The Office Showbiz Cheat Sheet

The Office
'The Office' cast Ed Helms as Andy Bernard, Phyllis Smith as Phyllis Lapin, Kate Flannery as Meredith Palmer, Craig Robinson as Darryl Philbin, Paul Lieberstein as Toby Flenderson, Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly, Steve Carell as Michael Scott, Creed Bratton as Creed Bratton, John Krasinski as Jim Halpert, Oscar Nunez as Oscar Martinez, B.J. Novak as Ryan Howard, Brian Baumgartner as Kevin Malone, Leslie David Baker as Stanley Hudson, Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor, Angela Kinsey as Angela Martin | NBC Photo: Mitchell Haaseth
The Office
The Office is an American sitcom that aired on the NBC network. The show ran for nine seasons, starting in 2005. The series is based on a British series of the same name, which ran on The BBC from 2001 to 2003 and was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. It was adapted for American television by Greg Daniels. The mockumentary sitcom followed the lives of employees at the fictional Dunder Mifflin paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The paper company is led by branch manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell). Other notable characters include salesman Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), receptionist Pam Beesley (Jenna Fischer), and salesman Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson). The series has received 42 Emmy nominations and five wins.
- TV Genres: Comedy
- Creator: Greg Daniels
- Network: NBC
- Adapted From: The Office (UK)
- Where to Watch: U.S.-based viewers can watch the show on PeacockTV. Reruns appear on Comedy Central.
- Cast: Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Angela Kinsey, Mindy Kaling, Creed Bratton, Brian Baumgartner, Oscar Nunez, Phyllis Smith, Ed Helms, B.J. Novak, Ellie Kemper, Craig Robinson, Paul Lieberstein, Leslie David Baker, Michael Schur, Melora Hardin
- Seasons: 9
- First Episode: March 24, 2005
- Last Episode: May 16, 2013
- Related Shows: Parks & Recreation, The Good Place
Visit the website for The Office.
Learn more about The Office—behind the scenes, a potential reboot, and where the stars are now.
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Steve Carell

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Anne Hathaway Was Cast in ‘Get Smart’ Because She Was Able to Keep a Straight Face With Steve Carell

Anne Hathaway once shared what it took to work alongside Steve Carell in their very first movie together.

by Antonio Stallings

Published on February 23, 2024

3 min read

Steve Carell posing for a picture at the Four Season's Hotel in Beverly Hill while wearing a suit.

Ricky Gervais Felt Like He Was Expected to Try and Stop Steve Carell From Leaving ‘The Office’

Ricky Gervais understood why many didn’t want Steve Carell to leave ‘The Office’, but he also understood why Steve Carell might’ve wanted to in the first place.

by Antonio Stallings

A photo of Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, Steve Carell as Michael Scott, Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly, John Krasinski as Jim Halpert, and B.J. Novak as Ryan Howard.

Steve Carrell Could Only Sit Through Five Minutes of Ricky Gervais’ Performance in the Original ‘Office’

Steve Carell once shared how studying Ricky Gervais’ ‘Office’ character David Brent might’ve actually done more harm than good for him.

by Antonio Stallings

Jenna Fischer Was Able to Land Her ‘Office’ Co-Star a Leading Role in James Gunn’s Superhero Film

James Gunn might have scrapped one of his most memorable superhero projects if it wasn’t for his ex-wife Jenna Fischer.

by Antonio Stallings

Published on June 15, 2023

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'The Office' stars Steve Carell, B.J. Novak, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson holding Emmys

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‘The Office’: Which 2 Cast Members Dubbed Themselves ‘Emmy-Losing Actors’

How many Emmy nominations and wins did 'The Office' receive during its nine season run and which actors got snubbed?

by Abeni Tinubu

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‘The Office’: Jenna Fischer Held Back From Doing Things to Keep Pam Real

Jenna Fischer explains how she was able to keep her character as authentic as possible for nine seasons of 'The Office.'

by Abeni Tinubu

Adam Scott’s ‘Parks and Rec’ Character Came up WIth the Idea for ‘Severance’

Adam Scott might have drawn some inspiration for 'Severance' from his beloved 'Parks and Recreation' role as Ben Wyatt.

by India McCarty

Published on February 21, 2023

2 min read

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‘Parks and Rec’: Did Amy Poehler and Adam Scott Date in Real Life?

In the hit NBC sitcom 'Parks and Recreation,' their characters were famously in love, but did Amy Poehler and Adam Scott date in real life?

by Ashley Swallow

'Parks and Recreation' cast members Jim O'Heir, Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, and Retta for our article about how the show almost had a different name.

‘Parks and Recreation’ Almost Had a Very Different Name

'Parks and Recreation' boasts lovable characters and plenty of humor. However, the NBC series nearly went by a different name.

by Amanda Mullen

‘The Office’: Rainn Wilson Calls His Very First Audition for the Show ‘Awful’; ‘I Was Terrible’

Rainn Wilson got candid about the casting process for The Office and how he blew his very first audition for the hit comedy.

by Abeni Tinubu

‘The Office’: How Steve Carell’s Movie Career Changed Michael Scott

Fans of The Office may have noticed a drastic change in the character of Michael Scott between the first two season and there's a very clear cut reason for this change.

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‘The Office’: The Real Reason the Show Was Filmed In an Actual Office Building — Not a Hollywood Set

'The Office' quickly became one of the best sitcoms of the early 2000s. The show ran from 2005-2013, and its concept was an office environment being filmed for a documentary. Surprisingly, though, the show wasn't filmed on a Hollywood set.

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‘The Office’: Rainn Wilson Created a ‘Defining Friendship Moment’ for Angela Kinsey & Jenna Fischer

Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer have been best friends since the starred in The Office. And Rainn Wilson inadvertently helped take their friendship to the next level.

by Abeni Tinubu

‘The Office’: Idris Elba Broke Character Because of Kevin and the Show Kept It In

Idris Elba wasn't immune to laughing while working on 'The Office'. This is the scene where he broke character.

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‘The Office’: Mindy Kaling Confessed Only Certain Characters Had ‘Permission’ to Do This

It's no secret that The Office boasts a wide variety of characters. However, the writers made a special rule about who could do this signature move.

by Abeni Tinubu

‘The Office’: Jenna Fischer Said 1 Scene Was ‘Really Intense’ Because She ‘Felt Pam’s Heartbreak’

Jenna Fischer recalled a scene with John Krasinski on The Office that left her so heartbroken for her character that she cried in real life. Fischer shared how, after Jim tells Pam he no longer has a crush on her, the actor sat at the reception desk and cried, calling it was an intense scene.

by Wendy Michaels

‘The Office’: Steve Carell Revealed Michael Scott Was Inspired by His Middle School Teachers

A talented actor, Steve Carell gets inspiration for his characters from various places. But fans may be shocked that a huge part of Michael Scott was inspired by the comedian's middle school teachers.

by Abeni Tinubu

‘The Office’: John Krasinski Said This Sad Scene Was ‘The Most Emotional I’ve Ever Been on a Set’

John Krasinski and Steve Carell found one Jim and Michael scene particularly challenging because it was so heavy with emotion. Krasinski said it was the most emotional he had been on a set. The actors had to do 17 or more takes so they could push back their tears to deliver their lines.

by Wendy Michaels

‘The Office’: Mindy Kaling Experienced ‘a Gentler Form of Sexism’ While Working on the Show

Fans of The Office have Mindy Kaling to thank for some of the most hilarious and iconic episodes of The Office. But that doesn't mean that the writer always had an easy time on set.

by Abeni Tinubu

‘The Office’: Rainn Wilson Admitted It’s ‘a Struggle Being Known as Dwight’

Though being part of The Office cast was akin to winning the lottery, Rainn Wilson once admitted that he struggles being known as Dwight K. Schrute at times.

by Abeni Tinubu

‘The Office’: Which Cast Member Admitted to Being Rude to Fans?

Fans of The Office can't help but get excited when they see former cast members out and about. But their approaches can sometimes lead to a less than friendly reception.

by Abeni Tinubu

‘The Office’: Ed Helms Had a Hilarious Habit of Improvising Andy Bernard’s Lines

Every character in The Office played a key role in the show’s success. The popular sitcom ran from 2005-2013, and during that time, a few characters came and went. Though Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) wasn’t in the show’s first few seasons, he quickly became an integral character. And Helms had a funny habit of improvising …

by Julia Mullaney

Kathryn Hahn Tried to Star in ‘The Office’

Before her hilarious recurring role as Jen Barkley on 'Parks and Recreation,' Kathryn Hahn was one of the many actors who auditioned for 'The Office,' and Peacock recently shared her audition (among others) for fans to enjoy.

by Kelli Boyle

Celebrity

The Office

Learn more about The Office—behind the scenes, a potential reboot, and where the stars are now.

‘The Office’: Rashida Jones Was ‘Crushed’ When Ed Helms Became a Series Regular, Says She ‘Always Felt Like a Guest Star’

‘The Office’: How Hilary Swank Reacted to Characters Debating Her Looks

‘The Office’: Why Dwight’s Paternity Test for Philip Schrute Came Back Negative

‘The Office’: The Clever Way They Pulled Off Jan’s Boob Job so it Looked Real

‘The Office’ Halloween Episodes: Pam and Jim’s Best Costumes, Ranked

Anne Hathaway Was Cast in ‘Get Smart’ Because She Was Able to Keep a Straight Face With Steve Carell

Ricky Gervais Felt Like He Was Expected to Try and Stop Steve Carell From Leaving ‘The Office’

Steve Carrell Could Only Sit Through Five Minutes of Ricky Gervais’ Performance in the Original ‘Office’

Jenna Fischer Was Able to Land Her ‘Office’ Co-Star a Leading Role in James Gunn’s Superhero Film

‘The Office’: Which 2 Cast Members Dubbed Themselves ‘Emmy-Losing Actors’

‘The Office’: Jenna Fischer Held Back From Doing Things to Keep Pam Real

Adam Scott’s ‘Parks and Rec’ Character Came up WIth the Idea for ‘Severance’

‘Parks and Rec’: Did Amy Poehler and Adam Scott Date in Real Life?

‘Parks and Recreation’ Almost Had a Very Different Name

‘The Office’: Rainn Wilson Calls His Very First Audition for the Show ‘Awful’; ‘I Was Terrible’

‘The Office’: How Steve Carell’s Movie Career Changed Michael Scott

‘The Office’: The Real Reason the Show Was Filmed In an Actual Office Building — Not a Hollywood Set

‘The Office’: Rainn Wilson Created a ‘Defining Friendship Moment’ for Angela Kinsey & Jenna Fischer

‘The Office’: Idris Elba Broke Character Because of Kevin and the Show Kept It In

‘The Office’: Mindy Kaling Confessed Only Certain Characters Had ‘Permission’ to Do This

‘The Office’: Jenna Fischer Said 1 Scene Was ‘Really Intense’ Because She ‘Felt Pam’s Heartbreak’

‘The Office’: Steve Carell Revealed Michael Scott Was Inspired by His Middle School Teachers

‘The Office’: John Krasinski Said This Sad Scene Was ‘The Most Emotional I’ve Ever Been on a Set’

‘The Office’: Mindy Kaling Experienced ‘a Gentler Form of Sexism’ While Working on the Show

‘The Office’: Rainn Wilson Admitted It’s ‘a Struggle Being Known as Dwight’

‘The Office’: Which Cast Member Admitted to Being Rude to Fans?

‘The Office’: Ed Helms Had a Hilarious Habit of Improvising Andy Bernard’s Lines

Kathryn Hahn Tried to Star in ‘The Office’

Rainn Wilson Revealed His Favorite Way to Prank Fans of ‘The Office’

‘The Office’: Jenna Fischer Couldn’t Stop Laughing, so She Ate a Lot in a Deleted Scene

‘The Office’: Ellie Kemper’s ‘Parks and Recreation’ Rejection Led to Her Being Cast as Erin

‘The Office’: John Krasinski Ruined so Many Takes by Giggling; ‘I Laugh Like a Little Princess’

‘The Office’: Steve Carell Once Perfectly Described Michael Scott in 3 Words

‘The Office’: John Krasinski Confessed His Rivalry with Rainn Wilson Made Them Become ‘Brothers’