Beautiful People 2010: Mindy Kaling & Ellie Kemper

Beautiful People 2010: Mindy Kaling & Ellie Kemper

Beautiful People 2010: Mindy Kaling & Ellie Kemper

There are two types of characters on The Office: Those who are insufferable and those who are not. Actresses Mindy Kaling and Ellie Kemper play Kelly and Erin, who belong to the former -- and obviously our favorite -- camp.

Kaling's been a cast-member since The Office premiered six seasons ago, and is also an executive producer and regular writer on the show. Her character, Kelly, the intellectually stunted girly-girl who loves the color pink and America's Got Talent, has gone on to develop quite a cult following, as has Kaling herself (she has over a million followers on Twitter). She's currently developing a movie called The Low Self-Esteem of Lizzie Gillespie ("I wanted to do what Judd Apatow does, but for women.") and her own NBC pilot. While Kaling is reluctant to talk about it, she hints, "I'd love to see a show about an imperfect, immature heroine--and actually imperfect, not the 'hot klutz' networks keep trying to push on us--finding love."

Kemper is the new girl, both on the show and off, having joined the cast this past season as Erin, the wide-eyed and meticulous new receptionist who idolizes everyone in the office, especially Kelly. (This is made evident in the hilarious web series that Kaling directed about Kelly and Erin's band, Subtle Sexuality, and the making of their music video "Male Prima Donna.")

Kelly and Erin's dynamic seems to have made its way off-screen as well. "While Mindy and I are totally friends, I also still have such a girl crush on her," says Kemper. Also mirroring the show: the two are collaborating on a dance and comedy sketch for L.A.'s Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. All this life imitating art and vice versa has Kemper paranoid that her character is seeping into her real life. "We were on set and Mindy left a coffee cup on my desk, and I was like, 'Oh, Mindy, you left your cup here, that doesn't belong here,' and she was like, 'Oh my God, Erin became you!'"

(L-R) Mindy wears a dress by Michael Kors and gloves by Perrin Paris. Ellie wears a vest by Skingraft, tank top by the Garden Collection by H&M, belt by H&M and jeans by J Brand

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