In Mindy Kaling’s new Netflix series, “Running Point, ” Kate Hudson stars as Isla Gordon, the new president of the Los Angeles Waves, a pro basketball team that’s been run by her family for years. Hudson’s character has to prove herself as a woman in a man’s world not only to her passed-over brothers, but also to players whose egos need checking and other executives who don’t take her seriously.
If Isla’s story rings a bell, take a look at the list of executive producers on the 10-episode season dropping Thursday: Among them is Jeanie Buss, the president of the Los Angeles Lakers, who was embroiled in similar turmoil over control of the storied NBA franchise after the death of her father, Jerry Buss.
Buss not only has given the show her blessing, it was her idea said Kaling. Buss was a big fan of “The Office” and approached Kaling with the premise about five years ago. Kaling ended up as the co-creator, writer and executive producer alongside Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen.
“She’s in a very serious, stressful job but she loves comedy. She does not take herself seriously,” Kaling says of Buss. “That’s really rare when someone has that much power and that much to lose.”
In fact, Kaling said, Buss wanted the show to be funny and had “no ego” about using her real life as inspiration.
“She’s had some extremely interesting things happen to her as the president of the Lakers. Some of it is she literally dated the coach for many years and she’s like, ‘Do whatever you want,’” Kaling says, referring to Buss’ former relationship with Phil Jackson. “To get that kind of carte blanche, I’d never heard that from someone who is so famous and, you know, pretty private.”
Shortly after the news of her promotion goes public, Isla is advised by her brothers — who vow they have her back — to stay off Reddit. The commentary is “about how you’re a nepo baby and you don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re old so you’re kind of — it’s like you’re like a nepo crone,” says older brother Ness (Scott MacArthur).
Those same brothers then undermine Isla’s authority by declaring her first order of business is to trade a problematic player, Travis Bugg, played by Chet Hanks.
How’s that for a first day of a new job?
“Some of the situations seem outlandish but nothing surprises me that happens in the world of professional basketball,” Buss told The Associated Press at the show’s premiere. “We’ve seen everything.”
For Hudson, playing the only girl with brothers was easy because she was raised with three brothers. She also liked getting to flex her comedic chops, which she’s known for in films like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” “This idea of a woman being thrust into this position of something that she really loves and then constantly feeling like she has to prove herself and using that as sort of a comedic launching pad was a blast,” Hudson says.
One of Kaling’s favorite things about Hudson is how she consistently has defied expectations — she’s no nepo baby, Kaling says.
“She is the daughter of a very, very famous, beloved, iconic actress,” Kaling says, referencing Hudson’s mother, Goldie Hawn. “And then in her first major role, got an Oscar nomination (for “Almost Famous”). When we have these conversations about children of famous people, her name is never mentioned.”
“Running Point” also co-stars Brenda Song, Max Greenfield, Drew Tarver and Jay Ellis.
Mindy Kaling’s superpower
As a successful executive in Hollywood herself, Kaling says she’s actually viewed being members of minority groups — both as a woman and as an Indian American — as her superpower.
“Different personalities react to different situations, right? Because I’m Indian and because I’m a woman, my personality has always been like, ‘Ooh, I must be special,’” the recent Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree says. “It’s exciting to me to prove myself.”
Kaling has always known her value but, as a boss, says she’s had to learn that not everyone has confidence and sometimes talent needs to be nurtured. She wants to help others find that within themselves. One of the staff writers on “Running Point,” Akshara Sekar, used to be Kaling’s personal assistant.
“I didn’t come into this knowing how to be a role model,” Kaling says. “That’s been kind of a fun part of this, helping young women who are pretty different than the way that I was at 24, 25.”
The world of basketball is one that Kaling has long been a fan of. Growing up in Boston, she would watch Celtics games with her dad: “My dad and my mom are both immigrants and one of the ways that my dad decided he was going to be an American citizen was by embracing the sports here.”
Kaling visited the Lakers’ facility, where she saw players like LeBron James and Austin Reaves, along with “their enormous lockers.”
“That mystique will never be broken for me,” she says. “We know now a little bit more about how the sausage is made, but it’s still just as exciting.”
Kaling hopes to pass on the family’s favorite sport to her three children: daughters Katherine and Anne and son Spencer.
“LA culture and the Lakers is so different than any other city,” said Kaling. “I became a Lakers fan and I want my kids to be able to root for the team that they grew up around.”
AP journalist Leslie Ambriz contributed to this report from Los Angeles.
