I’m not sure what surprises me more, that Mindy Kaling covers the new issue of InStyle or that InStyle didn’t Photoshop her into oblivion. Here is a perfectly attractive woman who is NOT a size zero and… she looks like herself on a magazine cover. It’s a miracle! Anyway, this interview was done before Fox canceled The Mindy Project, but I get the feeling that Mindy knew the ax was coming (why else would she have gone to Montana for a break?). She talks a bit about TMP’s struggles, plus her weird relationship with BJ Novak, etc. Some highlights:

Her relationship with her ex, BJ Novak: “I will freely admit: My relationship with B.J. Novak is weird as hell. 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,’ but I don’t think Facebook would accept this as a new status.”

The idea of marriage: “I don’t have a particular urge to get married. But I do know with certainty that I want to have kids, because my relationship with [my mom] was so special.”

Starting TMP just after her mom died: “I was very lucky that the show started up at that time so I could just throw myself into it and distract myself. But the truth is, even though it’s been three years, it still feels like it just happened. I remember the sound of her voice so distinctly.”

Her diva moments: “My diva moments are more tied to panicky worry. [My assistant] will have prepared everything for a day and then that morning, I wake up and I’m like, ‘I don’t want to do any of that; it has to be completely different.’ But I don’t throw hairbrushes at people or anything like that. I haven’t gotten there yet.”

Her style: “I think I’m very susceptible [to other people’s style]. We’ll have someone like Laura Dern on the show, and I’ll see what she’s wearing, and I’m just like, ‘Okay, well, that’s obviously the way you should dress.’ Or I’ll meet some cool actress who only wears Helmut Lang and Vince, and I’m like ‘Ugh! That looks amazing and chic and everything coordinates with everything and I need to get, like, a ratty T-shirt.’ I love fashion and I love clothes.”

[From People & E! News]

I always kind of worry about BJ Novak and Mindy’s relationship. Yes, I’ve spent too much time thinking about it. I think they were in love at one point and maybe they were too young or maybe he just tapped out because it got too “real.” I feel like ever since they broke up, they’ve both had regrets about it. I also kind of think that their relationship isn’t that healthy? Like, Mindy hasn’t been able to fully move on to another serious relationship because BJ is always there. Like, he doesn’t want to date her again but he doesn’t want anyone else to date her either. That’s just how I read it.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and InStyle.