‘The Office’ Fans Didn’t Know Kevin’s Voice Wasn’t the Actor’s Real One: ‘I Totally Didn’t Expect Him to Sound Like That’
The Office is one of the most beloved TV shows of all time. Although it originated as a spinoff of a British TV series of the same name, the American version of the show went on to become even more iconic than the original, launching stars like Steve Carell and John Krasinski to fame and becoming a pop-culture staple.
One of the most popular characters on the show was Kevin Malone, played by the talented actor Brian Baumgartner. Even though Kevin is one of the more outrageous characters featured in The Office, in real life, Baumgartner is a rather dignified man with an impressive speaking voice—a fact that still manages to shock fans.
Brian Baumgartner played Kevin in ‘The Office’
When The Office premiered on television in 2005, Baumgartner was best known for smaller roles in shows such as The Lyons Den and Jake in Progress. Although Baumgartner was known as a talented performer, it was his breakout role in The Office that really catapulted him to fame. As Kevin Malone, Baumgartner’s character struggles to communicate his thoughts and feelings with his co-workers but has strong opinions about certain topics – including music and well-made chili.
Over the years, Kevin became one of the most beloved characters on the hit TV show, and Baumgartner’s portrayal was given much of the credit for that. His many quirks and optimistic attitude about the things that he loves made him very relatable – and fans mourned when The Office went off the air in 2013.
What did fans say about how Brian Baumgartner’s voice sounds in real life?
Fans of The Office know that Kevin Malone has a very distinctive voice, comprised of a raspy tone that makes him unmistakable, even from a distance. However, Baumgartner’s voice in real life sounds almost totally different than that of his signature character. In a January 19, 2022, video from Cosmopolitan, Baumgartner is tasked with taste-testing various types of chili – and fans couldn’t stop talking about how different his voice sounds from Kevin’s.
“i don’t know what i was expecting his voice to sound like but it wasn’t this lol,” one fan commented on the video. “This is my first time seeing him outside the office and i TOTALLY didn’t expect him to sound like that,” another fan wrote. Notably, Baumgartner’s natural speaking voice is very clear and pleasant, with a deep tone and distinct dictation. As another fan commented, “he has a great narrating voice.”
What is Brian Baumgartner doing these days?
Clearly, fans still love seeing Baumgartner do his thing, even though The Office has been off the air since 2013. The actor has been kept busy in the years since the show ended, with roles on TV shows such as Law & Order: Special Victim’s Unit, Mike & Molly, Criminal Minds, and Chicago Fire. Since 2020, Baumgartner has been a featured player on the web series Trash Truck. Also in 2020, the actor hosted and executive-produced a podcast for Spotify that recapped the history of The Office. He’s consistently embraced his history as Kevin and seems to always be open to talking about his experiences on the show.
One of Baumgartner’s most lucrative ventures in recent years is a rather surprising one. He is one of the biggest stars on Cameo, recording personalized video shoutouts for fans. Reportedly, Baumgartner has earned over $1 million for his work on Cameo, with thousands of reviews from fans who have been happy to connect with the beloved star – even if only for a few minutes.
