‘The Good Place’: Are Kristen Bell and Jameela Jamil Friends?
There isn’t any more innovative sitcom on TV than The Good Place on NBC. It’s rare to see such a show on network TV, and even rarer to find unique characters. Divided equally between male and female characterizations, the latter are the true standouts, particularly Eleanor Shellstrop and Tahani Al-Jamil. Played by Kristen Bell and Jameela Jamil, respectively, their characters haven’t been exactly friendly.
In real life, everyone wants to know if they really get along. Don’t assume sitcom universes have meta relations with the real world. Occasionally they do, but characters at odds with one another often have their actor counterparts becoming best friends.
Take a minute to see what Bell and Jamil’s friendship status is.
Kristen Bell and Jameela Jamil’s character’s friendship
If you’ve watched The Good Place since the beginning, you know Eleanor despised Tahani in the beginning. She found her positive attitude about things a true menace, which only proved how awful of a person Eleanor was at the start. On the other hand, maybe viewers rooted more with Eleanor in a world sometimes turned upside-down.
One thing fans perhaps sided with Eleanor on was Tahani’s annoying habit of name dropping famous people she knew in life. Let’s not forget she was a wealthy philanthropist who knew a long list of famous people. As a result, Tahani had a tendency to be more than a little condescending as well, giving Eleanor points when calling it out.
As with other TV characters who don’t get along, things evolved. We’ve seen Eleanor grow to respect Tahani a little more, especially when they’re given a chance to go back to their original lives.
Perhaps this is just a ruse since they’ve had their brains wiped more than a few times. Bell and Jamil have been getting along swimmingly in real life.
‘The Good Place’ jokes about the sexual tension between Kristen Bell and Jameela Jamil’s characters
An interesting evolution to the Eleanor character recently is that it’s mentioned she’s bisexual, which Bell and Jamil say they don’t mind. It’s even led to some erotic fan-fiction being written about the two, proving just how obsessed The Good Place fans have become.
We’ll have to see if the writers of the show ever go there, even if they likely won’t without NBC suits intervening. Then again, it’s amazing they’ve allowed a show about complex philosophy to become a part of the sitcom mainstream in the first place.
There’s still some rivalry there between the characters, yet Jamil keeps noting how great of a friend Bell has become. The former credits Bell for teaching her about comedic acting, something we’ve seen Jamil master on the show and in real life on social media.
Beyond there, we’re also seeing the two support one another when it comes to winning industry awards.
Jameela Jamil recently supported Kristen Bell after losing a Golden Globe
The cast of The Good Place certainly deserves some industry award wins soon. When Bell was nominated this last year for a Golden Globe and lost, Jamil said she was “furious” about her friend losing. Both are clearly supporting one another all the way in this industry, which is a great thing to see when we hear too many stories about in-fighting on other shows.
Their friendship will also help the chemistry between the two on The Good Place when its fourth season begins next fall. With that sexual tension constantly being hinted, it’ll make situations between Eleanor and Tahani all the more hilarious to analyze. When two actors know one another well, you’ll frequently be able to scope out subtle things in their scenes together that proves gears are turning. We could stand to watch this for another five years or more.
