“That is my greatest insecurity”: Years Before Drastic Transformation, The Office Body-Shamed Mindy Kaling, Demanded She Lose 15 lbs
In the unforgiving spotlight of fame, celebrities have often become easy targets for body shamers, facing unjust criticism about their appearances. However, a growing movement within the entertainment industry is pushing back against this harmful practice, advocating for a more inclusive and compassionate approach to discussing bodies. Including Hollywood actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer Mindy Kaling.
While the most prevalent form of body shaming centers around fatphobia, celebrities are not immune to scrutiny when they experience changes in weight, appearing either too skinny or overly muscular. This relentless cycle places them in a situation where they can’t seem to escape judgment, regardless of their appearance. Mindy Kaling, known for her roles both in front of and behind the camera, has shed light on a distressing moment she faced during her time on the popular sitcom The Office.
Mindy Kaling opened up about the body-shaming experience on The Office
During an appearance on Good Morning America, Mindy Kaling shared an incident in which a co-star jokingly commented on her weight, leaving a lasting impact on her self-image. Kaling revealed that her co-star advised her character, Kelly Kapoor, to lose 15 pounds, a remark that struck a chord due to her own personal insecurities.
She expressed how devastating it was for someone to openly call out her greatest vulnerability. “This is my greatest insecurity and someone just called it out. It’s really devastating.”
This incident triggered a profound realization for Kaling about the scrutiny and criticism that individuals, especially women, face for not conforming to certain beauty standards. She noted that this dissonance between public opinions and personal feelings often influenced her writing and the type of characters she portrayed on screen.
“I had a reckoning where I’m like, ‘People are scrutinising [me], and not only are they scrutinising [me], they’re verbalising their displeasure with how I look because I don’t look a certain way. That kind of dissonance has really affected so much of what I write about [and] the kind of characters I play. Almost all of those kinds of things [in my work] come from something really real.”
Kaling, a mother of two, also delved into the representation of body weight on television. She pointed out the narrow expectations set by the industry, where thinness often secured lead roles, and larger body types were relegated to roles of comedic relief.
