Mindy Kaling to Produce 10-episode Comedy Drama Inspired by the Los Angeles Lakers for Netflix
Mindy Kaling is executive producing a 10-episode comedy series for Netflix, inspired by the front office of the Los Angeles Lakers. She joins “Modern Family” alumna Elaine Ko; Lakers’ president and governor Jeanie Buss and Warner Bros. TV.
As per reports in entertainment portals like Deadline and Variety, the yet-untitled series, written by Ko is “inspired by the personal and professional dynamic between the family owners and front office team that together run one of the most iconic franchises in all of sports.” It follows fictional team governor Eliza Reed as she navigates NBA ownership and family drama with her best friend by her side.
Ko serves as showrunner and executive producer with Kaling, Buss and Linda Rambis of the Lakers, and Howard Klein of 3 Arts. Jordan Rambis will be a producer. The series is produced by Kaling’s Kaling International in association with Warner Bros. Television, where Kaling is under an overall deal.
“Ahhhh so psyched about this one,” Kaling wrote on Twitter announcing the deal with Netflix. “To be able to work with these women is a dream. I can’t wait for this show!”
Meanwhile, Kaling has teamed up with a coalition of industry leaders spearheaded by George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Don Cheadle, Kerry Washington, and Eva Eva Longoria, to bring about change across the entertainment industry for students from underserved communities. The Roybal School of Film and Television Production, “a specialized academy housed within the Edward R. Roybal Learning Center, is set to launch in fall 2022 as a magnet school, providing Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) teachers with access to storytellers, industry professionals, and experts, while supporting students with academic education and practical training,” reported Deadline.
The inaugural program will be overseen by Principal Blanca Cruz. Roybal will feature a curriculum designed to meet standards prescribed by the state of California and the University of California system. Students also will receive real-world experience through a dedicated internship initiative. The school will launch with grades 9 and 10, and include grades 11 and 12 over the next two years. The pilot program could be expanded later to additional schools throughout the Los Angeles area.
Never Have I Ever, Again
Kaling co-created and executive produces the Netflix series “Never Have I Ever,” which returns for the second season on July 15. The series centers on the complicated life of Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), a modern-day first-generation Indian American teenage girl. She’s an overachieving high school sophomore with a short fuse that gets her into difficult situations. The new season will see Devi continuing to deal with the everyday pressures of high school and drama at home, while also navigating new romantic relationships. Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Jaren Lewison, Darren Barnet, Lee Rodriguez, and Ramona Young also star.
Also joining the cast is actress Meghan Suri, who will be seen as Aneesa, a new Indian student at Sherman Oaks High. Actor Utkarsh Ambudkar will be seen in a recurring role in the sophomore season of the popular series. He will be seen as Mr. Kulkarni, “the coolest teacher on staff at Sherman Oaks High,” who teaches English and is buddies with Devi.
Kaling is also in production on her upcoming HBO Max/Warner Bros. TV comedy series “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” based on four roommates at Essex College, a prestigious New England university. Additionally, she is executive producing and voicing the title character in Warner Bros. Animation’s upcoming HBO Max adult animated comedy “Velma.”