Mindy Kaling says B.J. Novak is “a huge part” of her family’s life, describing him as the godfather to her three children. In the same stretch of interviews, she also ties her health choices to a long-term goal: living at least 20 more years for them.
On a night that started like any other awards-season celebration, Mindy Kaling’s private life didn’t stay private for long. She spoke about the people closest to her—especially B.J. Novak—framing him not as a headline or rumor, but as someone deeply built into her children’s day-to-day lives.
In a Bustle profile published May 19. Kaling said she is “very happy and content without a partner. ” yet she also called Novak “a huge part” of her family’s life. “He really is in our family. and I love talking about him because my kids adore him. and he’s such a huge part of our life. ” the 46-year-old “Mindy Project” star said. She added that stepping outside the story would lead others to the same confusion: “If I was just watching it from the outside. I would have the same questions and the same reactions.”.
Novak, who played Kaling’s on-again-off-again boyfriend in “The Office,” is the godfather of her three children. Kaling is the mother of Katherine, 8, Spencer, 5, and Anna, 2. She has not disclosed the identity of her kids’ biological father.
Kaling has also addressed the speculation that Novak is connected to her children in a more formal way. In a 2022 interview. she said. “It doesn’t bother me.” Years later. the details of the relationship play out in the small language families use. At her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2025. Kaling said her daughter calls Novak “Uncle Fofo.” She said. “I have no idea why that is. but he’s such an important and integral part of my family.”.
The picture that emerges from those comments is simple and emotional: Kaling draws a clear line between what outsiders speculate and what her kids actually experience. Novak isn’t presented as a mystery figure—he’s described as someone adored. woven into routines. and close enough that a young child has her own nickname for him.
That closeness also shows up in how Kaling talks about longevity and responsibility. She has said she wants to maintain her health to “live at least 20 more years” for her kids. In remarks to the outlet. she explained how her motivation changed over time: “When I was younger. I would want to lose weight because of vanity reasons. Now I want to lose weight or have lost weight because I want to stave off things like diabetes.” She said diabetes runs in her family—“I had it on both sides of my family”—and that trying to avoid it is part of her plan for “help longevity.” Her goal is clear: “and that’s my goal.”.
Her remarks land against a broader public-health warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: eight in 10 adults in the U.S. don’t know they have prediabetes. Prediabetes carries risk factors that include being overweight. having an immediate family member with type 2 diabetes. and being physically active less than three times each week. It can be prevented through healthy eating and at least 150 minutes of brisk walking or similar activities each week.
Prediabetes increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition characterized by a pancreas that can’t produce enough insulin, causing a rise in blood sugar.
Even as she discusses prevention, Kaling doesn’t pretend the process is purely clinical. She acknowledged that “it’s sometimes no fun when one of your favorite actors loses weight.” In her view. audiences attach to who celebrities are before they change. which makes the transformation feel personal—even if it shouldn’t. “You have an idea of what they were like when you grew attached to them. and it made them endear themselves to you. ” she said. “Of course. it’s never a joy to be scrutinized. but also I truly understand it. as someone who consumes pop culture.’”.
Her own journey has been public at times. Earlier in her career. the New York Times bestselling author said her weight was “my greatest insecurity. ” including during her run as Kelly Kapoor on “The Office.” In a 2023 interview with People. she described a workout regimen that involved 20 miles of hiking or running each week. alongside weight training. She also said she understands why people focus on her body: “I think it’s flattering.” Still. she added that the attention can overwhelm: “sometimes it’s just a little much. so I don’t try to tune it in too much.”.
Kaling has also spoken about the emotional payoff of movement. Jogging and running, she told USA TODAY in 2024, “really takes the place of, honestly, even therapy,” and described how her excursions often last over an hour.
Taken together, her remarks put relationships and health in the same frame: the people she loves, and the time she wants to have with them.
Mindy Kaling B.J. Novak The Office Mindy Project godfather health prediabetes type 2 diabetes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention weight loss Walk of Fame