Mindy Kaling visits Connecticut’s new Great Wolf Lodge to take a plunge for charity.
By Amy Jamieson
Call it a Mindy Project: effortlessly dashing from a high-fashion event in New York City to an indoor water park in Connecticut in a matter of hours.
Actor, writer, and producer Mindy Kaling left the famed Met Gala and headed north to the brand-new Great Wolf Lodge Mashantucket, where she hit the attractions at the resort in the name of charity. The quick-change from a military-inspired Charles Harbison gown to a cheery red swimsuit is totally on brand for the actress.
“Yesterday and today were such a great mix of both sides of my personality,” says Kaling. “I have three little kids, and so thinking about stuff to do with them is 40 percent of my day, but then I also have the side of me that moved to L.A. to be on TV.” Kaling went on to say that going to the Met Gala and then immediately to the resort “perfectly encapsulates my personality.”
Kaling helped unveil the 92,000 square foot indoor Great Geyser Water Park and took on a big challenge: testing all thirteen of the new water slides for charity. Great Wolf made a $4,000 donation to Make-A-Wish Connecticut for each slide she went on, amounting to a $52,000 check given to the organization on Kaling’s behalf.
“That is so wonderful about the donation, it’s just absolutely incredible what you guys are doing,” Kaling announced to the grand opening crowd, which included Great Wolf CEO John Murphy, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, and Rodney A. Butler, Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.
Referring to one ride, the Otter Cave Waterworks, which has a teetering vessel of water at the top, Kaling says that when the bucket dumps, it is truly exciting. “I don’t look the best after it, “she laughs, “but it is a thrill like none other.”
Kaling co-created and serves as the executive producer of the sports comedy series Running Point, which is currently on Netflix. She hopes to bring her family back to Great Wolf in June when they make their annual trip to Boston, where she grew up.
Despite taking daring dips for charity, Kaling was relieved to find family-friendly slides at the resort. “I am not a thrill seeker,” she says, explaining that her family has varying degrees of risk-takers. “I have a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old, but then there are really good ones for my 7-year-old who’s scarily into roller coasters,” noting her little ones might have FOMO about this trip. “I can’t believe what I’m going to tell my children back in Los Angeles that this is what I did all day while they went to school,”
It was exciting for The Office alumna to return to the Northeast, “It’s the best. It’s just so beautiful, says Kaling. “We drove last night from New York City for three hours, and I was like, ‘This is so green and lush.’ It’s pouring rain, and it’s still pleasant. Also, UCONN Women’s Basketball is iconic. Connecticut is like the power New England state.”
