Actress Jenna Fischer has revealed why she stepped back from major television roles following her nine-season run as Pam Beesly on NBC comedy The Office.
Fischer explained during an Aug. 18 appearance on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's Dinner's On Me podcast that intense production hours on her subsequent sitcom led her to reevaluate her career in 2019.
After starring alongside Steve Carell and John Krasinski in The Office from 2005 until 2013, Fischer committed to two seasons of the ABC sitcom Splitting Up Together opposite Oliver Hudson.
She recalled that working 65 to 70 hours a week on the series proved difficult while raising small children.
"It was during Splitting Up Together, which I really loved that cast so much but the hours were so intense," Fischer said on the podcast. "It was like 65-70 hours a week. It was really, really hard and my kids were really small."
When ABC canceled Splitting Up Together in 2019, Fischer decided that being the lead or a regular cast member on a television show was no longer a fit for her lifestyle.
"I just decided after that that being like the lead of a television show or even a regular on a television show was not going to be a fit for me any more," Fischer said.
Instead, she teamed up with former costar Angela Kinsey in 2019 to launch Office Ladies, a rewatch podcast dedicated to the sitcom.
Fischer noted that the podcast provided a steady income while granting her total control over her daily schedule.
"and also, I was now at every school drop off, every school pick-up, every teacher conference, every concert," Fischer said. "I was the agent of my own time."
Fischer shares two children, 14-year-old son Weston and 12-year-old daughter Harper, with her husband, screenwriter Lee Kirk, whom she married in July 2010.
She joked that her children were so young when her career shifted that they viewed her primarily as a podcaster rather than an actress.
"They were so little when that change happened, they thought of me as a podcaster," Fischer said. "If anybody asked them, 'What does your mom do?' They go, 'Oh she's a podcaster. She has a podcast.'"
Fischer added that her children did not understand what the podcast was about, despite its direct connection to her iconic television role.
"They didn't even understand what my podcast was about," she said.
Fischer, who published her first book, The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide, in 2017 with an introduction by Steve Carell, has also appeared in films including Blades of Glory, The 15:17 to Paris, Brad's Status, and the movie adaptation of the musical Mean Girls, as well as the series You, Me and the Apocalypse.
In 2024, Fischer revealed she had been diagnosed with Stage 1 Triple Positive Breast Cancer the previous year and was cancer-free following surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
Steve Carell on why Michael Scott will not return
Fischer is not the only former cast member to step away from television roles or the franchise. While NBC launched a new spinoff series titled The Paper last year, Steve Carell previously explained why he would not return to his role as regional manager Michael Scott.
Carell, who starred in the original series for seven seasons, explained in a 2018 interview with Esquire that reviving his character would not work in the current cultural environment.
"There's been a resurgence in interest in the show, and talk about bringing it back," Carell told Esquire. "But apart from the fact that I just don't think that's a good idea, it might be impossible to do that show today and have people accept it the way it was accepted 10 years ago. The climate's different."
Carell noted that the original characters would not translate well to modern television, with Oscar Nunez's character Oscar Martinez serving as the sole original figure featured in The Paper.
"A lot of what is depicted on that show is completely wrong-minded," Carell said. "That's the point, you know? But I just don't know how that would fly now. There's a very high awareness of offensive things today, which is good, for sure. But at the same time, when you take a character like that too literally, it doesn't really work."
Since leaving The Office, Carell has established himself as a major dramatic and comedic actor. He earned an Emmy nomination for Apple TV+ series The Morning Show alongside Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, and starred in and executive produced Netflix series Space Force and The Patient.
In film, Carell earned an Oscar nomination for 2014 drama Foxcatcher and starred in dramatic films including Beautiful Boy, The Big Short, Battle of the Sexes, Welcome to Marwen, and Vice. He has also starred in comedies such as Crazy, Stupid, Love, Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Little Miss Sunshine, while voicing Gru in the Despicable Me franchise. He is married to Nancy Carell, with whom he shares daughter Elisabeth and son John.
Where the rest of The Office cast is now
John Krasinski, who played Jim Halpert, transitioned into directing and producing. He directed and starred in the 2018 horror hit A Quiet Place alongside his wife, Emily Blunt, followed by a 2020 sequel and a 2024 third installment, A Quiet Place: Day One. In 2024, he also wrote and directed the feature film IF.
Krasinski played the titular character in Amazon Prime series Jack Ryan and executive produced television show Lip Sync Battle and 2016 film Manchester By the Sea. He married Blunt in 2008 at George Clooney's estate in Lake Como, Italy, and the couple shares two daughters, Hazel and Violet. Their close friends include George and Amal Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Blake Lively, and Ryan Reynolds.
Mindy Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor, created and starred in comedy series The Mindy Project from 2012 to 2017. She went on to create Champions, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Never Have I Ever, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and Running Point.
Kaling acted in feature films Ocean's Eight, Late Night, and A Wrinkle in Time, voiced characters in Inside Out, Velma, and Wreck-It Ralph, and welcomed three children: daughter Katherine in 2017 without revealing the father's identity, son Spencer in 2020, and daughter Anne in 2024. She maintains a close friendship with former costar B.J. Novak, who presented her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Ed Helms, who portrayed Andy Bernard, starred in The Hangover trilogy, the 2013 remake of Vacation, Family Switch, Love the Coopers, Coffee & Kareem, and Father Figures. On television, he starred in Rutherford Falls, hosted True Story with Randall Park, and voiced lead roles in Agent Elvis and Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. He is married to Celeste Ackelson and has a daughter.
From Dwight Schrute to Kevin Malone
Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute, starred in drama series Backstrom after NBC passed on a proposed Dwight spinoff. He subsequently appeared in Star Trek: Discovery, Mom, Lessons in Chemistry, Dark Winds, and Utopia, as well as films Empire Waist, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, and Jerry and Marge Go Large. Wilson hosts podcasts Soul Boom and Metaphysical Milkshake, is married to Holiday Reinhorn, and has a son named Walter.
B.J. Novak, who played Ryan Howard, published the bestseller One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories, wrote and directed the 2022 film Vengeance, and appeared in The Founder, The Newsroom, Lessons in Chemistry, and Poker Face.
Ellie Kemper, who played Erin Hannon, starred in Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt through January 2019, wrote the book My Squirrel Days, and appeared in films Bridesmaids, Home Sweet Home Alone, and Happiness for Beginners. She is married to Michael Koman and has two sons, James and Matthew.
Zach Woods, who played Gabe Lewis, starred in HBO comedy Silicon Valley, co-created animated series In The Know, and appeared in feature films The Post and Ghostbusters.
Paul Lieberstein, who played Toby Flenderson and served as showrunner on The Office, later showran Fox comedy Ghosted, executive produced HBO's The Newsroom, and wrote and directed film Song of Back and Neck. He married Janine Poreba in 2008 and starred in a 2020 Super Bowl commercial for Fox playing a Toby-esque character trying to stop people taking off Super Monday.
Oscar Nunez, who played Oscar Martinez, reprised his role on Peacock series The Paper. His other credits include Baywatch, Shameless, People of Earth, The 5th Quarter, Mr. Iglesias, The Proposal, Reno 911!, The Lost City, The School Duel, Out of Office, Dashing Through the Snow, A Christmas Mystery, and Firebuds. He is married to Ursula Whittaker and has a daughter named August.
Brian Baumgartner, who played Kevin Malone, turned his character's famous chili scene into a sponsorship deal with Bush's Beans. He has appeared in Suits: L.A., Hand of God, Good Behavior, Life in Pieces, The Goldbergs, Electric Jesus, Trash Truck, and 2024 Hallmark movie Confessions of a Christmas Letter alongside Angela Kinsey. He hosts podcast Off the Beat With Brian Baumgartner and married Celeste Ackelson in 2014, with whom he has a daughter named Brylee.
Meredith, Stanley, Darryl and Creed
Kate Flannery, who played Meredith Palmer, appeared on Night Court, All Night, Aussie Girl, PBC, Steven Universe, OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, Summer Camp Island, Kiff, Cooties, Micro Budget, and Plan B. She performs in musical comedy duo The Lampshades and finished seventh on Dancing With the Stars in 2019 alongside partner Pasha Pashkov.
Angela Kinsey, who played Angela Martin, appeared in Tall Girl, Haters Back Off, Fresh Off the Boat, and Never Have I Ever, hosted Disney+ series Be Our Chef, and co-hosts Office Ladies with Fischer. She has a daughter with ex-husband Warren Lieberstein and married Joshua Snyder in 2016.
Leslie David Baker, who played Stanley Hudson, has appeared in films Jackpot!, The Happytime Murders, Wish I Was Here, Still the King, Hard Miles, and Raven's Home, alongside voice roles in Puppy Dog Pals, Doug Unplugs, and Vivo.
Craig Robinson, who played Darryl Philbin, starred in films Hot Frosty, This Is the End, Sausage Party, and Dolemite Is My Name, alongside television roles in Ghosted, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Mr. Robot, and Killing It, and voice roles in American Dad!, Santa Inc., and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
Phyllis Smith, who played Phyllis Vance, voiced Sadness in the Inside Out films and appeared in television drama The OA, feature film Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, and series Nunsense.
Creed Bratton, who played a fictionalized version of himself, has appeared in films Bart Bagalzby and the Garbage Genie, The Sisters Brothers, Hero Mode, and short film Portland Is the New Portland, while releasing music albums Tao Pop and While the Young Punks Dance.
