Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle show sees the Duchess of Sussex invites her celebrity friends to sample her home cooking. The eight-part series, titled With Love, Meghan, aired on Netflix on March 4 and features the Duchess of Sussex sharing her top “tips and tricks” in everything from cooking to gardening. She’s joined by famous friends “old and new” to help teach viewers how to elevate their everyday lives. Among the stars making an appearance is Mindy Kaling, best known for her role as Kelly Kapoor on The Office US. Speaking at the 2025 Golden Globes on Sunday, January 5, Mindy shared her thoughts on working with Meghan just days after the series trailer premiered. Describing her involvement in the project, the 45 year old called it “probably one of the most glamorous moments of my life.”
Mindy Kaling is among the celeb pals appearing on Meghan’s new series
(Image: Netflix)
She also addressed the criticism Meghan often faces, emphasising her friend’s generosity and warmth. “I just feel like people get mad about stuff. And everyone is just like – that feels unnecessary. And a waste of time, maybe,” she told Variety. In an interview with Deadline, Mindy explained how Meghan personally asked her to star in the show, reports the Mirror.
Meghan and Mindy became friends after she appeared on the Duchess’s podcast
“I was on maternity leave after having my third child last year when Meghan texted me and said, ‘Hey, do you want to come be in my show and come out to Montecito and have me cook for you?’ “And I was like, ‘Yeah – that sounds perfect.” Born on 24 June 1979 in Massachusetts, the actress was originally named Vera Mindy Chokalingam. Her Indian parents, Avudaiappan Chokalingam and Swati Chokalingam, moved to the United States just before her birth. Despite being given the first name Vera, she’s always been known as Mindy, a name chosen by her parents to reflect their new American life. The inspiration for her name came from the ’70s sitcom Mork and Mindy, a favourite of her mother’s while she was pregnant with Mindy in Nigeria. Tragically, Mindy lost her mother to pancreatic cancer in 2012. A year later, she shared: “I would say that my mother is the single biggest role model in my life, but that term doesn’t seem to encompass enough when I use it about her.”
Mindy is a mum of three
In a heartfelt chat with Lena Dunham for Rolling Stone, Mindy spoke of her late mum, saying: “She [her mother] was the love of my life.” A graduate of Dartmouth College with a Drama degree, Mindy co-wrote and starred in the satirical play Matt and Ben with her college friend Brenda Withers. The play imagines a fictionalised story of young Matt Damon and Ben Affleck before they hit the big time. Mindy made her mark at just 24 when she became the only female writer on the US version of The Office. Not only did she pen scripts, but she also shone on-screen as Kelly Kapoor for eight seasons. Behind the scenes, Mindy and B. J, Novak, who played Ryan Howard, had their own off-screen romance from 2004-2007. Despite their split, they’ve stayed best friends, with Novak stepping into the role of godfather to Mindy’s children.
Mindy Kaling dated her The Office co-star BJ Novak from 2004-2007.
Mindy, known for keeping her personal life under wraps, has never revealed the father of her three kids – Katherine “Kit” Swati Kaling, Spencer “Spike” Avu Kaling, and Anne. When whispers suggested Novak might be the dad, Mindy was quick to clarify in a 2022 Marie Claire interview: “He’s [Novak] the godparent to both my kids – and they have such a great relationship – and so far [the speculation hasn’t] affected my happiness at all, it hasn’t affected my kids or BJ.” In February 2024, she surprised fans by announcing the arrival of her third child. While Mindy dismisses any current romantic links with Novak, she admits their bond is unique, telling InStyle in 2015: “I will freely admit: My relationship with BJ Novak is weird as hell.” She explained: “He is not my boyfriend, but he is not my best friend. I guess you could describe our relationship as a ‘romantically charged camaraderie with loud arguments.”
With Love, Meghan airs on Netflix this month
Meanwhile, Mindy has become close Meghan after featuring on the Duchess’ now-defunct Spotify podcast Archetypes in 2022, in an episode titled The Stigma of the Singleton. Ahead of Meghan’s new venture, the mother of three was all praises for the royal’s culinary prowess, subtly hitting back at the flak over her opulent lifestyle. “Unsurprisingly, she kind of blew me out of the water,” Mindy gushed. Meghan’s recipes, she mentioned, were “really accessible,” despite Meghan boasting a lush garden and chickens at her Montecito estate. “She has a garden from scratch, which I could never do, and chickens,” Mindy observed. “They would all die if I tried to take care of chickens,” she quipped. On Prince Harry’s kitchen talents, Mindy added: “I heard he’s actually a pretty good cook. He knows his way around a kitchen.”
