Mindy Kaling Finally Breaks Silence on B.J. Novak Dating Rumors and Sets the Record Straight About Their Relationship

Mindy Kaling is finally drawing a firm line between the internet’s romantic fantasies and her actual day-to-day reality. For nearly two decades, fans of The Office have been absolutely obsessed with the idea that she and her former costar, B.J. Novak, are secretly dating. However, the actress is finally putting to bed the endless will-they-or-won’t-they rumors, clarifying exactly where the two stand today.

According to Kaling’s latest interview with Bustle, she is currently living her best single life. The 46-year-old admitted that while she spent much of her career writing television scripts centered on the pursuit of love, she is surprisingly satisfied without a romantic partner. “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 shared. Still, she completely understands why the public remains so curious about her tight-knit bond with her ex.

The pair originally dated from 2004 to 2007 while working on their hit NBC sitcom, and they have remained inseparable ever since. Because they are constantly by each other’s side, fans have long suspected they are secretly together. “If I was just watching it from the outside, I would have the same questions and the same reactions,” Kaling confessed to Bustle regarding the massive public interest in their unique setup. Behind her desk, she even keeps a reminder of their close bond—a bedazzled frame with the words “Never Complain, Never Explain” embroidered on fabric, which was a gift from Novak. She also noted that Novak’s presence in her world highlighted some personal differences when it came to wanting children, explaining, “It’s one of the biggest mysteries in my life, this fervent knowledge that I knew I had to have kids that was not based on any real love of children. B.J., for instance, he’s always been a kid person.”

The rumor mill has also consistently targeted her family, with many speculating that Novak is the biological father of her three kids: Katherine, Spencer, and Anne. While Novak is deeply involved as their godfather, Kaling is keeping her children’s privacy locked down. She hinted that she is keeping specific details about her personal life and their paternity off-limits until her kids are old enough to have those deep conversations, explaining to Bustle that she wants to protect them from immediate public scrutiny. “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,” Kaling said, though she admitted, “But I also know that it gives people a lot of ideas.”

Novak is equally aware of the global fascination surrounding their friendship. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he admitted that he is totally conscious of the obsession but prefers to let people think what they want. The actor has basically become a permanent member of Kaling’s household, and regularly celebrates major holidays with the youngsters.

While Kaling once famously described their connection to InStyle as a “weird as hell” situationship, she is now framing their bond as pure family. By setting the record straight, the star is showing she is perfectly whole on her own, even if her real-life script doesn’t end with a Hollywood husband.