B.J. Novak gives loving tribute to “Office” costar Mindy Kaling: 'We always knew you'd be famous'

Heads up Office fans — Ryan and Kelly are together again, this time for a very special reason.

B.J. Novak was on hand Tuesday for Mindy Kaling's ceremony to receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and gave an adorably touching tribute (and at times, roast) at the event in her honor. After first meeting on the beloved sitcom in 2004, the duo, much like their aforementioned characters, had an on-again, off-again relationship in the early aughts, but ultimately ended that in 2007, and have been close friends ever since.

So it only made sense that Novak, who is also godfather to Kaling's three children, would be there to say a few words in support of the star.

He began by touting her many accomplishments in Hollywood — The Office, The Mindy Project, her many books and executive producing credits, to name a few — before joking, “at this point after all these successes, you also just know her from being famous, and that’s the part I want to say a few words about.”

Related: Meghan Markle hangs out with an Office star in first trailer for Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan

"Mindy respects and understands [fame] in a very intuitive way because in addition to being a brilliant and wildly successful showrunner, an incredible mother of three, a deep and caring daughter and friend and mentor to so many, Mindy is also in her spare time, I assure you, very superficial," he joked.

Novak continued, citing Kaling's love of red carpet drama, wanting to know "what really happened on the junket," and genuine interest in "who wore it better."

"She understands what fame means to people because she’s a normal person and it means something to her," he added. "She knows it can be fun and interesting. She knows it can be inspiring. She knows it can be false and unfair and misleading and she knows it’s human nature to be curious about all of it. And as a result, even though it’s a job you can never fully control, it’s a job she handles beautifully."

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Getting emotional, he looked at his friend and said, “Mindy, as I look around and see all these people from your life who have believed in you from the beginning, I’m just sorry that none of us doubted you, because I know how much more fun that would make this for you. But we couldn’t help it. We always knew you would be famous, but we had no idea how beautifully you’d handle the job.”

Related: Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak had scary encounter with would-be thief pretending to be fan of The Office

"You'd be on the walk of talent if they had one," he concluded. "You'd be on the walk of friendship. You'd be on the walk of compassionate parenthood, but let's face it all of these would be terrible field trips, so here you are instead, very deservedly, a person who means so much to so many on the Hollywood Walk of Fame."

The lovefest wasn't just one-sided, though. Kaling also gave a shoutout to her longtime pal, whom she thanked on stage, calling him "such an important and integral part of my family, that sometimes I forget the reason that I know him is because we worked together professionally, and I'm just as starstruck by him now, at 29, than I was when I first met you, at 24. I love you."

Watch Kaling's full Walk of Fame star ceremony above.

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