The Office Star Jenna Fischer Was Cast As Pam Beesly Thanks To One Word

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More than a decade removed from its series finale, it feels fair to say that "The Office" is one of the most beloved TV shows of all time. Right up there with the likes of "Cheers" and "Friends," the tale of the Dunder Mifflin paper company and the employees who make that seemingly normal company run has etched its place in the annals of television history. Anyone who was on that show has, in turn, achieved some level of immortality, including key players like the receptionist Pam Beesly, as played by Jenna Fischer.

Pam was, of course, a life-changing role for Fischer, who has since parlayed the show's popularity into a very successful podcast called "Office Ladies." Even more incredible, it appears that Fischer landing the role really came down to one word during her audition. During an appearance on the "Fly on the Wall" podcast, as hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade, Fischer recalled what led to her securing her part on "The Office." More specifically, she remembered the advice casting director Allison Jones gave her ahead of her audition:

"I had been auditioning for Allison for about five years before 'The Office.' When it was time for her to cast 'The Office,' I had a good enough relationship with her that I could say, 'Hey Allison, do you have any advice? I really want this one.' And she said, 'My advice is don't come in looking hot. Don't come in all done up.' And then she said, 'We're going to have you improvise during the audition and my advice is: Dare to bore me.'"

Fischer certainly wasn't the only one who auditioned for Pam, with Erica Vittina Phillips ("Superbad") having nearly landed the role. But Fischer took the advice to heart, and when it came time to actually audition, she nailed it with a bold choice.

Speaking further about the audition that changed her life, Fischer recounted what happened when she actually sat down to do her audition with showrunner Greg Daniels. According to Fischer, a one-word response during that improv session apparently helped to seal the deal:

"I had that note in my head, and he said, 'Do you like being a receptionist here?' And I just paused and I said nothing. And then I said, 'No.' And that's all I said ... I thought it would be funnier to watch me think of all the things I wasn't going to say than to say any of them. She's like a deeply honest person, so she can't lie and say she does like it, but she's also not going to say anymore."

It worked, and Fischer was cast as Pam, who was a major player from the pilot episode right up to the series finale of "The Office" in 2013, appearing in a total of 188 episodes. Fischer managed to stand out in the crowd in the same way that Steve Carrell did before he landed the role of Michael Scott, which nearly went to several other big name actors. While there were certainly other factors at play, that well-placed "no" might have changed the course of Fischer's career.

Looking ahead, it seems unlikely we'll be seeing more of Pam on screen in the future, even though the world of "The Office" is returning — sort of. Indeed, Daniels is now working on a spin-off titled "The Paper," which is set at a dying midwestern newspaper and has Domhnall Gleeson ("About Time," "Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens") and Sabrina Impacciatore ("The Passion of the Christ," "The White Lotus") leading the cast. It is due to premiere on Peacock later this year. 

You can grab "The Office: The Complete Series" on DVD from Amazon.