‘Office’ Star’s Photos Go Viral Over Concerns for Her Health
Fans called the actress “unrecognizable” after her latest post.
Getty Images; Reuters
Photos of The Office actress Mindy Kaling have gone viral after fans called her appearance “unrecognizable.”
On Sunday, the 47-year-old mother of three celebrated Diwali with an Instagram post. In the photos and videos, she posed in multiple outfits from Indian designers and celebrated their artistry in the caption.
But commenters turned their attention to her figure, especially in two-piece outfits that put Kaling’s toned abs on display, with many declaring the star “too skinny” and labeling her photos “troubling.”
Mindy Kaling in Los Angeles in July 2026.
PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
“Almost didn’t recognize her…” one fan wrote. Another said, “I miss when celebs looked normal.”
One fan claimed that Kaling is “disappearing before our eyes.”
Actress Mindy Kaling attends the Elle's Women in Television event in Los Angeles on January 22, 2014.
Phil McCarten/REUTERS
“Forever stunning! But I miss the Mindy with a little meat on her bones, she gave me & many girls like me the confidence to rock our curves,” one person wrote.
Mindy Kaling in 2019 and in 2023.
Danny Moloshok;Eric Gaillard/Reuters
Many of her fans argued back, defending Kaling on social media.
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“Crazy how losing or gaining weight makes the entire world feel comfortable commenting on your body size!” one person wrote on the post, wishing the actress a happy Diwali.
Kaling's fans defended her in the comments.
Instagram/Mindy Kaling
Another fan said, “If you had always been this skinny, no one would have batted an eye.”
A third person wrote that Kaling looked toned and healthier: “You’re not seeing visible bones. They’re MUSCLES! Probably from months or years of hard work at the gym and better nutrition. YOU GO GIRL! Result is showing!”
Commenters said Mindy Kaling looked “unrecognizable.” Here in 2018 and in 2026.
Simon Dawson;Danny Moloshok/Reuters
Kaling has dealt with criticism for her weight loss since 2022.
“It’s sometimes no fun when one of your favorite actors loses weight,” she said in a May interview with Bustle. “Of course, it’s never a joy to be scrutinized, but also I truly understand it, as someone who consumes pop culture.”
"The Office" stars Melora Hardin, Kate Flannery, Angela Kinsey, Jenna Fischer, Phyllis Smith, and Mindy Kaling pose with their Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series at the 58th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in August 2006.
Mario Anzuoni/REUTERS
Kaling said she was inspired to lose weight because she wanted to stay healthy for her three young children: Katherine, 8; Spencer, 6; and Anne, 2. She has never publicly disclosed the children’s father’s identity.
“I want to lose weight or have lost weight because I want to stave off things like diabetes,” she said. “I had it on both sides of my family, and trying to avoid those kinds of things will, I think, help longevity for me, and that’s my goal.”
She continued, “Do I wake up every day being like, ‘I look amazing, and I’m so gorgeous’? No, unsurprisingly, but I truly feel so healthy.”
Mindy Kaling at Glamour Magazine's annual Women of the Year award ceremony in New York City in 2014.
Lucas Jackson/Reuters
In 2022, Kaling told People about the lifestyle changes she made to lead a “healthier” life.
Mindy Kaling at the premiere of "Running Point" in Los Angeles, California, in February 2025.
Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
“For me, healthy is working out, moving my body a lot, keeping hydrated, and then not having negative connotations around working out and making me feel like if I don’t do this, then I won’t be something else,” she said.
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