Mindy Kaling Is Finally Changing Her Disappointing Track Record on Diversity

Background

• Mindy Kaling: A multi-hyphenate Hollywood powerhouse known for her roles as a writer, actress, and producer.
• Put out a casting call for women of Indian descent for her upcoming Netflix comedy series, reflecting on her Indian-American upbringing.
• Cast Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Poorna Jagannathan in leading roles.

New Projects and Representation

• Upcoming Series: A Netflix comedy series based on Kaling's life focusing on Indian-American identities.
• Four Weddings and a Funeral: A Hulu miniseries adaptation featuring a diverse cast.
  • Led by Nikesh Patel and Nathalie Emmanuel.
  • Diverse writers' room includes Abby Ajayi, Lana Cho, and director Tom Marshall.

Criticism and Challenges

• Despite her success, criticism surrounds Kaling for a lack of diversity in past works.
• The Mindy Project: Criticized for lack of diversity in cast and staff.
  • Predominantly white writer's room and the lead character's relationships mostly involving white men.
  • Received backlash for race jokes and reductive portrayals of POC.

Industry Context

• Hollywood Diversity: Historically low representation of minorities in Hollywood, especially in decision-making roles.
• Writers Guild of America's 2007 report showed a significant lack of minority writers in television.
• Challenges for POC: Higher standards and expectations for creators of color, often held to a different standard compared to white peers.

Changing Landscape

• Influential Pioneers:
  • Shonda Rhimes' "colorblind" casting in Grey's Anatomy.
  • Ava DuVernay's inclusion rider.
  • Lena Waithe's mentorship program for new talent.
• Kaling's Evolving Role: Acknowledges the importance of mentorship and diversity in hiring decisions.
  • Responded to criticism by addressing diversity issues on recent press tours.
  • Collaborators commend her efforts in diverse hiring.

Intellectual Commentary

• Critic Perspectives:
  • Some argue Kaling bears undue responsibility for tackling racism and sexism.
  • Others highlight the importance of her role in creating opportunities for POC in Hollywood.
• Kaling's Response:
  • Emphasizes the pressure to mentor and support diversity.
  • Sees increased diverse representation as a necessity driven by fear of being called out.

Conclusion

• Kaling's recent work reflects a shift towards greater diversity and representation.
• Future projects may continue to evolve in inclusivity, representing a broader range of diverse voices.