'The Mindy Project': Mindy Kaling Compares Character To Michael Scott, Talks 'Game Of Thrones' References

The series premiere of Fox's "The Mindy Project" may be a couple months away (or one month for online fans), but its stars -- Mindy Kaling (Mindy), Chris Messina (Danny), Anna Camp (Gwen), Zoe Jarman (Betsy), Ike Barinholtz (Morgan), Amanda Setton (Shauna), Stephen Tobolowsky (Dr. Shulman) -- and executive producer Matt Warburton were on hand at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour to offer some scoop.

Kaling talked about her return to "The Office" and also about her new character Mindy Lahiri, the leading lady of "The Mindy Project." "The really fun thing about this character -- which is not unlike Michael Scott in a way -- [is that] she just wants to be a better person. It's so much a part of her life," Kaling said. "She's a great doctor, hyper-educated, wants to be a good catch, wants to be a better friend, wants to work out and read books -- that's the project. With this woman who's not 21 or 22, she just wants to get her life together."

Kaling also said Greg Daniels, former showrunner of "The Office," will be coming to "The Mindy Project" to direct an episode. "It'll be great -- 'Who's the boss now?'" Kaling joked.

She told the TCA crowd that there will be a lot of pop culture references "where they fit organically," especially to "Game of Thrones." "My writing staff, they're just obsessed with 'Game of Thrones,'" she said. "I was trying to watch it to feel part of the writers' room -- lots of random sex in that show."

"The Mindy Project" isn't the only show that will be dropping "Game of Thrones" references. Lea Michele recently told HuffPost TV that "Glee" will include one as well. "'Winter is coming,'" she said. "I think Kevin [McHale] has that line."

"The Mindy Project" premieres on Tuesday, September 25 at 9:30 p.m. ET.