B.J. Novak on His Relationship With Mindy Kaling and Returning to The Mindy Project

Next week is the week! Mindy Lahiri’s exes come back to haunt her in an episode titled “The Best Man.” (I’m keeping my mouth shut on who might be getting married!) One of those exes is none other than B.J. Novak, who is Mindy Kaling’s off-screen BFF, great love, and work buddy. Now he’s back as Jamie for the season finale, but is he back to win Mindy’s heart? We met up with the Harvard-educated grad and best-selling author (The Book with No Pictures) to talk relationships, his leading lady, and Danny Castellano.

Glamour: Welcome back! It’s about time, B.J.!

B.J. Novak: I was doubly happy to come back to The Mindy Project, but I never ask. It’s just not my style.

Glamour: That’s interesting. How come?

B.J.: I’d never ask for a favor from Mindy because she’d do it. She’s a very loyal person, and I’m sure she has some Indian mafia blood or something in her. [Laughs] So if I ever said I want to be on it, she’d do it, or for anyone that she’s close to. So I would never say anything directly, but people ask me about The Mindy Project wherever I go and I’ve only been on twice. It’s just such a popular show. I was on The Office for eight years, but a lot of people recognize me from The Mindy Project, which was only two weeks! I love being back and would do anything for the show. When I heard the premise of the episode [which airs next week], I laughed out loud because it’s just so funny, especially coming from my favorite comic character on the show, Morgan. Any Morgan misunderstanding is always my kind of comedy.

Finale. Coming soon. Get ready. #themindyproject

A photo posted by Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) on Feb 26, 2015 at 5:41pm PST

Glamour: You were a consulting producer on season one, right?

B.J.: Yes.

Glamour: Then what happened? Who did you piss off?

B.J.: Ha-ha, no one! Although it would have been Mindy, of course, since we’re so used to pissing each other off that there’s no risk of that. I was an executive producer with her on the pilot, and I worked very closely with her on that. I wanted to help contribute to the first season in some way, but I know we would murder each other if it was any formal way. So we decided on consulting producer, which is a way for me to come in whenever I could be helpful and when I was wanted. And if either of those things weren’t true, I just wouldn’t come in. So after the first season it just felt like they had found their own voice, and I was being less and less and helpful or relevant to the process just because they had 10 full-time writers who were there five days a week. I just figured it was time. Again, she’s a loyal person and would have kept me on the payroll forever, but I just felt like, “Great, I helped them the first year and got to have my name on a project I’m proud of.”

Glamour: You and Mindy have such a special relationship. What advice can you share with us for why it works so well?

B.J.: I think Mindy and I have broken every rule possible and still have maintained a connection. So I guess I’m either the worst person to ask for advice or I’m the best person to give some Zen advice that it will all just work out and don’t worry too much about rules and just worry about the quality of the person that you’re with.

Glamour: I love that. She really is one of the most quality people I’ve gotten the chance to know. There’s just not many people like that, and I appreciate it so much.

B.J.: Absolutely.

A photo posted by Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) on Nov 20, 2014 at 7:52am PST

Glamour: Speaking of Mindy, she once told me that Danny Castellano was 1/3 Chris Messina, 1/3 B.J. Novak, and 1/3 made up. Do you see those similarities in the character?

B.J.: I definitely think that’s how Mindy sometimes see me, but [Danny’s] a very masculine, swaggering character, which I’m not as much of in real life. I like Messina’s character and would like to be more like that, but I don’t recognize myself in Danny that much. I do notice the dynamic in which they fight without the love ever being in doubt. That reminds me of me and Mindy.

Glamour: Can you cook a mean steak like Danny can?

B.J.: I can cook a polite steak.

Glamour: Can you name all 50 capitals of the states?

B.J.: Not rapidly, but yes.

Glamour: What about all the presidents?

B.J.: Yes. I’m a very patriotic guy. I’m an old-school, “I love America” type of guy.

Glamour: You’re so Danny. [Laughs]

B.J.: Ha-ha.

Glamour: Since you probably know Mindy better than anyone, tell me how she manages to do everything so well. I’ve never met anyone who is as hands-on and works so hard.

B.J.: Someone once told me that the best advice for being a director is that you have to know what you want and how to get it. I think Mindy knows what she wants and how to get it, and that is kind of the secret to achieving everything, especially being in show business when you need to constantly adapt. When she was one of 10 writers in a writers’ room or one of 14 cast members, that’s just so not her. She’s meant to be editing every show, directing, producing, making big decisions, hiring people, so in a way she’s just most herself now. When you’re yourself, you just thrive in all areas of life. I think that’s the secret to her. She just knows who she is and fights very hard to get to be who she is, and then her life just falls into place.

So why do you guys think B.J.’s character is returning to The Mindy Project? Tune in to the season finale next Tuesday night on Fox at 9:30 P.M. ET.