Mindy Kaling has recounted a "heartbreaking" exchange that she witnessed between B.J. Novak and her daughter.
The 45-year-old creator of The Sex Lives of College Girls previously dated Novak, also 45, who is godfather to all three of her children.
At a recent children's birthday party, Kaling surprised the kids in attendance when she dressed up as Elmo - but she was left saddened when her seven-year-old daughter, Katherine, figured out the Sesame Street character was not who they seemed.
Opening up on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Office star recalled, "There was a chilling moment with their godfather B.J.
"(Katherine) turned to B.J. and said, 'Wait is Mom Elmo?' And it's one of those things where he was like, 'Okay there's a lot of other things you're going to learn about, but I think I should just be upfront with you. You're seven. You're in first grade.'
"And he's like, 'Yeah yeah, kid. She's Elmo.' And it was, like, a little heartbreaking for her I think."
This month, Kaling celebrated the first birthday of her youngest child, a daughter named Anne, and she is also mum to a four-year-old son named Spencer, as well as eldest child Katherine.
The star has shared occasional photographs and details about her children via social media - but is yet to reveal to the public who their father is.