Mindy Kaling Finally Addresses Rumors That ‘The Office’ Co-Star B.J. Novak Is Her Baby Daddy

Just because The Office isn’t on the air anymore doesn’t mean there isn’t any office drama brewing. No, that NBC must-see TV series still remains a national, maybe even global, obsession, despite concluding in 2005 after nine seasons. The latest rumors swirling involve The Office actor and writer Mindy Kaling along with her co-star and fellow writer B.J. Novak.

In case you’re not a superfan of the show, Kaling’s character was Kelly Kapoor, a ditzy, sometimes delusional worker who dated Novak’s character, the sleazy, ladder-climbing Ryan Howard. The relationship was on-again, off-again, with a dynamic that had Kelly desperately trying to hold onto an apathetic Ryan. In real life, the co-stars met on the sitcom in 2004, dated for a bit, then split in 2007. Apparently, they’re still friendly, and even as close as family.

So what’s the controversy? Over the past several years, Kaling quietly had two kids, her daughter Katherine (now 4 years old) and her son Spencer (now 1 year old) without identifying who the father is. Of course, fans of The Office would love to believe Novak is the baby daddy.

Kaling only just addressed the rumors in a new interview with Marie Claire magazine.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Kaling said of the rumors. “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 B.J.”

As the godfather of Kaling’s kids, Novak apparently spends a lot of time with them, and has even joked about taking care of them if something unfortunate were to happen to Kaling. Luckily, both of the 43-year-old exes appear to be in perfect health and are somehow capable of a platonic relationship that makes us wonder why we can’t get along with our former flames that well. Sigh.

Who knows. Maybe one day Kaling and Novak will surprise us and announce that they’re already married and indeed are the proud parents of Katherine and Spencer. (Hey, against all odds, Kelly and Ryan finally ran off together into the sunset in the series finale of The Office.) A fan can hope.

Cover Photo: NBC