Mindy Kaling has showcased her many talents as an actress, producer, writer, and more, earning her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On that special day in 2025, her former co-star, friend, and ex-boyfriend BJ Novak was there to celebrate her.
Their longstanding relationship has intrigued many, especially given their dynamic on The Office and numerous collaborations since.
Learn more about Kaling’s relationship history and her life as a mom below.
Does Mindy Kaling Have a Boyfriend?
No. Kaling does not currently have a boyfriend, she confirmed during a May 2026 interview with Bustle. She told the outlet that she’s embracing singledom despite having previously wanted a life partner so badly.
“It is crazy for someone like me, who only wrote about the pursuit of romance for so much of my life, to be very happy and content without a partner,” she said.
Kaling briefly dated Novak, her co-star on The Office and frequent collaborator on The Mindy Project, before dating Benjamin Nugent from 2008 to 2012.
Why Did BJ Novak and Mindy Kaling Break Up?
Novak and Kaling officially started dating in 2005 and broke up in 2007.
How Many Kids Does Mindy Kaling Have?
Kaling has three kids. Her first, a daughter named Katherine, is from a previous relationship. She announced the arrival of her second child, a son named Spencer Avu, in an October 2020 interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Kaling shared on the late-night show, “I’m telling it for the first time now, it feels so strange. But I gave birth to a baby boy on September 3. This is news to a lot of people. It’s true.”
In February 2024, Kaling secretly welcomed her third child, a daughter named Anne. On her birthday in June 2024, Kaling revealed the news on Instagram, writing: “In late February I gave birth to my daughter, Anne. She’s the best birthday present I could’ve ever imagined,” she wrote. “When things are hard, whenever I veer towards cynicism, my three kids are such a great reminder of the pure joy in my life. I’m so lucky I live in a place where I could do this by myself, on my own timeline. Thanks for all the birthday wishes!”
Who Is the Father of Mindy Kaling’s Kids?
Kaling has not revealed the identity of her children’s father, although she has shared that she is the “only parent [her] kids have” in an August 2022 interview with Marie Claire.
On her first daughter’s birth certificate, the father’s name was reportedly left blank. In her book Nothing Like I Imagined (Except For Sometimes), Kaling discussed her life as a single mom, expressing gratitude for her independence and the time saved not needing to consult with another person about parenting decisions.
Kaling has also mentioned that she won’t be revealing her daughter’s father anytime soon, although Novak is her daughter’s godfather. Kaling has described Novak as an “important and integral part of my family,” and he spoke on her behalf at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, calling her an “incredible mother of three.”
The actress has decided to keep her daughter’s father’s identity private, explaining to The New York Times: “My feeling is that, until I speak to my daughter about that, I’m not going to talk to anyone else about it.”
