Mindy Kaling Reveals Reese Witherspoon Gave Her the Push She Needed to Become a Mom at 37: 'Do Not Wait Until It's Too Late'

Mar. 15, 2025

Mindy Kaling and Reese Witherspoon.Photo:Stefanie Keenan/Getty

Stefanie Keenan/Getty

Mindy Kalingis giving a special shout-out to the one person who gave her the push to become a mom.TheSex Lives of College Girlscreator, 45, spoke withDax Shepardon a new episode of his podcast,Armchair Expert, about herlove life, her family life and everything in between. Themom of three, who typically keeps her family life private, opened up with theParenthoodalum, 50, about the realities of raising children alone and howReese Witherspoon, 48, empowered her to do it."[Raising children alone] scared me for the longest time and then it was Reese Witherspoon — I was getting ready to shoot a movie and it got delayed for some reason and I was like, ‘Ah, well I’m going to just wait,’ and she was like, ‘Do this. Do not wait until it’s too late,’ " she said of Witherspoon. “We were in her trailer in afield in New Zealand, and she’s like, ‘If you want this, you have to do it now.'““And, she listed some people that I knew of, but not known personally — some very famous women — who waited, and then it was too late,” she continued. “It’s only possible because I waited until I was 37 to have my daughter because I had disposable income, I have my nanny, [and] I have my dad who helps.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Mindy Kalings kids Kit, Spencer, and Anne.Mindy Kaling/InstagramKaling is a mom toson Spencer Avu, 4, and daughtersAnne, 12 months, and Katherine Swati, 7.The Officealum shared with PEOPLE in 2021 that she canalways count on Witherspoon to share some words of motherly wisdom.“Reese Witherspoon is always such a great source of parenting advice because she is so playful and fun and incredibly busy,” Kaling previously told PEOPLE exclusively. “She has three kids, but also this really full-time career. She acts, she runs this company, she’s a producer and everything too.““She’s a person who always gives me great advice,” Kaling continued. “I think she’s the one that has taught me the importance of making time for myself so that I could be a good parent for my kids.“Reese Witherspoon and her children.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramWitherspoon is also a proud mom of three.The Morning Showactress shares sonDeacon Phillippe, 21, and daughterAva Phillippe, 25, with ex-husbandRyan Phillippe, as well as son Tennessee James Toth, 12, with her exJim Toth.While balancing motherhood with the demands of her multifaceted career has certainly not been easy, Witherspoon says the sacrifices were “truly worth it.““There’s a lot of compromise … You feel like that’s what makes me wake up on a Sunday, it’s not movies or my job, it’s my kids,“the actress saidonThe Drew Barrymore Show. “Being a mom is really great, it’s a big part of my life. I would say it’s the biggest part of my life.”

Mindy Kalingis giving a special shout-out to the one person who gave her the push to become a mom.

TheSex Lives of College Girlscreator, 45, spoke withDax Shepardon a new episode of his podcast,Armchair Expert, about herlove life, her family life and everything in between. Themom of three, who typically keeps her family life private, opened up with theParenthoodalum, 50, about the realities of raising children alone and howReese Witherspoon, 48, empowered her to do it.

“[Raising children alone] scared me for the longest time and then it was Reese Witherspoon — I was getting ready to shoot a movie and it got delayed for some reason and I was like, ‘Ah, well I’m going to just wait,’ and she was like, ‘Do this. Do not wait until it’s too late,’ " she said of Witherspoon. “We were in her trailer in afield in New Zealand, and she’s like, ‘If you want this, you have to do it now.'”

“And, she listed some people that I knew of, but not known personally — some very famous women — who waited, and then it was too late,” she continued. “It’s only possible because I waited until I was 37 to have my daughter because I had disposable income, I have my nanny, [and] I have my dad who helps.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Mindy Kalings kids Kit, Spencer, and Anne.Mindy Kaling/Instagram

Mindy Kaling/Instagram

Kaling is a mom toson Spencer Avu, 4, and daughtersAnne, 12 months, and Katherine Swati, 7.The Officealum shared with PEOPLE in 2021 that she canalways count on Witherspoon to share some words of motherly wisdom.

“Reese Witherspoon is always such a great source of parenting advice because she is so playful and fun and incredibly busy,” Kaling previously told PEOPLE exclusively. “She has three kids, but also this really full-time career. She acts, she runs this company, she’s a producer and everything too.”

“She’s a person who always gives me great advice,” Kaling continued. “I think she’s the one that has taught me the importance of making time for myself so that I could be a good parent for my kids.”

Reese Witherspoon and her children.Reese Witherspoon/Instagram

Reese Witherspoon/Instagram

Witherspoon is also a proud mom of three.The Morning Showactress shares sonDeacon Phillippe, 21, and daughterAva Phillippe, 25, with ex-husbandRyan Phillippe, as well as son Tennessee James Toth, 12, with her exJim Toth.

While balancing motherhood with the demands of her multifaceted career has certainly not been easy, Witherspoon says the sacrifices were “truly worth it.”

“There’s a lot of compromise … You feel like that’s what makes me wake up on a Sunday, it’s not movies or my job, it’s my kids,“the actress saidonThe Drew Barrymore Show. “Being a mom is really great, it’s a big part of my life. I would say it’s the biggest part of my life.”

source: people.com