Mindy Kaling Admits Reese Witherspoon's Gift for Son Spencer Even Topped Oprah's Lavish Gesture

Mindy Kaling explained why Reese Witherspoon’s gift for son Spencer was even more memorable than Oprah Winfrey’s special surprise for Kaling’s daughter, Katherine.

By Ryan Gajewski Nov 19, 2020 1:49 AMTags
Watch: Mindy Kaling Welcomes Baby No. 2

Is it time for Reese Witherspoon to start a list of her own favorite things?

Mindy Kaling told PopSugar on Wednesday, Nov. 18 that it's tough for her to choose the best baby gift she's ever received. Indeed, the mother of two holds a special place in her heart for Oprah Winfrey's incredible gesture after daughter Katherine arrived in 2017. But Witherspoon's surprise for Kaling's son, Spencer, whom she secretly welcomed in September, takes the cake. 

"Listen, that gift from Oprah was pretty hard to top," said Kaling. "I will say that, and this is maybe unsurprising … Reese."

Clearly, Witherspoon's gift would have to be pretty sensational to top Winfrey's, and sure enough, it was. Plus, Spencer wasn't the only beneficiary.

"I felt like the minute I got back from the hospital, there was a gorgeous gift for Spencer, with beautiful clothes and toys," Kaling said. "And this is why you know a gift is from Reese Witherspoon—she also got my older kid something. My daughter, who didn't do anything, got all these beautiful clothes and toys, too. And she sent us food, so we didn't have to cook for four days. So, that's to me just a very Reese Witherspoon-type present where it's thoughtful but in a very macro way. Like, she really knows what's going on in your life. That was impressive to me."

photos
Mindy Kaling's Most Candid Quotes on Motherhood

41-year-old Kaling, who has yet to identify the father of either child, told USA Today in 2018 that Winfrey sent "two men in a U-Haul truck" to The Office alum's home shortly after Katherine's birth. "They arrived with a hand-carved bookcase, prettier than any professional dollhouse you had ever seen that contained a hundred of the classic essential books in children's literature."

Alex J. Berliner/ABImages

Even better is that each book had "Katherine's Book Club" written on it. Perhaps little Katherine will someday follow in both Winfrey and Witherspoon's footsteps by starting her own book club?

Kaling has certainly developed lasting bonds with Winfrey and Witherspoon, her co-stars in the 2018 film Wrinkle in Time. In fact, the Mindy Project star has recently been working on the screenplay for Witherspoon's much-anticipated Legally Blonde 3.

Perhaps the new film's mantra will be "bend, snap and write thank you notes."