Mindy Kaling opens up about the 'fun maternity leave field trip' she had with Meghan Markle

Mindy Kaling has revealed how her appearance in Meghan Markle's upcoming Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, came to be. Speaking to Time in an interview published on Feb. 19, The Mindy Project alum shared, "I was on maternity leave with my daughter in March and April, and Meghan texted me that she was doing a show where she was going to cook for her friends. Would I want to come to Montecito and have her cook for me? I wanted to get taken care of in that moment of my life. That was a fun maternity leave field trip."

© Courtesy of Netflix

"And I left with a basket of fresh produce and homemade jam and hot sauce because she knew I loved hot sauce. She’s a very generous woman who knew I needed a break," Mindy continued.

The Running Point executive producer and writer ended up picking up hosting tips from the Duchess of Sussex. Mindy said, "The theme was throwing a party for children. I love cooking, but I’m really not good at entertaining. I don’t know anything about how you’re not supposed to use overhead lighting when people come over. You’re supposed to use little lamps. But Meghan just knows how to do that stuff. For kids’ parties I usually just go to the party supply store and get paper things, which I don’t judge and neither does she. But it was fun to learn simple ways to do a homemade kids’ party."

The Office star also noted in the interview that the Duchess is a "down-to-earth person." Mindy said, "I think a misconception about Meghan is that she’s in any way fussy or has expectations of fanciness. She really is a down-to-earth person who knows a lot of fun tricks to make entertaining and cooking easier."

Mindy, along with Roy Choi, Alice Waters and "acclaimed chefs and special friends" are featured in Meghan's new series, which premieres March 4 on Netflix. 

© Courtesy of Netflix

According to the streamer, With Love, Meghan "reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to’s and candid conversation with friends, new and old. Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection and highlights how easy it can be to create beauty, even in the unexpected. She and her guests roll up their sleeves in the kitchen, the garden, and beyond, and invite you to do the same."

In the official trailer for the series, Meghan said: "This is about connecting with friends, making new friends, and just learning," adding, "We’re not in the pursuit of perfection. We’re in the pursuit of joy. Love is in the details."