‘I had $17 left in my bank account’: Jameela Jamil was desperate for money when she accidentally landed her Good Place role

Jameela Jamil’s journey to landing her role as Tahani Al-Jamil on NBC’s The Good Place was filled with unexpected turns, including a memorable mishap during her audition. The 39-year-old actress recently shared her experiences on Busy Philipps’ QVC+ talk show, Busy This Week, revealing both humorous and challenging moments from her path to stardom. Jamil has become known for her outspoken views on body image and industry standards.

According to People, before her breakthrough role, Jamil worked as a presenter on the BBC Radio 1 Chart show but left the position in 2015 to pursue a career as a writer and DJ. However, this career change led to financial difficulties, forcing her to seek new opportunities in entertainment.

“I just didn’t want to be on TV anymore ever again, and I wanted to be a writer and a DJ, and so I just left. And then I ran out of money, and so I said, ‘Please can I have a job, any job, I will do anything,'” Jamil recalled. “I was so desperate for money at that point. I had $17 left in my bank account.”

How a beauty mishap almost cost her the role

On the day of her Good Place audition, Jamil faced an embarrassing situation when she attempted to curl her hair for the first time. Borrowing what she thought was a hair curler from her model roommate, she discovered too late that it was actually a pink, ridged sex toy. This mishap forced her to rewash her hair, making her late for the audition.

Despite the setback, Jamil’s audition was successful, though she had to choose between two opportunities: hosting a magic show in Las Vegas or taking the role in The Good Place. She was ultimately guided toward choosing The Good Place, a decision that would launch her Hollywood career.

The Good Place, which ran from September 18, 2016, to January 30, 2020, became a successful fantasy comedy series. The show, which ran for four seasons with 53 episodes, focused on the afterlife, where humans are sent to either “The Good Place” or “The Bad Place” based on their moral actions during their lifetime.

The series also starred Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, William Jackson Harper, and Manny Jacinto, becoming a significant milestone in Jamil’s career, especially considering she had initially wanted to avoid returning to television altogether. Looking back at her journey, Jamil can now laugh at the various challenges she faced, including her unfamiliarity with hair styling tools and the financial struggles that ultimately led her to this life-changing role. Her success in The Good Place eventually opened doors to major Marvel roles.