John Krasinski has recalled an embarrassing moment during his audition for The Office. Krasinski starred as paper salesman Jim Halpert in the hit NBC show, which was based on the BBC series of the same name by Ricky Gervais. The Office would go on to run for nine seasons from 2005 to 2013 and receive significant acclaim from critics starting in season 2. The Office has since become one of the most streamed shows across various streaming platforms, with 57 billion minutes watched, as well as developed a loyal fan base and earned its place in pop culture.
While relatively unknown at the time, The Office would serve as Krasinski's breakout role. He was not the only unknown actor to be cast in the series, owing to the fact that the show's creators purposely sought after unknown faces. So much so that Phyllis Smith (who played Phyllis) was not even an actor at the time of her casting, but was a real receptionist. Similarly, Jenna Fischer (who played Pam Beesly) was on the verge of quitting acting before landing her role. During Fischer's interview, show director Ken Kwapis has recalled that while all the other candidates for the role of Pam were "supper chatty and friendly," Fischer put out a "wallflower vibe" that made Kwapis wonder if she was there by mistake and actually applying for a real receptionist job. It appears Fischer wasn't the only The Office star to have a memorable audition.
The New York Post reports that Krasinski had an embarrassing moment during his audition for The Office. In Brian Baumgartner (who played Kevin) and Ben Silverman's new book Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office, Krasinski recalled his awkward audition. According to the actor, in response to a question of whether he was nervous, Krasinski responded, "I’m terrified for the person creating this show because, I mean, I just feel like Americans have such a track record of taking brilliant shows and ruining them." Turns out, the man Krasinski was talking to was the show's creator, Greg Daniels. The actor further elaborates that he "did the green vomit face," and then he called his manager and said, "I'm going to leave now."
Despite such a comment, Daniels liked Krasinksi's honesty and eventually went on to offer him the part. The 23-year-old actor at the time then took a field trip to Scranton, Pennsylvania out of "pure nerd-dom." Krasinski would take camera footage of the Scranton sign that later became The Office's notable opening credits. When Daniels asked Krasinski if he would sell the footage to the show, the actor initially offered it for free before selling it for $1,000. Krasinski recalls "that could have been the greatest investment of my life!"
While Krasinski essentially insulted the show's creator to his face (who would also become the co-creator of another massive sit-com series, Parks and Recreation) it all worked out in the end. The actor would go on to land the role of the sensitive and goofy Jim Halpert, and the rest is history. Thankfully, Daniels valued Krasinski's honesty rather than held it against him. Otherwise, who knows how one of the fan-favorite characters from The Office would have turned out, and where a talent like Krasinski would be now.
Source: New York Post
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