how ON EARTH did this woman become a movie star?

Who is she?

Lorne Michaels

She's Minnie Ripperton's daughter, R1

I wouldn't call Maya a movie star. She's a great supporting player.

She HAS been pushed to be a lead in a TV show and I don't think she was good at that, either. She's much better as a supporting character/actor. I love her, but sometimes, a little goes a long way.

And R3 it's Minnie *Riperton.* One of the best there ever was, or will be.

Can’t wait for her to play Mamala on SNL!

Doesn’t she have a bunch of kids? That’s hard on the looks. She’s been kind of frowsy for a while.

But she’s very, very funny. Can be a bit hammy, though. Loved her as The Judge on “The Good Place.”

S/b “frowzy”

She was really funny as the Judge on The Good Place.

[quote]I wouldn't call Maya a movie star. She's a great supporting player.

She was the lead in that comedy for some reason (Bridesmaids) & what a dead weight she was.

Love Maya

[quote]But she’s very, very funny.

An example of this?

She's relatable to a lot of people because she's not all plasticized and anorexic. She seems very comfortable in her own skin, which is refreshing. And her timing seems really good as a comedian.

I'm usually "meh" about her but the "blow up the earf" song on The Good Place was hilarious.

There's also an old SNL skit she did about mom jeans that was funny because she NAILED the mom jeans look better than anyone else did.

Oh, sorry, it was the "erase the earf" song, not blow it up.

[quote]And [R3] it's Minnie *Riperton.* One of the best there ever was, or will be.

Nonsense. One hit wonder.

She's funny and does funny movies. What else do you want her to do to prove herself to your satisfaction.

Interesting fact: Her mom was Minnie Ripperton, who is best known for the song "Loving You"

[quote]Interesting fact: Her mom was Minnie Ripperton, who is best known for the song "Loving You"

I think this has already been clarified.

She's not a movie star. Not a dig. Not every actor has to be botoxed to an inch of their life.

I hated her Whitney Houston and Oprah on SNL and her alleged Dionne Warwick in Kimmy Schmidt bore no resemblance to anybody. Maya is too rigid and perpetually constipated-looking to play anybody with a shred of vitality or humor, hence why she could only do Beyoncé or Donatella Versace.

She and PT Anderson also make no sense to me. Considering everything Fiona Apple has disclosed about that megalomaniac, one wonders if Maya is just as big of an asshole...

Minnie Ripperton's kid?

Her Whitney was crumbs next to Debra Wilson’s majesty.

She was kinda SNL’s resident black woman for a while, which didn’t work because she’s just too light-skinned to play people like Whitney and Oprah and so it basically became blackface.

I like her. Enough of us do to keep her working.

Better her than some plastic whore who gets work for hitting the casting couch.

R9 Maya was in no way the lead of Bridesmaids. She was a supporting character.

It's RIPERTON, you fat whores!!!

This says it all!!!

[quote]Near the end of the song "Lovin' You", Riperton can be heard singing "Maya" over and over again. Riperton incorporated this into her performance of the song on The Midnight Special. Riperton died of breast cancer on July 12, 1979, at age 31, when Maya was just two weeks shy of her seventh birthday. In 1990, Rudolph graduated from Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California, where [bold]she befriended fellow students Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black[/bold]...

R21 Debra Wilson doesn’t get enough credit for her Whitney and Oprah. MadTV was always superior to SNL.

I didnt like her when she was SNL's token black woman to play every black woman, it just didnt work for numerous reasons already mentioned. Now I find her very funny.

Minnie was not a one-hit wonder. This is my favorite of hers.

R15 you're as dumb as a pile of shit.

"Penthils!"

I, for one, am thrilled she’s the first female Vice President.

She was good in the Good Place. Loved that series. Not seen her in anything else.

She is one of my favorites. I also think she is attractive in an interesting way.

Just as an aside, a bit of obscure trivia: her mother sang a song called "Loving You" long before South Park made it popular. I can't remember her name, but I think it had three or four p's in it.

OP is retarded and/or constipated. This woman is hilarious. Sweet Jaysus you’re dumb and certainly tasteless (& not in the good way).

[quote][R9] Maya was in no way the lead of Bridesmaids. She was a supporting character.

The whole movie was ABOUT her wedding.

Kristin Wig and Rose Burn were the leads, R36.

[quote]OP is retarded and/or constipated. This woman is hilarious. Sweet Jaysus you’re dumb and certainly tasteless (& not in the good way).

Your choice of words reveal who YOU are....and are clearly about you.

Ripperton's voice was ANNOYING and it should never have been recorded.

I remember her on some Awards show. She didn't win, but for some reason she was at the podium later and did that annoying riff as if the audience wanted to hear it.......

Sure, R38, just keep telling yourself that, Nellie Oleson. Just like you, perhaps? Smfh & lol

If you read her book from several years ago, it is obvious that Jewish connections were helpful in her career. Not saying that is bad.

The same way the other dumb fucks from SNL got to replace people like Carson and Letterman. They know Lorne Michaels and were reasonably likely to show up for work half sober most of the time.

Only on the DL could one hit wonderess Minnie Riperton, dead for 40 years, be the reason why her daughter is famous.

I have nothing to add but to agree that Debra Wilson is a much more funny and entertaining actress.

[quote]I have nothing to add but to agree that Debra Wilson is a much more funny and entertaining actress.

By a million miles.

She looks like DLs favorite tranny teen, I Am Jazz in that picture OP posted.

Her voice work is great. Love her on Bless the Harts and as the Hormone Monstress on Big Mouth. Also love her Prince tribute group, "Princess".

What's the purpose of this thread? This is an example of how awful Datalounge is now.

No YOU are, deadhead @ R48.

Time for recess and medication r49

[quote] Kristin Wig and Rose Burn

Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne, you fat whore!

She was perfect in Idiocracy. And in The Good Place.

She's a very gifted comedienne. Maybe not a "movie star" but still, a funny woman. Great facial expressions, great delivery, great timing.

R52 Good Place is very much an example of what I meant - she's fantastic in small doses.

It's true that she was good in Idiocracy, but I still never stopped wondering why she was there. It was distracting.

Be sure you catch the whole thing

I think she's funny... talented. Always happy when she shows up on talk shows, award shows, SNL, movies, whatever. Thumbs UP.

Fiona Apple burns over this woman.

OP, you're a tasteless piece of shit.

Maya is hilarious and super-talented. She was and is great on SNL.

I loved when she and Amy Poehler did the Bronx Beat talk show.

[quote]Maya is hilarious and super-talented. She was and is great on SNL.

Most people are saying she's awful and second rate on SNL. I'd rather listen to them and not some idiot retard who calls me 'a tasteless piece of shit". Go away from here.

Childhood friend of Goop

[quote]Most people are saying she's awful and second rate on SNL

Most people are not, you tasteless piece of shit.

[quote] you tasteless piece of shit.

I see, she appeal to thirteen year olds.

R36 So do you also think Justin Bartha is the lead in The Hangover?

Just admit you made a mistake, this really isn't a hill to die on.

[quote]So do you also think Justin Bartha is the lead in The Hangover?

I wouldn't know.

R36 rides the short bus.

She’s only a star because she’s Gwyneth’s sister.

Oh, and she went to Crossroads School with Manny Ripperwitz.

Women aren’t funny.

I’m glad to see people calling out Maya for being a no talent leech and nepotistic whore, hopefully someone will do same for Traces Ellis Ross as well.

R68 You're also glad when the orderlies bring in your oatmeal. Go to bed, sweetie.

[quote] agree that Debra Wilson is a much more funny and entertaining actress.

Yes but I'm certain Maya could have matched her

She is great! Very funny actress!

ive often wondered tht too, she was so zeroville on SNL

I miss Debra Wilson. Her Whitney was beyond an impersonation, it was like she was Whitney. It was an eerie-but-still-hilarious peek into Whitney's drug life with Bobby. Her Mariah was also funny.

I like Maya but I agree she is better in small doses. I also find her a big smug on those award shows with Amy. They think they're funnier than they really are.

r73 Debra Wilson is a fucking legend. Apparently she's keeping busy as a voice and motion capture actor despite being out of the public eye. I was surprised to learn she did the demon voices for "The Nun."

I loathe Tina Fey and that other Amy bitch but I like Maya Rudolph. I'm pretty sure the Kristen Wiig character is the lead in Bridesmaids.

She's incredibly one note, all she can do is the Grand Lady voice and in real life she doesn't even hide the fact that she's a total bitch. She's also homely. The fact that she can't get cast as anything but a sidekick tells me she doesn't appeal to many people either

Maya isn't a move star - she's a great character TV comedic actress. She can play many ethnic types, has a great vocal range, and is a generous. She SHOULD be in more movies.

R47 recognizes the greatness of Connie, Hormone Monstress. Buh-buh-buh-bubble bath!

Looking at her TV experience successes it seems she has a face best suited to animation or playing eccentric made up and costumed characters. I feel like she’s been part of many series launches that have just been in death throws the minute they drop. In fact wasn’t there a recent one where she plays a character who died and then goes to a parallel afterlife that had only one season? I also feel she’s dragged down quite a few Christina Applegate shows, luckily she didn’t show up on Dead Like Me. She’s like box office poison for TV series.

OP, I love her and think she's great in everything I've seen her in.

So, you know, different strokes for different folks.

She's funny and she's also pretty great in dramatic roles.

It doesn't hurt that Paul Thomas Anderson has been her partner since 2001.

She was comedy gold on SNL. And apparently a good, kind person. Have as pleasant a holiday as all of you are.

Where’d all these Maya apologists be coming from, PR team better be getting holiday pay at this rate!

[quote]Where’d all these Maya apologists be coming from

Oh dear

Minnie created what is, in my opinion, the greatest pop song — ever.

I think he was kidding r84 and you didn't get it.

Oh, well...

R12, that's a terrible justification for why somebody is popular or famous.

OMG her bingo-wings make me feel SO related to. Her saddlebags and muffin top make her so much realer and down to earth than those OTHER celebrities.

What is that!? Insecurity-based admiration and fandom?! What an insult to the celebrity themselves. If you're famous, the last thing you want to be labeled is "real" or "relatable", which really means ordinary and dumpy.

She wasn't the lead in Bridesmaids, R9. Kristen Wiig was the lead. The story was about her character.

The movie is literally called Bridesmaids. Maya played the bride.

R88 They really should have been more explicit and called it Maid of Honor.

She is quite okay at comedy acting. Also, do you know her mother is the original singer of "loving you". Her mother is the first pop singer to hit a whistle note.

If you want to crap some actress, you should choose amy Schumer, Amy Poehler, Jimmy Fallon etc. Now that's no talent.

Let’s start a thread called “Crap some actress!”

Perhaps she's not leading lady material, but I've always liked her quite a bit.

How is she not funny as Donatella and Beyoncé? Also, Rose Byrne wasn’t a lead in Bridesmaids- seems Wiig was the lead and all others fit in supporting. And Rudolph was both lead and good in ‘Away We Go’.

In the high school of life, the popular group always embraces a girl like her. Good natured, nothing special-looking.

She is a pretty good comedic actress but belongs in supporting roles only. Does not have the face or body for lead actress unless portraying someone quirky looking or dumpy.

R9, as R23 said, she was in no way the lead in Bridesmaids.

Lots of stupid people on this thread calling intelligent people stupid.

I thought it was Mariah Carey without makeup.

Hasn't her overrated, white husband been cancelled?

r81 PT Anderson doesn't even cast her in his movies (except one, for all of 20 seconds) and they don't make money. I can't see how being with him would help her career all that much.

I've said the same thing about pretty much every actor working today.

I think she's very funny in the right role. And I'd never, ever call her a "movie star".