amy Poehler has been confirmed to be returning to voice Joy in Inside Out 2, with it being rather up in the air regarding the rest of Riley’s core emotions. One actor has now confirmed their lack of involvement in the Pixar sequel. 

It was rumored prior that Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, who played Fear and Disgust in the 2015 movie, reportedly declined due to pay discrepancies to reprise their roles in Inside Out 2. Poehler apparently was offered $5 million whilst Pixar offered Hader and Kaling $100,000 each. When recently asked about her involvement in the sequel, Kaling said this: 

Kaling’s words come via an interview with The Wrap before it was stressed by the actress that she is not part of Inside Out 2 “right now.” It’s possible this could change down the road as the movie continues through development. Animation projects like Inside Out 2 take a variety of forms during production, and before the upcoming Disney movie, perhaps Kaling and Pixar could still find a compensation agreement. 

From what we know about Inside Out 2, the sequel will follow Riley as a teenager following the original movie having us in her head at 11. There will be new emotions introduced that have yet to be announced yet. Even still, it just wouldn’t make sense for the feelings of Disgust and Fear to be eliminated from her head. Perhaps if Mindy Kaling and Pixar do not reach a decision, they will be recast by new voice actors. 

The actress is currently getting ready for her animated series, Velma, which she co-created and voices the titular role for, to premiere on HBO Max on January 12. Kaling got her start as a staff writer and actress in The Office (which she thinks wouldn’t work today) before creating and starring in The Mindy Project for six seasons. Kaling has continued to be a successful writer, producer and actress in Hollywood, also creating series like The Sex Lives of College Girls and Never Have I Ever. Surely her name and voice on Inside Out 2 is worth more than $100,000 to the production? 

On the other hand, it’s been a while since Pixar had a big hit movie. Since 2020, only one of the studio’s movies have released straight in theaters rather than premiering on Disney+, and Lightyear wasn’t a major winner in the 2022 box office. Perhaps the company is scaling back on its actor budgets? Questions aside for Inside Out 2, the movie is set to be released on June 14, 2024. There’s plenty of time for Pixar to illuminate what’s going on with the sequel, but for the time being, Kaling is not part of it. 

No matter how many projects Mindy Kaling has going on, certain fans will always see her as The Office’s Kelly Kapoor. Kaling not only played the character but wrote and produced the NBC mockumentary. Of course, the series found a second life on streaming with new fans connecting to the chaos of Dunder Mifflin, but some topics and humor covered in the classic sitcom might not fly today. Even the The Sex Lives of College Girls creator isn't sure about the show’s subject matter as she got honest about why it wouldn’t work for TV today.

The multi-hyphenate gave an honest look back at the comedy series while on ABC’s Good Morning America. When asked about the classic workplace sitcom, Kaling felt Kapoor would’ve gotten cancelled after becoming a social media influencer. Then, she stated all The Office characters would’ve been cancelled by now. With younger viewers now watching the series, the comedian shuddered at the idea of introducing the NBC sitcom to her two children, saying:

While The Office served up some meme-worthy moments during its original run, some of the episodes and jokes haven’t aged well. In 2021, the popular Office episode “Diversity Day” was reportedly removed from Comedy Central over inappropriate racial portrayals. Besides the Season 1 episode, there are plenty of cringe-worthy episodes across the show’s nine seasons. Still, the series remains popular across multiple generations as one of the top-streamed series during the pandemic.

Despite her initial trepidations about letting her kids watch the workplace comedy, Kaling did ease up on her stance a bit. GMA host George Stephanopoulos mentioned his 15-year-old daughter binged the series over the pandemic. After hearing the story, the TV writer shifted to possibly introducing them to the show in their teens.

Despite the mature nature of the comedy series, it has developed a loyal fanbase amongst Gen Z and possibly Gen Alpha. The multi-hyphenate wants to wait until her children are older to introduce them to the ubiquitous “That’s what she said.”

Of course, Mindy Kaling has other projects that might be too mature for her children right now. With Never Have I Ever inspired by Kaling’s teenage years, they’ll be able to watch the Netflix series around the same time as The Office. It’ll be a while before they can watch The Sex Lives of College Girls, which is currently available through an HBO Max subscription. The same goes for the upcoming Scooby-Doo spinoff Velma.  

In the meantime, you can check out every episode of The Office through a Peacock subscription.

After a stellar first season, I'd assume Quinta Brunson must have countless talents lined up wanting to be part of Abbott Elementary Season 2. Numerous Hollywood figures have professed their love for the workplace comedy, and its sophomore season has already had phenomenal guest stars like a cameo from Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty and Glass Onion’s Leslie Odom Jr. Brunson still has a particular person on her list with whom she would love to work with and the Abbott Elementary creator revealed why people are sleeping on them.

Before Season 2 premiered, the Emmy winner teased possible additions to the cast. Of course, viewers have seen new characters pop up, including Melissa Schemmenti’s estranged sister and Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Keyla Monterroso Mejia as an overzealous teacher’s aide. As the second season continues, Brunson is still looking to recruit some Hollywood talent to make a guest appearance on the ABC sitcom. The series creator spilled to THR which fellow multihyphenate she wants to work with next.

Who knew a TV series from Quinta Brunson and Mindy Kaling was what viewers needed? It wouldn’t be too farfetched as both women create, produce, and write various projects. It would be fun to see how the different senses of humor blend together. Or maybe Brunson could pop up in an episode of The Sex Lives of College Girls as a professor or guest star as a teacher on Never Have I Ever? It would also be fun to see Kaling blend into the chaotic world of Abbott Elementary. 

The Abbott Elementary star is an admirer of Kaling’s work. She wasn’t afraid to give The Mindy Project alum her flowers. She has a point, the comedic actress has been on a roll since her self-titled sitcom ended in 2017. She currently has two streaming hits - Never Have I Ever (available through a Netflix subscription) and The Sex Lives of College Girls (available with an HBO Max subscription). The mother of two’s plate is getting heavier too, with the Scooby-Doo spinoff Velma premiering in 2023, in which she produces and voices the title character. The comedian is also currently working on the script for Legally Blonde 3. So, she has plenty of balls in the air now.

Brunson might be on her way to Kaling status as she scored an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV to create and develop future television projects. Maybe fans will see Quinta Brunson and Mindy Kaling team up for a project now that both women have a Warner Bros. connection. Until fans see them visit each other’s projects, you can catch up on Abbott Elementary Season 2 through a Hulu subscription. Check out our 2022 TV schedule to see what new TV series are premiering, including Season 2 of Kaling's show The Sex Lives of College Girls.

Velma Dinkley has really been popping as of late. Her position as an LGBTQ+ icon was finally cemented in a recently released Scooby-Doo movie, and the character is set to be the center of the HBO Max spinoff series Velma, which stars Mindy Kaling in the lead role. The show will change things up a bit, as the titular sleuth has been race bent -- a creative decision drew backlash that Kaling has since addressed it. Now, the Never Have I Ever creator has shed some light on her decision to alter the character's race for the production.

Everyone’s favorite bespectacled know-it-all has been white since the franchise began in the 1960s. But the adult-animated series will portray the character as South Asian, which mirrors Mindy Kaling’s own racial background. The Office alum addressed the change while at New York Comic-Con and explained to EW that there were a lot of discussions regarding Velma's race. She said:

The success of productions like Into the Spider-Verse have definitely opened the door for different takes on classic characters. And those revamped heroes, like Miles Morales’ Spider-Man, have become very popular. In short, this version of Velma is just one of multiple iterations of the braniac, like the one from Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! The decision to change her ethnic background should make things fresh though, based on the show's first trailer, her personality will definitely stay intact.

And Ms. Dinkley isn’t the only one who's going to look different in the animated series. Sam Richardson, Constance Wu, and Glenn Howerton will join Mindy Kaling on the adult-themed Scooby-Doo series. Richardson will play an African-American version of resident goofball Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, while Wu takes on the fashion-savvy Daphne, who will be portrayed as Asian. Howerton, meanwhile will play Mystery Inc. leader Fred, who will still be white.

The adult-animated series will cover Velma’s life before she and the gang became teenage supersleuths and will do so with a humorous and complicated spin. All in all, it'll be exciting to see what Mindy Kaling has planned for this new interpretation of the beloved heroine and her friends.

Velma’s 10-episode first season will premiere in 2023, so make sure you have an HBO Max subscription by then if you want to check it out. Those in need of something to watch right now can check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule. And if you specifically have a passion for the iconic Hanna-Barbera-birthed franchise, watch the first two live-action Scooby-Doo films using a Netflix subscription.

Legally Blonde 3 is in the works, and The Office and The Mindy Project writer Mindy Kaling is behind the script. In other words, all ideas for the sequel get past her. One recent pitch the actress/writer/producer received is whether Reese Witherspoon’s look alike daughter Ava Phillippe could be part of the upcoming movie. What are Kaling’s thoughts? 

It sounds like she digs it! Mindy Kaling recently worked with Reese Witherspoon’s eldest son, Deacon Phillippe, who guest starred on her Netflix series Never Have I Ever (which is currently trending at No. 1). ExtraTV inquired with Kaling about if she could add Ava Phillippe into Legally Blonde 3, and the comedy star responded: 

Reese Witherspoon’s firstborn, whom she had with fellow actor Ryan Phillippe, is in her early 20s, making her around the same age her mother was when she filmed Legally Blonde. What a full circle moment it would be to see Ava Phillippe part of Legally Blonde 3 as the actress celebrates returning to her iconic role over 20 years later, right? The pair recently had dinner together, check out how alike Witherspoon’s daughter looks to her famous mom: 

The cherry on top here is Reese Witherspoon's daughter even ordered a pink-colored drink during their hangout session. Although to our knowledge, Ava Phillippe is not pursuing acting, and she doesn't have any movie or TV credits. The young woman does, however, seems to very much be a creative type given she has some original artwork she sells online. Other than that, Phillippe is remaining pretty much out of the spotlight for now, other than being the daughter of a super famous pair of actors and surely being told how much she looks like Reese 24/7. 

Deacon Phillippe on the other hand, may be the one of the family to continue the tradition after dipping his toe in the acting pool for Never Have I Ever. It was his first credit ever, aside from going to college for music and putting out a couple songs under the name Deacon. 

I'm certainly curious how Reese Witherspoon’s three kids will end up finding their passions after being the kids to two very popular actors. According to Kaling, Deacon Phillippe brought the charm on set, sending her a handwritten note after wrapping his short time on set thanking her for the opportunity. 

You can check out Deacon Phillippe in Never Have I Ever with a Netflix subscription as we wait for Legally Blonde 3, which Kaling is determined not to ruin after all these years. It’s currently expected to come out sometime in 2023. 

It frequently seems quite difficult for celebrities to keep anything about their personal lives a secret, even if they’re actually trying to. Rarely does a day go by when we aren’t updated on the who, what, when, where, why, and how of many aspects of their lives that we’d consider very personal, especially with regards to family and romantic relationships. But, this has not been the case for Mindy Kaling, who surprised fans twice by having her kids with little to no public fanfare. This has led to persistent rumors that Kaling’s children were fathered by her longtime buddy and fellow The Office cast member, B.J. Novak (who played Ryan), and now Kaling is opening up about those rumors and why she keeps much of her family life private.

What Did Mindy Kaling Say About Rumors That B.J. Novak Fathered Her Kids?

Whether you’re a diehard fan of Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak in general or of The Office, it’s really no secret why the rumors about him being the father of her two kids (Katherine, 4, and Spencer, who’ll be 2 in September) started. Not only did their characters have a somewhat tortured on/off romance on the hit NBC comedy, but Kaling and Novak briefly had their own on/off romance while working on the show, and have remained extremely committed friends in the years since. So, when Kaling announced the birth of her children, but not who their father was, many assumed it was Novak. About the rumors, Kaling recently told Marie Claire:

Alright, people. I know how much you love juicy celeb stories about romantical things, but Kaling (whose Never Have I Ever will get one final season on Netflix) is telling us all, one more time, that Novak is her kids’ godfather and not a blood relative, OK? It’s good that none of the rumors have negatively affected Kaling, Novak, or her kids, and that’s probably due to them both being secure in their deep friendship, while also acknowledging people have questions about it, and that their friendship even sometimes seems weird to them.

While talking to Entertainment Weekly in 2013, Novak admitted that whenever either of them began dating someone, that person always had questions about their status as friends, noting “there’s a period where the person is very skeptical of our friendship.” Kaling (who would sometimes trick Novak on The Office), meanwhile, once told InStyle (via Us Weekly) that their relationship was “weird as hell” and “romantically charged camaraderie with loud arguments.”

Kaling also noted that she hasn’t talked about her children’s father publicly because she wants them to get that information first, and said:

When you think about it like that, it makes perfect sense that Mindy Kaling is keeping her kids’ birth stories private. Why shouldn’t they be the first to hear about it and then decide whether or not that information is discussed with all us nosy strangers? Whether or not we get those details at some point, at least we know that Kaling’s best bud B.J. Novak will be there for her family, no matter what.

After many years of South Asian characters in movies and TV being largely stereotypical side characters, there’s recently been a shift in Hollywood. In recent years, there are more and more examples of leading characters played by actors who have roots in India and Pakistan, among other locations in South Asia. Plus, they tell stories that don’t put them into a small boxes, and represent a larger experience that is what representation in film and TV is all about. 

We all deserve to be seen on the big and small screen, and characters like these open more doors for this community that makes up 25 percent of the population of the world. From regency romance to a Marvel superhero, we’re celebrating some recent great South Asian characters in movies and television. Check it out: 

Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) - Bridgerton

Bridgerton became the talk of the ton in 2020 when the Netflix series became the most successful original TV show for the streaming service. For the recent Season 2, Julia Quinn’s The Viscount Who Loved Me was adapted for television with its lead Kate played by British-Indian Sex Education actress, Simone Ashley. For the romance, the character was altered slightly to be Kate Sharma instead of Sheffield, with her and her family’s backstory being from India. The 2022 season seamlessly infused Indian culture into Kate and her sister Edwina’s identity whilst also ushering in an Indian lead of a romance set in the Regency era and for a very mainstream series. 

Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) - Sound Of Metal 

When it comes to South Asian actors being considered for award season buzz, oftentimes the storylines have been around starring in a story about and set in their home country such as 1982’s Gandhi and 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire. Riz Ahmed changed this when he received an Oscar nomination for Sound Of Metal, becoming the first Pakistani actor and first Muslim actor to be included in the Best Actor category. In the drama, Ahmed plays a drummer in a metal band and drug addict who loses his hearing and must join a shelter for deaf recovering addicts. Ahmed’s incredible performance included the actor learning American Sign Language and how to drum like a pro. 

Dev Shah (Aziz Ansari) - Master Of None

After Aziz Ansari ascended into popularity on Parks and Recreation as the sarcastic and entrepreneurial Tom Haverford, the comedian created his own series in Netflix’s Master of None. The show, which he also starred in and wrote, really showed the actor’s personal perspective as an actor and Indian-American immigrant through a somewhat fictional lens. One especially memorable episode is called “Indians on TV” where he touches on how Indian actors are often expected to be stereotypes with heavy accents. In the most recent season of the show, Ansari took a step back from starring to highlight Lena Waithe’s character while he showcased his impressive directorial approach. 

Lucy Gulliver (Geraldine Viswanathan) - The Broken Hearts Gallery

The romantic comedy is a beloved genre, but over the years it has been plagued with the same faces and tropes over and over again. In 2020, though, Aussie actress Geraldine Viswanathan got to shine as the lead of The Broken Hearts Gallery alongside Stranger Things’ Dacre Montgomery. In the movie, Viswanathan plays a young woman who recently suffered a breakup and decides to start a gallery devoted to fallen relationships. The movie delivers a quality and unique rom-com that allows its half-Indian (of Tamil ancestry) main character / actress to lead the type of movie that has gone to white actresses over the years, and without her identity having to be her core personality trait, either.

Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra) - Blinded By The Light

Blinded By The Light premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before becoming a beloved (yet underrated) dramedy in 2019. The movie, directed by Gurinder Chadha, who previously made history as the helmer of Bend It Like Beckham, is about the son of Pakistani migrant parents, Javed, who falls in love with Bruce Springsteen’s music and uses it as an inspiration to write his own poetry. The story is inspired by the life of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor, who co-wrote the Blinded By The Light script. The movie and the character of Javed show how music can speak to and connect with anyone, including an immigrant kid who feels otherwise like an outsider in his life. 

Mindy Lahiri (Mindy Kaling) - The Mindy Project 

After Mindy Kaling wrote for and portrayed Kelly Kapoor on The Office, the comedian pitched her own comedy to FOX, The Mindy Project. She created, produced and starred in the series about a gynecologist’s attempts to balance her personal and professional life. The series that aired for six seasons brought Indian representation to television in a big way, with Kaling becoming the first Indian American to have her own TV show on a major network, and in a way that wasn’t solely focused on her ethnicity, but addressing the life of a working career woman, and later, motherhood.  

Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli) - Midnight Mass

Mike Flanagan’s incredible Netflix horror franchise continued in 2021 with an original series called Midnight Mass, which served as an existential discussion about faith alongside its scares. Among the cast was the groundbreaking character of Sheriff Hassan, played by Rahul Kohli (previously in The Haunting of Bly Manor and iZombie). He played the island’s sheriff, who is a Muslim who struggles with his teenage son to fit into the town’s predominantly Catholic population. Within the series, Midnight Mass beautifully represents a South Asian Muslim family and their difficulties in the western world as all the spooky things take place. 

Rhea Kumar (Avantika Vandanapu) - Spin

Disney Channel is known for propelling young stars into mega stardom, such as Zendaya, Miley Cyrus, and Zac Efron, with their original films and TV shows. In 2021, the network made a massive move in representation by releasing the new DCOM, Spin, which is about an Indian-American teen who works at her tight-knit family’s restaurant, but realizes her true passion is to be an EDM DJ. The movie highlights Indian culture in a beautiful way and allows its young star, Avantika Vandanapu, to shine in a breakout performance. 

Alex Parrish (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) - Quantico

Another network television win for a great South Asian character is Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ leading role in the ABC series, Quantico. The Indian A-lister moved to the American market to star in the thrilling drama about an FBI agent who becomes the prime suspect of a terrorist attack. It’s another first, with the actress becoming the first Indian actor to lead a primetime drama on American TV. But, Chopra Jonas also did so by playing a charismatic, badass, and intriguing character during the series’ three seasons. 

Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) - The Green Knight

Medieval epics have always been led by white men, but David Lowery’s 2021 adaptation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight gave Dev Patel a unique role in that space. The existentialist storyline allowed Patel to deliver a meaty performance that comments on the hero’s journey in a refreshing (yet taxing) trudge to meet the Green Knight. Patel’s performance is one of the best of 2021 and should have really gotten more Oscar recognition. 

Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) - Never Have I Ever 

Following Mindy Kaling’s The Mindy Project, she moved behind the scenes completely to create Never Have I Ever, a coming of age Netflix series. It stars newcomer Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, who hails from Canada and was born to Tamil parents. It is loosely based on Kaling’s childhood experiences, as it follows an Indian-American Tamil high school student dealing with the sudden death of her father, who decides to change her social status, though it does not come easy. The show is much like a lot of high school series in a lot of ways, but it also adds the layers of her grappling and balancing her Indian-American identity as well. 

Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) - Eternals 

After Kumail Nanjiani made waves as a Pakistani-American comedian, writer, and actor in projects like Silicon Valley and The Big Sick, he was cast as the first South Asian superhero in Marvel’s Eternals. Not only does the movie include a big-screen Bollywood dance sequence, but Nanjiani got super ripped to take on the role because he wanted to make sure the first Pakistani superhero “could hang with Thor and Captain America.” Kingo is an Eternal and flashy actor who continued this breaking of stereotypes and continues to show Hollywood that South Asian actors have range and can fit in all genres far and wide.  

In just the past few years, there’s been an uptick in South Asian representation and a lot of different firsts for its large population in the framework of Hollywood. Here’s to more great South Asian characters in the years ahead. We’ll look out for more examples of them in new TV shows and upcoming movie releases. 

Mindy Kaling was only 26 when she was hired as one of the only diverse and female writers on The Office at the time. That series aired for quite some time and we got to see Kaling progress as both a writer and an actress before going on to star in her own series The Mindy Project, as well as produce a slew of productions including Netflix’s popular Never Have I Ever. Of course, it takes time to build such a prolific resume, and recently Kaling shared a funny take on how she's aging these days. Even better, other comedian Steve Martin responded back. 

I think many of us can “relate” to posts, whether heartfelt or joke-filled or both, about aging. Whether Boomers, Millennials or Gen Z Internet users, time passes quickly and celebrities certainly recognize this at varying points in their careers. In a post, Mindy Kaling shared a quick meme about one of the major Internet things that crop up as we get older, but I'm guessing she probably wasn’t expecting Steve Martin’s totally relatable Twitter response back about being born in 1945...

While some people reading this may be right there with Steve Martin in regards to that 1945 birthdate and having to scroll and scroll and scroll in online surveys to hit that date, even if you have a little less “rind” on you, as Westworld puts it, many of us are getting up into years when a lot of scrolling is necessary to find our birth years. The experience is a pretty universal one for adults. 

Not to harp on how old Mindy Kaling or Steve Martin are, but both have actually opened up about getting older in recent years. The mom of two (Kaling quietly had a baby during quarantine) told Haute Living after turning 40 that after grinding it out for half her life, she’s looking forward to setting herself up for the next 40 years, noting: 

Steve Martin at 76 has also had aging on the brain recently, particularly since he and Martin Short began starring opposite 29-year-old actress Selena Gomez in Hulu’s surprise hit Only Murders in the Building. That was a project that had originally been earmarked for three older people before Gomez was added to complete the trio and Martin and Short’s age was what sealed the deal. Steve Martin previously told Today age was a major factor in the decision to join the streaming show.

To me, the most viral moment regarding Martin’s celebrity aging came last year when director Nancy Meyer actually shared the hot fact that Leonardo DiCaprio was, in 2021, the same age Steve Martin was in Father of the Bride, which just so happens to be one of Martin's best movies, but one he does not look particularly young in. You can’t make these things up. 

While age is just a number, scrolling to your birth year on the internet is a fairly universal experience. And yet, it’s one I probably would not wish on anyone, like having to go to the DMV or having to call your mortgage company. Unlike those infrequent one-offs though, every year scrolling to your birth date online just gets worse and worse. 

In late 2020, MGM Studios officially announced that Elle Woods would return to the big screen in May 2022 for Legally Blonde 3. With that upcoming movie release date just one month away, I’m sad to report that piece of news did not age well. While the Legally Blonde sequel is very much still in the works, the movie has yet to begin filming. It’s going to be a longer wait, and Mindy Kaling, one of the film’s writers, has just shared an update about why this is the case. 

Mindy Kaling is a talented writer and producer who has penned words for The Office, The Mindy Project, The Sex Lives of College Girls and Never Have I Ever. She’s also a massive Legally Blonde fan and friend of Reese Witherspoon's. Here’s the most recent update from Kaling: 

While speaking to Time, Kaling got real about having the beloved comedy in her hands. Plain and simple, she doesn’t want to mess it up and is taking the time to write a good script before beginning production. Mindy Kaling has been attached to write Legally Blonde 3 alongside Dan Goor, who created Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, for two years now. 

Of course, it’s not as if Mindy Kaling isn’t busy in her own right with other projects, and Reese Witherspoon has been running her own media company, Hello Sunshine. She recently produced the upcoming adaptation of Where The Crawdads Sing, among a long list of other films and TV shows. 

Although we’ll have to wait longer for Legally Blonde 3, Mindy Kaling did share some details about the questions she’s hoping to answer with the upcoming comedy. In her words: 

We’ll certainly be curious to see how Legally Blonde 3 will further develop Elle Woods, especially nearly 20 years after we’ve seen the character in a film. Kaling went on to discuss more about developing the movie: 

It sounds like fans of Legally Blonde are in good hands with Mindy Kaling. She clearly is a legitimate enthusiast of the Gemini vegetarian and all her bending and snapping in today’s era. Witherspoon has become a major name in Hollywood since starring in the original film as well, with many other opportunities at her disposal, so it just wouldn’t be worth the actress/producer’s time if the sequel didn’t do Elle Woods justice. We'll continue to keep you updated here on CinemaBlend when we learn more about Legally Blonde 3. 

Another fan-beloved Netflix series has officially gotten the chop. Although, unlike many other Netflix original series, Never Have I Ever's fanbase can go out knowing that Mindy Kaling's co-created comedy earned the distinction of making it past one season, and that fans still have quite a bit more to watch before it goes away.

According to Mindy Kaling’s Twitter, Never Have I Ever earned itself a Season 4 renewal from the streaming service, but it will also serve as the final batch of episodes. Check out her message below: 

After the first two seasons garnered rave reviews, Never Have I Ever was renewed for a third season in 2021. Mindy Kaling, who created the show with Lang Fisher, confirmed that Season 3 will drop sometime this summer, and revealed that the show will end with a to-be-produced fourth round of episodes. 

Narrated by tennis pro John McEnroe, Never Have I Ever tells the story of Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), an Indian-American Tamil teenager living in Los Angeles. After her father dies unexpectedly, Devi attempts to deal with her grief while simultaneously climbing the social ladder at her high school and navigating her feelings for two different boys. The series was praised for its groundbreaking depictions of modern Indian-American culture, and its star turn by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.  

While it will be sad to see Never Have I Ever go, the show has managed to successfully escape the Netflix trap of one-season-and-done series. The streaming service has made its mark on the entertainment industry with a slew of original programming, but it has been criticized in the past for ending many of its newest series after just one season. It happens even when the programs have been well-received by fans and critics alike, and Netflix rarely offers much by way of insight or statistical data to explain the decisions. 

There are a few too many examples of this phenomenon, with just a few examples including Katherine Langford’s Cursed, the live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, Kenny Ortega’s Julie and the Phantoms, and the animated Tuca and Bertie (although the latter was picked up by Adult Swim for an additional season). To add insult to injury, many of these series ended on cliffhangers, including the ill-fated Hit and Run and the hyped-up superhero series Jupiter’s Legacy. Thankfully, that won't be the case with Never Have I Ever, which can plan for its conclusion accordingly. 

TV experts have theorized that Netflix’s binge-watch model encourages the streaming platform to greenlight shows that wouldn’t have made it past the developmental pilot phase on cable. Thereby making the first season a ‘pilot’, so to speak, which influences the company's decision to order more or cancel, based on the immediate viewership totals. Critical reception occasionally enters the picture, but numbers don’t lie. Luckily for fans of Never Have I Ever, Mindy Kaling’s dramedy made the cut to keep earning new seasons, at least until Season 4 is done. 

You can stream the first two seasons of Never Have I Ever now with your Netflix subscription. If you’re already caught up, you can check out these upcoming TV releases while you wait for Season 3 to drop this summer. Season 4 is expected to hit Netflix sometime in 2023. 

The buzz surrounding Legally Blonde 3 has been building since the film was announced in 2018. Fans got excited about the sequel, but there hasn’t been much news about a script or production start since then. Those questions led diehard fans to constantly ask Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling about the anticipated sequel. With Legally Blonde 3 seemingly in limbo, Witherspoon gave a status update on the film’s progress.

This isn't the first time Reese Witherspoon addressed concerns related to the film’s status. Fans have become worried and impatient with little news from the Oscar winner. After being asked repeatedly about the Legally Blonde 2 sequel, Witherspoon finally decided update the public. The Your Place or Mine star decided to give Variety an update on the sequel’s big-screen journey.

So, Reese Witherspoon seemingly wants fans to take up their Legally Blonde 3 quips and queries with Mindy Kaling. The Oscar winner seemed as eager to start working on the film as fans are to see it. At least, the Sweet Home Alabama star and Kaling are still communicating about the script constantly. There’s already some outside pressure from the likes of PETA to contend with. And the sequel doesn’t even have a final draft yet.

Writing a follow-up to two beloved rom coms would be a major undertaking for anyone. But that’s an understatement in the Locked Down star’s case as she is writing and producing multiple projects along with penning the anticipated sequel. So fans might want to give Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling a little breathing room as they sort out the details related to the script.

But it’s not just the Ocean’s 8 star who has a full plate as Witherspoon has multiple projects brewing or completed, including Netflix’s Your Place or Mine. The rom-com vet has been growing as a businesswoman since Legally Blonde 2 debuted. But the Election star’s involvement in the sequel put those years of Legally Blonde 3 speculation to rest. But some Legally Blonde vets aren’t sure if they’ll be returning for the sequel. So, as Reese Witherspoon put, everyone else will know more when she and Kaling know.

Despite it being two decades since Legally Blonde was released, the film series’ legacy continues to carry on as seen in Black Widow’s Florence Pugh’s tribute. So, the world is prime for an Elle Wood renaissance to happen. Once a big announcement is made, Reese Witherspoon will be the first to let moviegoers know.

Until that happens, Legally Blonde and its sequel are currently available to rent Prime Video. Reese Witherspoon's new movie Sing 2 hits theaters December 22nd.

HBO Max has truly been coming out with some of the best original shows lately to add to its already impressive collection of TV series and movies. These have ranged from thrillers mixed with sci-fi like Raised by Wolves, to acclaimed shows starring famous faces, such as The Flight Attendant. However, HBO Max is stepping into the college scene with their new release. Its latest addition to the lineup is The Sex Lives of College Girls, created by Mindy Kaling. 

This coming of age series tells the story of the lives of four 18-year-old freshman roommates, who are attending Essex College, and documents their sexual lifestyles as they deal with the struggles and hardships that college can bring. 

With such a talented but young cast, fans of the show might be wondering where exactly they’ve seen The Sex Lives of College Girls cast. Thankfully, you don’t have to look that much further, as we have all the information you could be looking for right here. 

Pauline Chalamet (Kimberly)

First up on our list, we have Kimberly, one of the leads of The Sex Life of College Girls, played by Pauline Chalamet. Fun fact - that last name probably looks familiar, and it should. Chalamet is actually the sister of Timothée Chalamet. Talk about a talented family, huh?

Pauline Chalamet has done some work in the industry before. In regards to television, she’s guest-starred on a couple of TV shows such as One Life to Live and Royal Pains when she was younger, but The Sex Life of College Girls is going to be her first major role in a television series. 

Her only other film credit thus far was playing Joanna in the Judd Apatow movie, The King of Staten Island, but I’m sure that after her starring role in this HBO original, we might get to see more of her very soon. 

Amrit Kaur (Bela)

Next up, we have Bela, played by Amrit Kaur in The Sex Lives of College Girls. Kaur has been active in television for some time. She’s guest-starred on TV series like the mystery show American Gothic, Odd Squad, a children's show about using math when odd things happen, Kim’s Convenience, the coming of age series, The Bold Type, and others. 

Kaur has also had recurring and main roles in TV shows as well. This includes Anarkali, a comedy-drama from India about a young woman who is trying to reinvent herself after her fiancé leaves her, where Kaur played Roop. She was also in The D Cut, an Indian drama about a queer hair salon trying to stay open during gentrification, where she played Viva. She did have a minor role in the movie Little Italy, but hopefully soon after her role in the HBO Max series, we’ll see Amrit Kaur pop up more in new projects. 

Reneé Rapp (Leighton)

In The Sex Lives of College Girls, Reneé Rapp plays Leighton, another one of the friends of the group. That name might look very new to you in terms of movies and television, and that’s because it should - The Sex Lives of College Girls will actually be Rapp’s first ever project in Hollywood. 

That’s not to say that she hasn’t done anything before. Prior to her TV role, Rapp was a part of two Broadway shows. 

She was a part of the Spring Awakening cast, and also was in the Broadway version of Mean Girls, where she played the ultimate mean girl, Regina George. Makes me wonder if we’re going to hear her amazing singing abilities in The Sex Lives of College Girls. Only time will tell. 

Alyah Chanelle Scott (Whitney)

Whitney in The Sex Lives of College Girls is played by Alyah Chanelle Scott, a newcomer to the small screen. Her first major role is her part as Whitney in the HBO series. She has been in a couple of film shorts prior to her part, as well as a video series she did with her alma mater, the University of Michigan.  

But now, The Sex Lives of College Girls will be this young actress' start in the world of major Hollywood projects. 

Midori Francis (Alicia)

Moving on, we take a look at Alicia in The Sex Lives of College Girls, played by the wonderful Midori Francis. Before her role on the HBO Max original, Francis’ biggest role thus far was portraying one of the titular characters in the Netflix original series, Dash & Lily, a TV series that took place around Christmas time. 

Her other credits include both television and movies. Francis guest-starred on the Darren Star show, Younger, as well as the DC show, Gotham, and the HBO show starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce. She also had a recurring role on the web series, The Birch, back in 2019, a series that told the story of a teenager who seeks out the help of a monster who lives in the woods. 

In terms of movies, Francis has been in a good number of them. She appeared as April in the film Ocean’s 8, alongside stars like Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna and more, played Emme in South Mountain, Lily in the coming of age comedy movie, Good Boys, and Lisa in one of the latest Netflix original movies, Afterlife of the Party, starring Victoria Justice. I’m hoping that after being given the shot to be in this new HBO series as a regular, hopefully we’ll get to see her pop up in more TV shows and projects really soon. 

Gavin Leatherwood (Nico)

Next up is Gavin Leatherwood, who plays Nico in The Sex Lives of College Girls. Leatherwood has had a great career so far in television. One of his most prominent parts was being a part of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina cast, playing Nick. Other than that, he’s appeared in a variety of shows. 

Leatherwood guest-starred on the long-running procedural, NCIS, the ABC series, Grown-ish, played Jason in three episodes of Wicked Enigma, played Bryce in two episodes of My Dead Ex, and was Spit in Bad Therapy. 

While he hasn’t appeared in any movie roles yet, maybe after his role in The Sex Lives of College Girls, he’ll be popping up on the big screen soon enough with how much talent this young actor has. 

Chris Meyer (Canaan)

Next up, we have Chris Meyer, who is playing Canaan in The Sex Lives of College Girls. Chris Meyer is someone who has been very active in television for a long time, and has appeared as both a guest actor, as well as a recurring/main character in several shows. 

Some of his guest roles include the horror series, Grimm, the CW show, iZombie, the comedy, Marlon, and many others. But, his recurring/main character roles stem back to 2012. He played TJ Ashford in General Hospital, Mario in Wayward Pines, Danny Malloy in NCIS: New Orleans, Logan Bayfield in The Fosters, Anton Gatewood in The Affair, and Derek Garland in Tell Me A Story. 

Damn, talk about a packed resume. The Sex Lives of College Girls only adds on to that list of awesome shows that Meyer has been a part of, and I can’t wait to see what he does next after his part in this HBO Max series. 

Ilia Isorelys Paulino (Lila)

Next up, we have Ilia Isorelys Paulino, who plays Lila in The Sex Lives of College Girls. Like some of her castmates here, Paulino hasn’t been on screen much just yet, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t done anything. 

While she’s been in a couple of film shorts, her latest work was playing Rosa in the comedy Queenpins, a movie that starred big names like Kristen Bell, Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn and several others. Hopefully, since she’s appeared in this series, we'll get the chance to see more of her soon. 

Lauren “Lolo” Spencer (Jocelyn)

Moving on with our list, our next young actress making an appearance is Lauren “Lolo” Spencer, who plays Jocelyn in The Sex Lives of College Girls. 

While she had several credits for herself, her first major role was playing Tracy in Give Me Liberty, a comedy drama about a medical transport driver who risks his job to shuttle around a group of rowdy seniors. While she hasn’t been in much yet in her career, I’m sure it won’t be long before we get to see her again in something new besides the HBO series.   

Renika Williams (Willow)

Last up, we have Renika Williams, the young woman who plays Willow in The Sex Lives of College Girls. Prior to her role on the show, Williams has appeared in a couple of television shows and a movie. In terms of TV shows, she appeared in a guest role on the show Placeholders, and also had a part in the Amazon original series, Modern Love. 

Her only film credit so far is Healing River, a drama about a woman whose son is killed by a drug-addicted teen. Hopefully, her role in this new HBO Max series will lead to a lot more opportunities for the young talent. 

While some of the cast might not have been in a lot of projects, I have a feeling it won’t be long before we see them pop up more and more in new shows and movies after The Sex Lives of College Girls. Make sure you keep that HBO Max subscription, as you don’t want to miss any episodes of this show. 

What would Elle Woods be without her best friend Bruiser? Reese Witherspoon’s pretty-in-pink lawyer is one of the most iconic cinematic characters in the past 20 years, and she’s coming back next year for Legally Blonde 3. It wouldn’t be the same without her best pup pal, a chihuahua with a sense of style. Ahead of the movie rolling its cameras, animal rights organization PETA has sent Witherspoon and the film’s writer Mindy Kaling a letter to consider. 

PETA is always advocating for safe and ethical conditions for the animals used on Hollywood sets. This time, the animal rights organization has penned a letter to Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling, asking that they consider keeping dogs from commercial suppliers out of Legally Blonde 3 and promote messaging regarding animal adoption instead. As PETA’s letter reads: 

In the second Legally Blonde movie, Red, White And Blonde, the entire plot revolves around Elle Woods heading to Washington D.C. to pass a bill banning animal testing, so this would look to be an issue close to her heart. PETA is concerned that a movie like Legally Blonde 3 could glamorize the breeding of chihuahuas when, as the organization cites in the letter, there are nearly 6,000 chihuahuas on PetFinder alone, sitting in shelters and waiting for homes.  

PETA also shared that when Bruiser was first introduced in 2001’s Legally Blonde, it inspired a fad of fans going out to get their own chihuahuas as impulse purchases from pet shops and breeders. The organization is hoping the movie promotes pet adoption over pet shop and breeder purchases should Bruiser or another lucky dog of Elle Woods' be involved in Legally Blonde 3. 

The organization also provided some information about commercial animal suppliers that have reportedly been unfair to their animals off set. According to PETA, dogs have been denied food so they’ll be motivated by hunger when being trained to perform tricks, along with being cramped in cages stacked on top of each other in a dark garage or left outside in temperatures as low as 40 degrees. 

PETA shared that A Star Is Born’s Bradley Cooper is a good example of humane treatment toward animals on sets since he cast his own dog in the Oscar-winning film. It’s great information for Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling to keep in mind ahead of shooting Legally Blonde 3. When we last we heard from Witherspoon in September, Legally Blonde 3 does not have a script yet. The movie currently has a release date for May 22, 2022, but we’ll keep you updated on what we know about Legally Blonde 3 here on CinemaBlend as more news comes.