Mindy Kaling: Then
Mindy Kaling started as a writer for “The Office” before appearing for the first time as Kelly Kapoor in the Season 1 episode “Diversity Day.” Her character originally functioned mostly to emphasize Michael Scott’s insensitivity toward other cultures, but as the series progressed Kelly stood out for her bubbly personality, obsession with celebrity gossip, and dysfunctional relationship with temp Ryan Howard. Behind the scenes, Kaling went on to executive produce the series and direct a couple of episodes.