Is B.J. Novak The Father Of Mindy Kaling's Children?

The rumors have been circulating for a few years, but it doesn't seem to bother actress Mindy Kaling. The rumors, of course, are that her longtime friend B.J. Novak is the father of her two children. In a recent interview with Marie Claire published earlier this week, "The Mindy Project" creator and actress said it "doesn't bother" her.

The actress, 43, has kept the paternity of her two children, Katherine, 4, and Spencer, 23 months, private, but rumors have pointed the finger in Novak's direction. The two first met on the set of "The Office" where they were both writers and actors and had an onscreen romance. They also had an on-and-off romantic relationship off screen between 2004 and 2007. They have remained good friends over the years, which possibly fuels the speculation that he could be the children's father. And that speculation doesn't bother Kaling.

Back in 2014, Novak, 43, told People about his relationship with Kaling, calling it "complicated." "A really complicated person and a really complicated friendship, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world," he said. The two have stayed close and have been seen escorting each other to different events over the years.

"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," Kaling said. "If that's what is going to be titillating to people, I'll take it." It's no secret that Kaling wants to keep her personal life private, especially when it comes to her children. She doesn't show their faces on social media, but occasionally you'll get a glimpse of them in photos on her Instagram page.

While Kaling isn't trying to be super secretive in any way, she's just trying to give her kids a chance to tell their own stories about their childhood one day. She said that when they are ready, she will speak publicly or even write a book with her daughter about their family's story. "I want them to be old enough to talk to me about it and [tell me] how they want me to talk about it," she said. "I'm the only parent my kids have...I think I err on the side of super cautious so that there's less things that they can potentially be mad at me about down the line."

In a 2020 interview on "Good Morning America," the "Never Have I Ever" creator discussed Novak's role in her daughter's life. "Godparents are a Christian tradition, and I'm Hindu and he's Jewish. It makes no sense really, but we really think like, 'Christians really got this right, this is a great tradition,'" she said. "I was like, 'I'm not missing out on this,' so he is the godparent to my daughter and we're just redefining what it really means." Novak has since also become godfather to Kaling's son.