B.J. Novak talks Mindy Kaling's on-set pranks

LONDON, June 1 (UPI) -- B.J. Novak and Mindy Kaling are almost inseparable partners in the entertainment industry, but as they gear up to release their first joint book, Novak outlined a time where their relationship was more manipulative.

Speaking with The Guardian, Novak said his Office co-star Kaling would frequently tell "purposeless" lies that would influence him into believing the wrong things and even affect his professional life.

"She would lie to me. She would make up these -- just out of nowhere -- purposeless lies that I believed," the actor said of The Mindy Project star.

One of the prankster's lies involved Office casting director Allison Jones. Kaling told the actor Jones was actually once the third lead in Cold Mountain. "And so I just thought that," Novak said.

"And there was this director, this older woman who directed a couple of episodes, and Mindy told me I couldn't tell anyone, but Greg Daniels, the show runner, used to date this woman in college," the actor and The Mindy Project executive producer continued. "And then Greg asked me what I thought of her cut and I lied to Greg and said I thought it was great, because I was nervous to insult his ex-girlfriend, so he didn't make the edits that I wanted."

"And later I asked him about it and he was like, 'What are you talking about? She's 20 years older than I am, we didn't go to college together!' I realized that Mindy just made it up and it actually affected my work life!" he laughed.

Last summer, Mindy Kaling revealed some details about her book with B.J. Novak, saying it was not a "tell-all" about their relationship, and instead will be "super cool and funny and even better." The two actors share a complicated, at times romantic relationship and have been rumored as a couple over the years.

The two have struck a reported $7.5 million deal with publishers for their still untitled book.