NJ’s Jillian Mueller scores huge break with Kevin James sitcom

Jillian Mueller.

Remember that name. It might be impossible to forget soon.

She’s an actress from New Jersey who just got a huge and well-earned break. But first the backstory because this is my favorite part. She’s a Jersey girl who grew up in Marlboro and got into acting at a young age through theater but always wanted TV and film.

In middle school she got a break and joined the cast of How The Grinch Stole Christmas on Broadway. When she attended Colts Neck High School she was in Bye Bye Birdie. After a few years of steady work she hit a down period but kept plugging away at auditions trying to get back on her feet. By 2019 she was an understudy to the lead actress in Pretty Woman on Broadway. Always prepared but never having an opportunity to perform is not a good place to be and not great for one’s career.

Then this happened. A stellar review in Page Six when the lead suddenly fell ill one January night two years ago ten minutes into the performance. She ran offstage and the audience had to wait wondering if the show would be canceled. Meanwhile backstage Jillian Mueller had ten minutes to get dressed and made up and hit the stage and she rocked it. She left it all on the field to put it into sports terms. The review was glowing and it got her noticed.

Now she’s living her dream of moving into television. Kevin James, famous for King Of Queens and Kevin Can Wait, and movies like Paul Blart, Grown Ups and more, has her starring in his new sitcom. It’s called The Crew about a NASCAR team that suddenly has her taking over as the boss.

Here’s a trailer.

It’s a good mix of characters. Her the tough-because-she-has-to-be new female boss of a NASCAR crew and James a doofus but a doofus you somehow root for. A role he’s always been great with.

It should be noted with all her Broadway experience this isn’t the first time Jillian Mueller has been in front of a camera. It’s just the first time she gets to be a regular on a series. She was in one episode of Law and Order: SVU, one episode of The Last O. G., and a brief appearance in an episode of A Gifted Man. She also did a low budget comedy/horror movie called Porno that she’d probably rather forget.

Check out a great article from NJ.com with more about Mueller’s backstory. This is a Jersey girl worth watching, so look for The Crew on Netflix.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski. Any opinions expressed are Jeff Deminski's own.