Mindy Kaling Is Rooting for the ‘Underdog’ This Holiday Season (Exclusive)

Mindy Kaling is betting big on the smallest treat in the box.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the Running Point star, 45, opens up about her partnership with Dunkin’ on a new children’s book and accompanying claymation short film, The Little Holiday Munchkin. Kaling narrates the minute-long animated story, which follows a tiny Munchkin Donut Hole Treat on a journey to discover that it deserves as much love and joy as every other doughnut in the box.

The short film — rendered in cozy, nostalgic clay animation — shows the little Munchkin watching the bigger doughnuts get chosen first. As the others disappear one by one, it wonders whether anyone will ever reach for it. The tale ends with a charming reminder that “sometimes the smallest part is the best part,” a message that immediately resonated with Kaling.

“I loved the message of the book, which is a real underdog story, I think,” she says. “And probably the most important is that I love that a portion of the proceeds goes to the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, which is a really amazing organization that I knew about before I even started in this. They do really great work for kids.”

Underdogs are the throughline of Kaling’s entire career — from The Mindy Project and Never Have I Ever to her newest hit series. “Honestly, the book is so adorable, and it’s meant for you to read with your children, especially during the holidays. But I have to say, I really relate to it because everything that I write is about underdogs,” she explains. “An overlooked Munchkin, I was like, ‘Yes, this is my kind of story,’ and it’s so adorable. So for me, all the shows that I’ve produced and made are about people who are underestimated and overlooked.”

But the collaboration isn’t just creatively aligned — it’s deeply personal. Kaling says Dunkin’ was woven into her childhood in Boston, where it became a staple of her family’s routine. “I’ve been a Dunkin fan since before I can remember,” she recalls. “It’s just been such a huge part of my life. I feel like so much of my identity as a child was like Dunkin’. That’s what my immigrant parents would bring home — they would drink coffee, we would eat the Munchkins or the Boston Kreme donuts.”

Now she’s passing that joy on to her own children, Katherine Swati, 7, and son Spencer Avu, 5, and in February 2024, she quietly welcomed her third child, a daughter named Anne.

“My kids love Munchkins,” she says. “The great thing about Munchkins…is they’re the perfect amount of donuts for them to be eating. So my daughter loves chocolate, my son also likes jelly… and the baby, Annie, unfortunately, she kind of gets the ones that we don’t eat, but she’s very, very happy. So we all win.”

And Kaling’s own Dunkin’ order? She doesn’t hesitate: a large iced chai, extra cinnamon, Boston Kreme donuts, and then a variety box of Munchkin flavors, but the star says that she still tries to get her ratio just right. “They’re supposed to be a mixed variety, but sometimes you can lean on the person working there if they’re really nice and they can give you extra jelly, which is my favorite,” she adds with a laugh.

As families discover The Little Holiday Munchkin this season, each book purchased helps support the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, which funds joyful experiences for kids battling hunger or illness. Two dollars from every book sold (up to $550,000) will go toward the nonprofit, which has granted more than $65 million since 2006.

For Kaling, it’s a holiday project that blends storytelling, nostalgia and giving back — all wrapped around a small hero with a big message. “Yeah, I don’t know,” she says with a smile. “This was one of the best professional opportunities I’ve ever had, and I just had so much fun doing it.”