It's hard to shine bright on a set full of stars.
Perhaps no one understands that better than Mindy Kaling, who's currently filming Warner Bros.' Ocean's Eight in New York City alongside Awkwafina, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson and Rihanna. As Seth Meyers noted on Late Night Wednesday, the film has "one of the most incredible casts ever put together."
Since principal photography began in late October, the paparazzi have been a constant presence on set. "What has your paparazzi experience been so far?" Meyers asked. Kaling replied, "With that group of women, I've never felt so unfamous in my life. Like, I thought I was pretty cool. I have my own show. People think I'm Sandra Bullock's assistant and they're like, 'Get out of the way! We need to bring Sandra her matcha tea.' I'm like, 'I'm in a scene with her. I'm not her assistant.' Then I'm like, 'OK! Whatever. I'll give her her matcha tea. Might as well.'"
Rihanna draws the most paparazzi attention, however.
"There's movie/TV famous, and then there's international pop star famous, which is at a whole other level," the 37-year-old actress said. "We shot a scene, all eight of us together recently, and when we walked outside, there was this huge paparazzi [swarm]. I was talking to Anne Hathaway and Rihanna was kind of behind us. And there was a sea of paparazzi taking photos and all that. I was feeling kind of cool and famous. Then Rihanna took a left to her trailer, which was not in the same direction that me and Anne were going, and the paparazzi left so quickly."
Once Rihanna was gone, Kaling said, "It was like a desert! Anne and I were talking, and I'm trying to have this sexy conversation with Anne Hathaway, and no one's around or cares even."
Whenever the paparazzi are around, Kaling's posture improves and she puts on a big smile. "I noticed when they have a picture of a celebrity looking kind of unhappy, they're like, 'Addiction Problems!' And they put it next to [a photo of] you frowning," she said. "No matter what I'm in, I'm always like, 'Anne Hathaway's the most hilarious person in the whole world!'"
To prove her point, Kaling had Meyers examine a recent paparazzi picture of herself on set with Hatahway and Rihanna. "Just for the record, I'm wearing a gorgeous coat. I'm showing a lot of leg [and wearing] expensive shoes. Anne is wearing a leopard coat. Rihanna's wearing a full parka and baggy jeans!" the Mindy Project star said with a laugh. "They shoved me out of the way to get to her. 'Get out of the way, Sandra Bullock's assistant! We want to talk to Rihanna!'"
Ocean's Eight will be in theaters June 8, 2018.
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