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Maya Phillips on Muck Rack

Maya Phillips

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New York
As seen in: The New York Times, Medium, O Globo, The New York Times en Español, The New York Times Magazine, The Economic Times, Yahoo Canada, Yahoo News, Yahoo News Malaysia, Clarín (Argentina), Mashable and
THE DARK HUMOUR (@wwnorton forthcoming), EROU (@FourWayBooks), NERD (@AtriaBooks) | critic @nytimes | rep: @JuliaREagleton | mayabphillips.substack.com

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Articles

‘Survival of the Thickest’ Showed How Clichés Can Be Transgressive

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By Maya Phillips Verified
| The New York Times Verified
‘Survival of the Thickest’ Showed How Clichés Can Be Transgressive The Netflix rom-com series that just ended after three seasons succeeded thanks to an irresistible performance by its star, Michelle Buteau. Michelle Buteau in the third season of Netflix’s “Survival of the Thickest.”Credit...Vanessa Clifton/Netflix July 10, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ET I don’t typically go for shows where a plucky female protagonist seems inevitably bound for a happy ending.
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'Survival of the Thickest' Showed How Cliches Can Be Transgressive

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By Maya Phillips Verified
| Breaking One
(Critic's Notebook) I don't typically go for shows where a plucky female protagonist seems inevitably bound for a happy ending. But from the premiere of the Netflix series "Survival of the Thickest" all the way through its recent series finale, I found myself completely taken by the effervescent charms of the show's star and co-creator, Michelle Buteau. The comedian and actress stars as Mavis Beaumont, a wannabe designer for plus-size, transgender and nonbinary people in New York.
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5 of My Favorite Onscreen Moments of 2026, So Far

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By Maya Phillips Verified
| Breaking One
Two of the admittedly hyper-specific things I love in my onscreen entertainment are subtle, surreal moments that highlight a character's fears and insecurities; and dance scenes that reveal a character's identity and inner life. Lucky for me, 2026 has already offered several examples of each across TV and movies.
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