TCA 2012: Mindy Kaling Confirms 'Office' Return, Forecasts Kelly's Exit

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Meeting with press to discuss her upcoming Fox series, The Mindy Project, Mindy Kaling says that the her new full-time job won't keep her from returning to The Office.

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"I'm going to be in the premiere and maybe another episode," said Kaling, who officially departed The Office in May after eight seasons on the writing staff and playing Kelly Kapoor.

Speaking with a scrum of reporters during the Fox day of the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Kaling told The Hollywood Reporter how she'd like to see her story wrap up.

"I'd always thought that Kelly was probably the person on The Office who was the most into reality television," she said. "I always thought she would audition for American Idol and move to L.A. under some feeling that she would become a big star and it would all blow up in her face spectacularly."

Kaling, who created and stars in The Mindy Project, appeared in more than 150 episodes of The Office during her time on the show.

"It's great, because I got so attached to that character, even though I only had a line or two an episode," she said. "It'll be fun to see what happens to Kelly."