‘The Office’: Jenna Fischer Said 1 Scene Was ‘Really Intense’ Because She ‘Felt Pam’s Heartbreak’
During The Office’s nine seasons, there were so many memorable funny moments, but there were plenty of emotional moments too. Jenna Fischer, who played Pam, recalled how one scene in season 2 was “really intense to shoot” as she felt her character’s heartbreak.
Jim told Pam he didn’t have a crush on her anymore
During The Office Season 2 episode “The Secret,” boss Michael Scott has to keep the secret Jim revealed during the booze cruise — that he has a crush on Pam.
Of course, Michael struggles with being the only one who knows Jim’s secret. Jim admits to Pam that he had a crush on her, but he tells her that he’s over it.
Fischer said that she was so emotional after Krasinski’s delivery that when she left the kitchen scene she cried for real because it “broke [her] heart.”
Jim explains to her in the scene, “I told Michael on the booze cruise … It’s so stupid. Um, I told Michael that I had had a crush on you when you first started here. Well I just thought that, I figured you should hear it from me rather than, I mean you know Michael.”
He continues, “And seriously, it’s totally not a big deal, OK? And when I found out that you were engaged, I mean…”
Pam tells him she thought he had a crush on her because they “got along so well” and asks if he will be awkward around her.
Jim jokes that he will be awkward, then assures her, “And Pam, it was like three years ago so I am totally over it.”
Pam shows her disappointment as she leaves the kitchen after talking to Jim.
Jenna Fischer said she felt Pam’s heartbreak
During a March 2020 episode of the Office Ladies podcast, Fischer and her co-host Angela Kinsey discussed the episode in detail. Fischer explained why she really cried after the scene.
She shared that her character was initially happy to hear Jim admit his crush. “She’s like, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is amazing. This is the conversation I wanted to have on top of booze cruise,’” Fischer explained.
Kinsey pointed out, “Right. And then when he is just so adamant that I don’t feel that way anymore, then she’s sad.”
Fischer gave some behind-the-scenes scoop about how she personally felt how devastated Pam was after hearing Jim was over his crush.
“Well, when I leave the kitchen, most of the time they kept the shot going all the way to me getting to my desk. The door would close and then they would do a spy shot of me sitting down at my desk,” Fischer explained. “You would see me crying.”
“They didn’t keep it in, but I would leave and I would cry,” she continued. “There are times when you’re playing a character where you can’t help but feel their feelings. And I have to say, I really felt Pam’s heartbreak.”
“I really did when we were performing the scene,” she noted. “It’s not just that she wants Jim to admit feelings. It’s that she wants him to save her. You know, she doesn’t have the courage right now to save herself. And she’s going to get there.”
“And I’m glad that that’s how the show is written,” Fischer added. “I’m glad that ultimately Pam saves herself. But there’s all of this in her in this moment right now. And it was a really intense thing to shoot. And I’ll always remember it.”
