Actress addresses online backlash over Duchess correcting her surname
Mindy Kaling has spoken out in support of Meghan Markle following online criticism of a moment in With Love, Meghan, where the Duchess corrected Kaling on her surname.
During an appearance on The View, Kaling reflected on her experience filming the Netflix series with Meghan and dismissed the backlash as overblown.
"I had a great time," she said. "I noticed that whenever I do something, anything related to Meghan, it becomes... big news."
The actress specifically addressed viral TikTok videos dissecting the moment Meghan corrected her for calling her "Meghan Markle" instead of using "Sussex."
"We were making sandwiches, and then they'll push in on my face on TikTok, and be like, 'Look at this emotion you felt.' And I honestly didn’t even remember it because we shot it like nine months ago," Kaling explained.
Despite the online scrutiny, she expressed nothing but admiration for the Duchess. "I loved my time with Meghan," she added. "I'm also like, let her promote her show... it was great, and really fascinating seeing the reaction."
The moment in question occurred in the second episode of With Love, Meghan, titled Welcome to the Party, where Meghan hosted Kaling for lunch and guided her in planning a tea party. When Kaling referred to her as "Meghan Markle," the Duchess gently corrected her.
"It's so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I'm Sussex now," Meghan said with a smile, adding that after having children, "It just means so much to go, 'This is our family name, our little family name.'”
Following the controversy, Drew Barrymore made sure to use Meghan’s preferred surname during her own interview with the Duchess, introducing her segment as: "This is the Fast Five with Meghan Sussex."
With Love, Meghan offers an intimate look at the Duchess's homemaking skills, daily routines, and childhood memories, featuring guests such as Abigail Spencer, chef Roy Choi, and a special cameo from Prince Harry.
