Watch Mindy Kaling Play 'Pop Quiz'

Mindy Kaling is instantly recognizable thanks to her on-screen performances in The Mindy Project, Late Night, and The Office, but some of her most revealing work actually comes from the projects where she's positioned behind the camera. In Marie Claire’s August cover story, Kaling shares why it was so important to her to explore wellness themes like mental health in her latest series, HBO’s The Sex Life of College Girls and the Netflix hit Never Have I Ever. 

“When I write shows about Indian women and what they're interested in, I want to do something original, but I also don't want to shy away from things that I've seen before: obsession with success; elitism about schools,” she tells Marie Claire. “Those are things that were real in my family, and I've been dealing with that. But also what's really important was destigmatizing mental health.” 

Another topic Kaling wants more women to feel comfortable talking about? Money. In the latest episode of Marie Claire’s Pop Quiz, our cover star sat down to answer some more questions about herself and shared what it is that makes her feel the most powerful. "This is a simple answer, but I think it’s something women are embarrassed to talk about: Being wealthy. My power came from me having enough money that I can have independence and that’s what makes me feel confident."  

The new Propel ambassador also shares the small and simple ways she practices wellness in her day-to-day: drinking tons of water, going for runs, calling her dad, and chatting with her daughter. 

Watch Kaling in Pop Quiz, and then check out our August cover story and full digital wellness issue.