Mindy Kaling is “really excited” about becoming a first-time mom.
In a new interview with NBC’s “Today” show, “The Mindy Project” star confirmed her long-rumored pregnancy and was candid about her feelings entering the realm of parenting.
“It’s so unknown to me,” she told Willie Geist in an interview airing in full on September 10. “I have a lot of control over a lot of aspects of my life and this is one where I’m like, ‘Okay, it’s out of my hands,’ which is kind of a fun feeling.”
The 38-year-old actress has not been publicly linked to anyone and has not disclosed the identity of her baby-to-be’s father.
Kaling is currently filming the final season of her Hulu series and will soon begin production on “Champions,” a new half-hour comedy for NBC executive produced by Kaling and Charlie Grandy.
The series is about a charming gym owner (“Workaholics” star Anders Holm) whose life is turned upside down when his teenage son with a former high school girlfriend (played by Kaling) comes to live with him.
The show is expected to debut in midseason on the network.
NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke told CNN recently that the series will not be delayed due to Kaling’s pregnancy.
“She’s going to be pregnant but her character is not pregnant,” Salke said. “She will be obscured in all the clever ways they make [the pregnancy] not seem apparent.”
Salke likened the situation to Julie Bowen’s during production on the pilot for “Modern Family.” Bowen was eight months pregnant with twins at the time of the filming, Salke, who was at Fox at the time, recalled.
“She had a laundry basket, she was styled in a way you didn’t know,” she said. “We’re not worried.”
Neither, it seems, is Kaling, who said there’s at least one aspect of motherhood she’s looking forward to.
“As you know, it’s so easy to criticize parenting until you’re a parent. So one of the nice things about becoming a parent is I will be able to openly criticize other parenting because I will have a child.” Kaling joked to “Today.”
“The Mindy Project” returns in September to Hulu.
