A Late Night for Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling

How do I love thee, Emma Thompson? Let me count the ways.

1. You are one of the best actresses on the planet and have brought to life some of the most iconic literary characters of all time for film like P.L. Traverse, Sybil Treelawny, Nanny McPhee, Miss Kenton, Elinor Dashwood, Margaret Schlegal. Oh, and you can do Shakespeare just about better than anybody.

2. Not only are you an amazing award-winning actress, you're also a writer, and a super smart one at that. Winning both an Oscar and a Gold Globe for your screenplay of "Sense and Sensibilty," you gave what will go down in the annals of history as the best acceptance speech ever. Just watch it here, and everyone will agree. You've also written a New York Times Bestseller book.

3. You want to change the landscape of roles for women in theater and film.

4. You are a humanitarian.

5. You have awesome parenting tips.

6. You're down to earth and personable. Who else takes off their shoes at the Golden Globes while giving an acceptance speech?

7. You are super funny, which is evidenced by your performance in "Late Night," which premiered at Sundance this year.

"Late Night" was one of the most entertaining and enjoyable shows of Sundance this year. It is a lot less "indie film" and much more commercial than most Sundance fare. The success of the film is largely attributable to two things. First, a hilarious script written by Mindy Kaling inspired by her own experiences as a writer for late-night television. Second, another iconic performance by Emma Thompson as host and stand-up comedian Katherine Newbury.

Kaling's script explores what it's like to be a woman of color in a definitively man's world. How does it make you feel when everybody calls you the "diversity hire?" Especially when you know you're really the best person for the job regardless of your color or gender. And what happens when the one person you think should be your ally, your boss who is a woman that has broken through the proverbial glass ceiling in stand up to become the biggest host on late-night television, is dismissive and disdainful of your work? Comedy, that's what!

A couple of years ago, Emma Thompson talked about the need for more roles to be created for older women in Hollywood. Kaling has come through in spades to create a magnificent one for Thompson who looks 59 years young, and wolfishly plays a strong and fierce woman who's had to fight for every rung on the ladder she's climbed to the top, and seems to be losing her grip to a younger generation that she simply doesn't understand. Kaling's script is funny and smart, and it has a lot to say about diversity and balance in the workplace. Her own performance as her autobiographically-based character is absolutely charming.

"Late Night" was bought by Amazon for $13 million dollars, which is a pretty hefty price tag at Sundance. But because of the star-power of both Emma Thompson and Mandy Kaling and the fact that it is a light comedy, it is sure to succeed at the box office later this year.

"Late Night" Grand Theatre January 27, 2019

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