Ari Graynor’s Hit Her Stride

For such a tiny person, Ari Graynor has a huge personality. It's a wonder why her extensive résumé, up until now, consists primarily of supporting roles. Luckily, someone over at CBS saw a leading lady aching to reveal herself.

Now, audiences can get their weekly dose of Graynor Thursday nights on Bad Teacher. Adapted from the 2011 movie of the same name, the show centers around Meredith Davis (Graynor), a gold-digging divorcée who turns to teaching as a means of finding her next rich husband. Davis is far and away from Graynor's manic-depressive Sopranos character, Caitlin Rucker, but the contrast serves as a testament to how adaptable the actress is.

In person, Graynor wears her charm on her sleeve. The wit of her often bawdy characters is definitely there, but she's soft-spoken and extremely polite. And, she's fun. Ahead, the 31-year-old budding Hollywood multi-hyphenate muses on everything from the proverbial glass ceiling to what it takes to be a truly, truly good teacher.