Summary

Actor and director John Krasinski shares an emotional moment he had with a fan, revealing the impact of
The Office
on viewers’ lives.

The Office
‘s cast are proud of the show for providing meaningful moments in people’s lives, and Krasinski calls it a “comfort blanket” of a show.
A spinoff series of
The Office
is in the works, featuring a new setting. John Krasinski’s new movie
IF
is now in theaters.

It’s been over a decade since NBC’s The Office left our screens, but fans still get caught up in Dunder Mifflin’s story, and its characters hold a special place in their hearts. John Krasinski, who plays Jim Halpert in the series, recently shared an experience he had with one such fan, which he still gets emotional about today. Speaking to BBC Radio 1’s Ali Plumb, Krasinski reminisced about a unique experience he had with a young fan at an airport which has stuck with him to this day.

The interaction started out like any other. Krasinski set the scene, saying it was two in the morning, and he’d just landed after a night flight and was approached by a young girl at the airport, who said “‘I love watching you on The Office,’ and I said thank you.” After their brief exchange, the girl handed John Krasinski a note and ran away. Not thinking too much about it, Krasinski opened the note and was hit with a wave of emotions. According to the actor, the note read:

Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to let you know that my dad passed last week and the last thing that I get to remember of him, thanks to your show, is him smiling because we watched your show non-stop.

Krasinski defined the moment as the most memorable and emotional interaction he’s had with a fan “bar none,” admitting, “I still get emotional talking about it.”

The Office Cast Are Proud of the Show Because It’s Comforting
The Office (U.S.) Release Date March 24, 2005 Cast Steve Carell , Jenna Fischer , John Krasinski , Ellie Kemper , Rainn Wilson , Angela Kinsey , Melora Hardin , Rashida Jones , Mindy Kaling , Creed Bratton , B.J. Novak , Ed Helms , Brian Baumgartner Seasons 9

First released on NBC in 2005 (and based on the UK version from 2001), The Office is still considered by many as one of the greatest sitcoms of all-time. Thanks to the rise of streaming services, the series has enjoyed endless re-watches from fans around the world, and its devout following is a strong today as ever.

In the interview, Krasinski attributed part of the show’s success to its ability to comfort audiences, especially during hard times like the COVID pandemic. Off the back of discussing his fan interaction, Krasinski said, “all of us [The Office’s cast] talk about having very similar interactions.” The actor then continued, explaining the reason why the entire cast are so proud of the show:

“It’s not that the show is not funny, and lovely, and all that. But, I think especially during the pandemic, for people to say that it went beyond comedy., that it actually was something that made them feel…
like a comfort blanket
. I think that is the reason why we’re also proud of the show.”

Many fans of The Office were delighted at the recent announcement that the show is getting a spinoff with its original showrunner, Greg Daniels at the helm. The new series moves away from the paper company as the documentary crew turn their attention to a failing newspaper in the Midwest. Rumors are currently speculating that the original cast from The Office will reprise their roles for cameos in the new show. However, some cast members like Steve Carell have publicly denied this. Krasinski has yet to comment.

Related The Office Spinoff Series Heads to Peacock and Is Set at a ‘Dying’ Newspaper The upcoming comedy series is set in The Office universe, but welcomes a new cast in a very different setting.

John Krasinski is currently doing a press tour to promote his latest directorial project, IF, inspired by his daughter’s imaginary friend. The new film, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Flemming, Krasinski’s wife Emily Blunt, Awkwafina, Vince Vaughn, Bradley Cooper, Matt Damon, Fiona Shaw, and Sam Rockwell, also sees Krasinski re-unite with his former Office boss, Steve Carell (who played Dunder Mifflin’s Regional Manager, Michael Scott in NBC’s series).

The Office
is available to stream on Peacock.
IF
was released in theaters May 17, 2024.