Mindy Kaling Responds to Rumors She and B.J. Novak Had a Falling Out
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Originally appeared on E! Online
Mindy Kaling has a lot of questions. Number one, how dare you?
Or at least, she said something to that effect in response to rumors that she and her longtime BFF—and former boyfriend—B.J. Novak had a falling out. After celebrity gossip account DeuxMoi shared a blind item suggesting the Office alums had agreed to put "some distance" between them, Mindy was quick to set the record straight.
Seeming to make light of the situation, the 44-year-old commented on the March 23 post, "Omg I haaate him so much."
In fact, in the years since their split in the mid-aughts—during which they worked together as writers and actors on The Office—the pair have proven time and time again how much they "haaate" each other.
Amid the many moments in which the duo have gushed over the other, one of the biggest indicators of how deep their bond really goes was Mindy's decision to appoint B.J. godfather to her two children, daughter Katherine, 6, and son Spencer, 3. And while the Sex Lives of College Girls creator has kept the identity of the children's father a secret, the move has prompted many online to speculate that B.J. is their father.
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Speculation that—much like rumors of a falling out—both parties have simply allowed to roll off their back over the years.
"It doesn't bother me," the Mindy Project star told Marie Claire in August 2022. "He's the godparent to both my kids—and they have such a great relationship—and so far [the rumors haven't] affected my happiness at all, it hasn't affected my kids or BJ… If that's what is going to be titillating to people, I'll take it."
And while there are those Office fans who have hoped that a romantic spark might rekindle between the pair, Mindy has been clear about why the pair work so well as friends—and nothing more.
"He is a wonderful friend and he's godparent of both of my kids and he loves children and they're so attached to him," she told Drew Barrymore in December of the same year. "He's really a part of our family. But we've known each other for a long, long time."
Mindy continued, "I think anyone who's been friends with someone for 18, 19 years and at one point dated and now doesn't, they maybe understand this."
To see where more of The Office cast is today, keep reading.
Zach Woods (Gabe)
What's he up to? Woods appeared opposite Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in The Post and has been popping up everywhere from Ghostbusters to Playing House, in addition to starring HBO's hit comedy Silicon Valley, which wrapped up its celebrated six season run in December 2019.
These days, he's starring in the new series, In The Know.
Paul Lieberstein (Toby)
What's he up to? Don't tell Michael, but did you know Toby was actually The Office's showrunner for several seasons?! Lieberstein was then brought in as showrunner for Fox's Ghosted and also served as an executive producer on HBO's The Newsroom. He also wrote and directed the comedy movie Song of Back and Neck.
In addition to producing 2023's Lucky Hank, he also starred in a buzzworthy Super Bowl commercial for Fox in 2020, playing a Toby-esque character who tries to prevent people from taking the day off work for a new holiday, "Super Monday." Typical Toby.
Oscar Nunez (Oscar)
What's he up to? Nunez has appeared on Baywatch, Shameless, People of Earth and The 5th Quarter and recently starred on Netflix's comedy series Mr. Iglesias.
He also acted in 2022's The Lost City alongside Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum.
Brian Baumgartner (Kevin)
What's he up to? Aside from making Kevin's famous chili? (Seriously, it landed him a sponsorship deal with Bush's Beans!) The actor has kept busy with roles on Hand of God, Good Behavior, Life in Pieces, and The Goldbergs.
In 2014, Baumgartner married Celeste Ackelson, and the couple welcomed their first daughter Brylee in 2015. Baumgartner was previously married to Julia Fisher, with whom he has one child.
And in 2021, he starred in the film Electric Jesus.
Kate Flannery (Meredith)
What's she up to? Flannery has appeared on shows such as All Night and Aussie Girl and has also voiced characters on Steven Universe and OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes. You can often see her performing in her musical comedy duo The Lampshades (which we highly recommend if you ever get a chance).
In the fall of 2019, she competed on Dancing With the Stars, ultimately coming in seventh place with partner Pasha Pashkov.
Angela Kinsey (Angela)
What's she up to? Kinsey appeared in the canceled Netflix series Haters Back Off and in 2018, had a recurring role on Fresh Off the Boat. She recently appeared in Netflix's Never Have I Ever, which was created by Mindy Kaling, and hosted of Be Our Chef, her 2020 cooking competition show for Disney+.
In October 2019, Kinsey and co-star Jenna Fischer teamed up to to host their own podcast about the show, Office Ladies. Each week, the two rewatch an episode and share memories, as well as welcome special guests.
Kinsey married Joshua Snyder in 2016, telling Martha Stewart Weddings, "Our wedding was more than just two people coming together, it was a family coming together. Josh and his sons and my daughter and I. We were so proud of our children. They each wrote something to say during the ceremony."
Leslie David Baker (Stanley)
What's he up to? Leslie David Baker has been acting consistently since The Office wrapped, most recently popping up on Raven's Home and Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television. He was in 2018's The Happytime Murders. He also portrays Rufus on Disney Junior's Puppy Dog Pals.
B.J. Novak (Ryan)
What's he up to? He appeared on 2016's The Founder, The Mindy Project and The Newsroom, and also played himself on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Shortly after The Office ended, Novak released his book of short stories, One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories, which spent weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers List. Later the same year, he released a children's book, The Book With No Pictures. In 2015, it was reported that Novak and Mindy Kaling, his former girlfriend and best friend, were teaming up to write a book together.
Novak was working on a secret Blumhouse horror film called Vengeance when production was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic before it was released in 2022.
Ellie Kemper (Erin)
What's she up to? Oh nothing, just starring in her very own critically acclaimed Netflix show called Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which ended its celebrated run in January 2019. In addition to starring in blockbuster films like Bridesmaids, she also does some cartoon voices on shows like Sofia the First and movies such as The Secret Life of Pets and its sequel. She also penned the book My Squirrel Days.
In late 2019, Kemper gave birth to her second child, a son named Matthew who joins big brother James, with husband Michael Koman. She also recently starred in Netflix's Happiness for Beginners.
Craig Robinson (Darryl)
What's he up to? After saying goodbye to Darryl, Robinson went on to star in several movies, including This Is the End and Sausage Party, and took on roles on Fox's canceled Ghosted (starring opposite Adam Scott) and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Most recently, Robinson co-starred in the critically acclaimed drama Dolemite Is My Name and voiced a character in Dolittle. And he's set to join the cast of FX's comedy What We Do In the Shadows when it returns for its second season.
He's also starred in Killing It since 2022.
Creed Bratton (Creed Bratton)
What's he up to? More than you might realize. He's been working steadily as an actor since The Office ended, and he currently had a couple movies in which he played "Quarrelsome Saloon Guy Town 2" and "Cowboy Guy." Bratton is also a musician, recently releasing an album titled While the Young Punks Dance, and tours the world with his music and comedy show.
Ed Helms (Andy)
What's he up to? Helms appeared in the successful Hangover movies and the 2013 remake of Vacation, and does TV work as well, including his upcoming NBC show True Story, which he will host along with Randall Park, that highlights ordinary people with extraordinary stories. He co-starred opposite Taraji P. Henson in the 2020 Netflix comedy Coffee & Kareem.
In 2023, he starred in The Family Swith alongside Jennifer Garner.
Mindy Kaling (Kelly)
What's she up to? Oh, just becoming one of the most in-demand creators in Hollywood! Her beloved show The Mindy Project aired from 2012 to 2017. She also created and co-starred in Champions on NBC, and the movie Ocean's Eight, and co-created a Four Weddings and Funeral series for Hulu, which premiered in 2019. Most recently, she appeared on The Morning Show and co-created and produced Netflix's young adult series, Never Have I Ever.
In 2017, Kaling welcomed her first child, a daughter named Katherine, choosing not to reveal the identity of the father. Kaling announced in October 2020 that she had secretly welcomed her second child, a baby boy named Spencer.
After dating during their time working on the show, Kaling is still BFFs with BJ Novak, with the pair recently attending the 2020 Oscars together. He's also Kathleen's godfather.
Phyllis Smith (Phyllis)
What's she up to? After voicing the character of Sadness to perfection in the 2015 animated hit Inside Out (with co-star Mindy Kaling voicing Disgust), Smith went on to star in Netflix's mysterious The OA.
Rainn Wilson (Dwight)
What's he up to? After NBC passed on a possible Dwight-centric spinoff, Wilson went on to star on Fox's short-lived Backstrom and has made appearances on Star Trek: Discovery and Mom. He also provides the voice for Lex Luthor for animated direct-to-DVD DC Comics movies. His new series for Amazon Prime, Utopia, premiered in 2020.
And February 2020, it was announced that Wilson will star in Amazon Prime's The Power, a thriller about teenage girls all over the world suddenly develop the power to electrocute people.
He also starred in the 2022 film Jerry & Marge Go Large alongside Bryan Cranston and Annette Benning.
Jenna Fischer (Pam)
What's she up to? Fischer starred opposite Oliver Hudson in the ABC sitcom called Splitting Up Together, which was canceled in 2019.
Fischer published her first book in 2017, with Steve Carell writing the introduction to The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide. In 2019, Fischer teamed up with former co-star Angela Kinsey for the popular podcast Office Ladies, dedicated to the iconic series.
She's been married to screenwriter Lee Kirk since July 2010 and they have two children together, a son named Weston, 8, and a daughter named Harper, 5.
In 2024, she played Cady's mother in the Mean Girls movie musical.
John Krasinski (Jim)
What's he up to? A Quiet Place, which the man behind the beloved Jim Halpert, starred in and directed (alongside his wife Emily Blunt) was a huge surprise hit in 2018. Its sequel was released in 2020, and A Quiet Place: Day One premiers in June 2024.
On the TV side of things, Krasinski plays the titular (and legendary) Jack Ryan in the hit Amazon Prime series, which he also serves as a producer on and was renewed for a third season. Through his production company, Krasinski served as an executive producer on Lip Sync Battle and 2016's critically acclaimed film Manchester By the Sea.
After they got married at George Clooney's Lake Como, Italy estate in 2008, Krasinski and Blunt welcomed two daughters: Hazel, 6, and Violet, 3. They are one of Hollywood's most beloved couples, counting the Clooneys, Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds and more among their close friends.
Steve Carell (Michael)
What's he up to? After playing one of TV's most popular and beloved characters, Michael Scott, Carell has gone on to become one of Hollywood's most in-demand actors, both in movies and TV.
Carell made his big return to TV in Apple TV+'s The Morning Show, starring opposite Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, with his work earning him an Emmy nomination. He also starred in Netflix's Space Force, which he also served as an executive producer on.
When it came to movies, Carell has favored dramas, starring in films such as Beautiful Boy, The Big Short, Battles of the Sexes, Welcome to Marwen and Vice. In 2014, he was nominated for an Oscar for his dark turn in Foxcatcher. He also lent his voice to the character of Gru in the beloved Despicable Me franchise.
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