Meet the Cast Bringing Mindy Kaling’s New Hulu Comedy ‘Not Suitable for Work’ to Life
Mindy Kaling has built a recognizable brand around comedies that follow young women navigating specific life stages, and her latest effort extends that run into the post-college years. ‘Not Suitable for Work’ centers on five work-obsessed 20-somethings striving for professional success and, if they have time, personal happiness in Manhattan’s most glamorous neighborhood, Murray Hill. The series premiered on Hulu on June 2, 2026, with Kaling executive producing alongside showrunner Charlie Grandy and producer Howard Klein, under the production banner of Kaling International, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Television.
The show launched with its first three episodes available simultaneously, with two additional episodes dropping each following week before the season finale. The series was originally developed under the title ‘Murray Hill,’ named after the notoriously entry-level-friendly neighborhood just south of midtown Manhattan. From an ensemble of rising talents to a formidable supporting lineup, the casting choices are central to what the show is attempting to do.
The Five Central ‘Not Suitable for Work’ Cast Members
Ella Hunt leads the ensemble as AJ, a first-year analyst at the fictional investment bank Fisher Stassen. Hunt is known for playing Sue Gilbert on the Apple TV series ‘Dickinson,’ which starred Hailee Steinfeld as the famous poet Emily Dickinson.
Avantika plays Abby, who works as an assistant at the same firm, while Davis and AJ are junior financial analysts putting in 80-hour weeks for a demanding boss played by Jay Ellis. Avantika has been singled out as a real highlight by some reviewers, while Angus channels an affable, comedically instinctive energy as Davis.
Nicholas Duvernay plays Kel, a medical school student with dreams of becoming an actor. Duvernay previously starred alongside Sofia Carson and Nicholas Galitzine in the 2022 Netflix movie ‘Purple Hearts’ and appeared as Zion Lindsey on season three of HBO’s hit series ‘The White Lotus.’
Jack Martin plays Josh, a journalist whose idealism and sense of ethics do not extend to using his media CEO dad to land a gig as a PA on a news show. Davis rooms with both Josh and Kel in an apartment directly across the hall from AJ and Abby, and the friend group quickly forms a complex web of crushes.
Jay Ellis and the Mindy Kaling Comedy Universe
Jay Ellis portrays Bill Gibson, described as a charismatic, successful investment banker who is admired for being his firm’s highest-earning managing director. ‘Not Suitable for Work’ marks Ellis’ second time starring in a Kaling project, as he also plays coach Jay Brown in ‘Running Point,’ her Netflix comedy series set in the world of the NBA, which debuted in 2025 and has been renewed for a second season.
When speaking about the casting, Kaling shared that she has been a fan of Ellis since his role in ‘Insecure,’ highlighting that his chemistry with the show’s creator Issa Rae was dynamic, and that was the energy she wanted for her shows.
Ellis is also well known for playing Lieutenant Reuben “Payback” Fitch in the 2022 film ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and spent five seasons on HBO’s ‘Insecure’ as Lawrence Walker. His inclusion signals that Kaling is building a cohesive creative network across her various projects.
A Recurring Guest Cast Built Around Industry Veterans
Recurring guest stars on ‘Not Suitable for Work’ include Victor Garber, Greg Germann, Judy Gold, Ego Nwodim, Harry Richardson, Constance Wu, Laura Bell Bundy, May Hong, Bhavesh Patel, Emilia Suárez, and Michael Benjamin Washington.
Constance Wu appears as celebrity stylist Vanessa Hsu, with reviewers noting she appears to be enjoying riffing on the Miranda Priestly model of demanding boss. The story positions Abby as the assistant to this demeaning and demanding celebrity stylist, while Josh is the son of a network CEO played by Greg Germann.
Among the supporting players, Victor Garber has been noted as particularly strong, with reviewers singling him out as one of the ensemble’s more effective presences in the guest lineup. The depth of the recurring roster reflects the considerable resources behind the production.
Critical Reception and Where the Gen Z Comedy Lands
Season one of ‘Not Suitable for Work’ currently holds a 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting a split critical reception following its premiere. Some critics described the show as an older person’s idea of a show about young adults, noting that despite a relevant cast and scripts peppered with internet slang, the characters bear little resemblance to the Gen Z audience the show appears to be courting.
Hunt, Avantika, and Angus received specific praise as overgrown kids trying to hide their softness beneath ambition, with critics acknowledging that even when the jokes fall flat, the cast’s charm keeps episodes breezy.
Whether the ensemble cast can carry the series to a second season, and whether the characters find more friction and specificity when given more room to breathe, are the questions most worth following as the season concludes. So if you have watched the first episodes, what is your read on whether Ella Hunt, Avantika, and the rest of the group have the chemistry to make ‘Not Suitable for Work’ a long-term contender on Hulu?
