The Office was full of memorable characters. Whether you are a fan of main characters like Michael, Jim, Pam, and Dwight, or the minor cast that made up the show, there were plenty of individuals that fans could associate with on the sitcom. Out of all the starring characters, such as Kevin, Creed, Oscar, and Angela, it is perhaps Ryan and Kelly who stole the show and ended up being the most popular with viewers.
Played by B.J. Novak and Mindy Kaling respectively, the two had an on-again, off-again relationship that was a constant source of amusement and drama in the comedy series. What many fans will not realize, though, is just how close the two actors were outside of the show and the way that behind-the-scenes relationship affected their characters on screen.
15 Mindy Kaling Would Bully B.J. Novak On Set According To The Actor
In an interview with The Guardian, B.J. Novak spoke about what it was like to work with Mindy Kaling during their time together in The Office. According to the actor, Mindy would “bully” him but not in a mean way. She would often play jokes and pranks on B.J. on set.
14 Kaling Would Constantly Tell Novak Lies Just To Mess With Him
One of the major ways that Mindy Kaling would mess with B.J. Novak while they were filming The Office was to tell him meaningless lies. These would never be anything major but would instead be things that the actor would have no reason to believe that they were no true. Examples included Mindy telling B.J. that the producer used to date a member of the crew.
13 Just Like On Screen, The Two Have Had An On-Again Off-Again Relationship
A key element of Kelly and Ryan’s relationship in The Office was that it was never clear exactly when they were and were not a proper couple. They were the definition of an on-again, off-again relationship that mirrored their real-life situation. The couple dated several times, to the extent that their co-workers didn’t know when they were actually in a relationship.
12 Their Friendship Is Very Intense In Real Life
Both Mindy and B.J. have spoken about how they are now friends rather than in a romantic relationship. They stopped dating many years ago but have remained very close. B.J. has said they have an intense friendship where they see each other often, while Mindy has explained she sees B.J. as family.
11 B.J. Novak Is Godfather To Mindy Kaling’s Daughter
The pair are so close that B.J. is actually godfather to Mindy’s daughter. It makes sense when you consider just how close the two are. Mindy has revealed that B.J. spends an awful amount of time with the child and pays them visits regularly.
10 There Are Rumors He Could Even Be Her Child’s Father
Due to the fact that the pair are so close and have dated in the past, there have been rumors that Mindy’s child could actually be B.J.’s daughter. This has only intensified as a result of Mindy not revealing who the father of the young girl is, leaving fans to speculate.
9 B.J. Novak’s Inclusion In The Opening Credits Annoyed Some People
B.J. Novak was listed along with the other major stars of The Office throughout much of the run of The Office. He retained this credit in the opening sequence despite rarely appearing all that often in episodes. This angered some fans who felt other actors deserved more recognition, like Ed Helms.
8 The Pair Were Offered Millions To Write About Their Relationship
The interest in the personal lives of Mindy and B.J. is such that they were offered a $7.5 million book deal with Penguin to write about their relationship. While it would be a tell-all about their time together, it would give readers the chance to get a better understanding of the friendship between the two actors.
7 Their Real-Life Relationship Was Very Much Like Their Characters' In The Sitcom
Mindy and B.J. have openly talked about how their real-life relationship was similar to what you could see in The Office between Kelly and Ryan. This was partly a result of the actors' personalities bleeding through to their character. However, both of them were also in the writer’s room and would use their experiences as material.
6 Kelly Didn’t Appear In Season 9 Because The Actor Launched Her Own Show
Fans of The Office will know that both Kelly and Ryan were not really involved in the final season of the sitcom. Instead, they only appeared in the first and last episodes. This was because Mindy had launched her own show and B.J. was joining as a writer and producer on it.
5 The Two Often Accompany Each Other To Awards Ceremonies
Despite the fact that they are not a couple in terms of a romantic relationship, the pair of actors still spend plenty of time together doing activities. In fact, they can often be seen attending award ceremonies with each other. Both Mindy and B.J. are regularly pictured alongside each other at events like the Oscars.
4 They Were Both Part Of The Writing Team And Incorporated Their Real-Life Into The Show
Throughout the run of The Office up until the ninth season, both Mindy and B.J. were writers on the show as well as performers. They provided lots of material for the sitcom and were important members of the writer’s room. They would often incorporate things that they did to each other in real-life into the show.
3 Ryan’s Name Was Inspired By The Baseball Player
B.J. Novak’s character on The Office is called Ryan Howard, although his last name rarely comes up. He was named after a baseball player who was part of the Phillies team back in 2004. He performed so well that the creators called one of the characters Ryan Howard in honor of him.
2 Ryan And Kelly Changed The Most Of The Cast
Out of all the characters in The Office, it is perhaps Kelly and Ryan who went through the most development. While they were never central characters, they drastically altered their personalities and motivations throughout The Office. Mindy’s character went from a quiet and shy girl to a domineering and talkative menace.
1 Mindy Thinks Kelly Might Have Offed Ryan
Exactly what happened to the various characters after the final episode of The Office has never been revealed. However, Mindy believes something sinister may have happened to Ryan after he and Kelly got back together at the end of the show. She has suggested Kelly may have murdered her partner.
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