EP. 205 — An Interview with John Krasinski 

Jenna [00:00:03] I’m Jenna Fischer. 

Angela [00:00:04] And I’m Angela Kinsey. 

Jenna [00:00:06] We were on The Office together.  

Angela [00:00:08] And we’re best friends. 

Jenna [00:00:08] And now we’re doing the ultimate Office rewatch podcast just for you. 

Angela [00:00:12] Each week, we will break down an episode of The Office and give exclusive behind the scenes stories that only two people who were there can tell you. 

Jenna [00:00:19] We’re the Office Ladies. Hello!

Angela [00:00:24] Hi there. 

Jenna [00:00:27] Oh, boy. We have a very special guest on Office Ladies today!

Angela [00:00:32] Oh, boy is right! It is John Krasinski! 

Jenna [00:00:36] Woot woot! Oh yeah!

Angela [00:00:39] Woo! 

Jenna [00:00:39] We are so excited to have John back on the podcast again. 

Angela [00:00:43] So I was thinking, Jenna, the last time he was on was Casino Night, right? 

Jenna [00:00:48] Yeah. 

Angela [00:00:48] What a fun interview. That was just so much fun. I remember when we were talking to him, I was just smiling ear to ear. 

Jenna [00:00:55] Well, if you haven’t heard that interview, everyone, definitely go back and give it a listen, because John shares some amazing stuff about making Casino Night. That was a huge Jim Pam episode. 

Angela [00:01:06] Yeah. 

Jenna [00:01:07] And during that interview, I remember we laughed, we cried. And I have to tell you, John is just as charming and wonderful this time around. 

Angela [00:01:17] Yes. And guess what? Once again, we laughed and we cried. 

Jenna [00:01:21] We are such softies, the three of us. My goodness. 

Angela [00:01:25] But it was such a joy having John on. We talk about season nine. Plus we reminisce about, well, just everything about the show. We got a little nostalgic again. 

Jenna [00:01:34] We did, but we also got to talk with him about his new movie, IF, because John produced, wrote and directed this movie. I have seen the trailers. It looks so delightful and charming and full of heart and laughs. It basically is just John as a movie. 

Angela [00:01:54] Yeah, it’s really so sweet. So here’s how it’s described. It’s a live action animated fantasy comedy film about a young girl named Bea, and she’s gone through a difficult time, and she unexpectedly gains the ability to see people’s imaginary friends, referred to as “IF’s”, for short. And I guess they’ve been abandoned by the kids they helped. So Bea discovers also that her neighbor Cal has the same ability, and they join forces and go on this adventure to reunite IF’s with their former kids. It’s really a sweet movie. 

Jenna [00:02:32] And there’s an amazing cast. I mean, okay, so Bea, the little girl is played by Cailey Fleming. Cal, the neighbor is Ryan Reynolds, but then all the imaginary friends are voiced by different actors, including… Steve Carell! 

Angela [00:02:46] Steve Carell! Hello! 

Jenna [00:02:47] John and Steve got to reunite for this movie. 

Angela [00:02:50] And you know, we had to ask him all about that. Well, let’s take a quick break, and then we come back with our interview with John Krasinski. 

Jenna [00:02:58] And listen, you might want to grab some tissues. I’m just warning you. I mean, lady, if we ever do Office Ladies Tangents, the podcast, we got to get John to be our co-host. 

Angela [00:03:08] We do go on a lot of tangents. But it was so delightful. And we ask him the cast and crew call sheet questions. 

Jenna [00:03:15] All right, we’ll be right back. 

John [00:03:27] And it’s happening. It’s happening.

Jenna [00:03:28] It’s happening. It’s happening!

John [00:03:31] You guys! What is going on? When was the last time I saw you? 

Jenna [00:03:35] Oh my gosh. Well, the last time we spoke on Office Ladies was at the very beginning of the pandemic for Casino Night. 

Angela [00:03:43] Oh, my God. 

John [00:03:44] I can’t. And you guys are almost done?

Jenna [00:03:46] Yes. 

Angela [00:03:47] Yeah. 

John [00:03:48] Oh, my. I’m getting emotional just thinking about that. How are you guys preparing? 

Jenna [00:03:52] It’s very weird. It really is. It’s like ending the show all over again. It’s all the feels. 

John [00:03:58] I bet. Don’t even get me started, because I will start weeping immediately. We’ll talk about all those things today. You guys are amazing. This show is amazing. It’s just the best. Brings so many people so much joy. People talk to me about it all the time, and I’m like, I have nothing to do with it, so good luck. 

Jenna [00:04:19] Well. You’re here now, and we’re going to talk about your movie that’s coming out on Friday! 

Angela [00:04:25] John, I am so excited for this movie. 

John [00:04:28] Oh my God, you guys are the best. 

Jenna [00:04:30] That you wrote. You directed it. IF. 

John [00:04:33] If I did the movie’s IF. Yes, I wrote it for my kids. 

Angela [00:04:38] Oh, my heart. 

John [00:04:38] I just figured my heart. Oh, boy. There she goes. Angela’s out. Bye, heart.

Angela [00:04:44] The minute you’re like, I wrote it for my kids, I’m like, he’s such a good dad. 

John [00:04:50] Well, I did it to prove I was a good dad to them later. It’s really just an archival. No, I, I had the idea a long time ago to do something with imaginary friends, but I didn’t quite know what it was. You guys know, I would say to Emily all the time, I just I wish we could go wherever it is they go just for a minute, you know? I mean, where they go into those unbelievable sort of vortexes where they’re having so much fun, but it’s so real and it’s so genuine, and they’re not being silly. They’re being themselves. And you just feel like, oh, man, I wish I could meet my kids in that place one day. And then Covid hit. And all of a sudden that place that they were going started to falter a little bit. And I could see that they were getting nervous and they started asking me questions like, are we going to be okay? And is everything all right? And I thought, no, no, no, no no, no, no, no, we can’t do this. I have to make sure that they know that even on their on their good days or their bad days, that world exists. That world is there for them. All they got to do is turn around and head right back. And so I decided to sit down and write the script, and I wrote it over, over the pandemic. 

Jenna [00:05:52] I am choked up. I like I have a lump in my throat. That’s so beautiful. 

John [00:05:59] Oh my God, you guys, you guys are going to be the best audience. I can’t wait for you to see this movie. 

Angela [00:06:04] I can’t even talk. I can’t even talk. 

Jenna [00:06:08] Oh, my God. 

Angela [00:06:09] It’s so sweet. It’s so loving. Oh, I can’t wait for people to see this movie. 

John [00:06:17] I can’t wait for you guys to see it. It was such an amazing process because I’ve said this before, but it’s so true. I think my kids thought I was an accountant because the only thing that they had heard rumblings of was that I worked at an office, and then they saw Emily in like, Mary Poppins and Jungle Cruise. So they were like, we know what she does. And she was very nice to marry an accountant. And I was like, no, guys, I actually do stuff too. And so when I had the idea for this movie, I did this thing where I brought them in really early and I pitched them the idea, and then I started telling them about the characters as I thought of them, and I showed them the early drawings, and then as artist drawings started coming in, I showed them. And that went all the way up to like a couple weeks ago. We got prototypes of the toys and I gave them to the girls and it was amazing. They were like, Oh my God, this is amazing! And I said, what would you change? And they were like, his belly could be a little softer when I hug him. And I was like, okay, good note. And sure enough, they changed the toys and stuff. So it’s been a family process. However, they have not seen the movie yet, and I’ll be honest with you, I have never been more terrified to show two people anything in my life. 

Jenna [00:07:25] This is the absolute sweetest thing, that it was a family thing and I just I know what it’s like when your kids are old enough and you can kind of try to… You get to share your what you do with your kids. 

John [00:07:37] Yeah, well, I’m in that magic window. They’re in the perfect age right now where they’re going to care. And I knew that if I did a movie for them in like 3 or 4 years, they’d be like, Ugh, please stop. Stop trying to- stop trying to beg for our attention. So I just thought, this is the magic window, and it’s great. And so we’re doing a kind of a family premiere. One of the main characters is purple, so we’re doing, like, a purple carpet and everything. So we’re doing this whole little family- we’re pretending it’s the premiere. And I keep saying, don’t tell them it’s not the real premiere, please. 

Jenna [00:08:07] Right, right. 

John [00:08:07] Luckily, they’ll never know because this isn’t in public, so that’s fine. 

Jenna [00:08:12] John, did you have an imaginary friend growing up? 

John [00:08:15] I did have an imaginary friend. I had this imaginary friend. And it’s so funny because only in talking about my imaginary friend in an interview did I realize that he might be the one who’s directing all the movies because, his name was Sam Brace. My brother had braces at the time and I thought they were the coolest. I would find out eight years later they were not the coolest, but for a minute there, braces were the thing in my world. So his name was Sam Brace, and he and I would go to the video store, which was like six blocks away or eight blocks away. And so Sam Brace and I would walk to the video store to pick out a movie, enacting that movie. So we did action movies, horror movies- because I was too scared to watch horror movies. So I just pretended. And we just went with werewolf, which was sort of the de facto scary thing. And we ran away from werewolves, we, we were in action scenes and we’re back to back, as we saw on movie posters, just having each other’s back. But that’s what we did. 

Jenna [00:09:10] Oh Sam’s great. 

Angela [00:09:12] I love Sam. Sam Braces. 

John [00:09:13] Sam is great. 

Angela [00:09:14] Braces were the coolest thing. I remember my friend had a retainer and I took a paper clip and I unwrapped it and put it on my- to what? Why? I wore a paper clip. 

John [00:09:23] I also did it. I also did that. Yeah.

Jenna [00:09:25] I did that, too. 

John [00:09:27] Turns out, retainers don’t have that weird metal taste that make you sick. But paper clips do. 

Angela [00:09:32] And they poke you in the gums. We are so tickled that you’re working with Steve Carell again. Steve plays the char-. 

John [00:09:39] Who’s that?

Jenna [00:09:43] Steve Carol.  

Angela [00:09:44] Steve Carol. Yes. 

John [00:09:44] Oh, Steve- Oh, Steve’s Carol.  Best ice cream store in the world. 

Angela [00:09:48] Yeah. And he plays the character Blue. Can you tell us what it was like to work with Steve again after all those years? 

John [00:09:55] Oh my God. Well, first of all, I wrote it with him in mind, which was really amazing because clearly, as an actor, he’s as talented as it comes. I think he’s the funniest person I’ve ever met in my life. So that wasn’t hard to write for him, but it was also weird. I would laugh extra hard while writing, thinking of like my friend Steve saying these things. And then it would immediately bring me back to the set of The Office, and I would remember deliveries of not only his lines in the show, but lines off camera, like bits that he would do. And I was like, oh my God, he’s going to be great in this moment, blah, blah, blah. Had no idea that he was going to do it. And so, you know, when you ask me what it was like to work with him, I think in my head I thought, it’s going to be just like The Office. It’s going to be a laugh a minute. And the dude walks in. We have this video that we put out last week of him actually walking in, which was adorable. But then as soon as we started working, instead of- I had this huge grin on my face and tears were coming out of my eyes because he went into this whole speech about how proud he is of me and how he’s watched everything I’ve directed, and that he couldn’t be more proud. And he feels like a brother. And I was like (MAKES CRYING SOUND). So the first day that I thought I’d be laughing my head off, I was just reaching for tissues all day. He was so unbelievably sweet and kind. And then he was nice about the script and everything and kind of as I was saying, the movie’s not just a zany kind of movie about imaginary friends. It’s about coping and getting through, you know, difficult times. And who do you turn to for that and stuff? And he was just so into the idea of it, and he was just so excited to be a part of it. So it was- my short answer long is it was one of the greatest things ever. And it was so much fun to see him again. I realized I hadn’t seen him in years physically. I mean, we had done that thing during Covid too on Some Good News, but that’s the last time I’d really seen him. And then he was so hilarious. But I will say, fun story. The last day we recorded him, I secretly told the lead girl who is one of the most talented people you will ever meet in your life. Her name’s Cailey Fleming. Cailey waits till the last week of shooting this movie, which was something like 55 days or something, and she kept saying to me every night, I’m going to go home and have pizza. And I was like, wow, you just go home every night and have pizza. I wish I could do that. And her mom finally goes, why don’t you tell her what else do you do every night? And I said, what else do you do? And she goes, I eat pizza and I watch The Office. What’s that? She had not told me that she even knew what The Office was the entire time we knew each other. 

Jenna [00:12:21] Wow. 

John [00:12:21] And so then she finally says, I watch it every night. It’s one of my favorite shows. She was so classy and cool about the whole thing. And I said, well, that’s amazing, do you want a selfie? And she went, no, I’m good. And it was. 

Jenna [00:12:32] Oh my gosh. That’s- She’s so cool. 

John [00:12:35] She was so cool. But then of course, we took a selfie because I needed one. But then what I did was I overlapped Steve on her day to come in and do ADR, and so she walked into the studio and saw Steve Carell and turned into dust. She just went poof and turned into dust right in front of him. It was so adorable. And of course, he was so sweet. And, I don’t know, I like I like watching people have their days made. It makes me smile. 

Jenna [00:12:58] We know that about you. That’s true. And you make a lot of people’s day too. You do. 

Angela [00:13:03] You do. 

John [00:13:04] Oh, man. You guys, I got to come on this more often. You guys really make me feel good. This is great.

Jenna [00:13:09] Aww. 

Angela [00:13:09] It’s easy because you’re such a loving, kind person. And this movie is such a reflection of that. It really is. I mean, I’m, like, getting choked up again, and that’s ridiculous. I don’t know, Jenna, is this, like, hormonal? I don’t know what’s happening. 

Jenna [00:13:22] No. I was getting choked up, too, so I don’t know what’s happening. 

John [00:13:25] To be honest though, Angela, to be honest, we used to get choked up all- cuz I’m a crier. I will cry at the drop of anything. 

Angela [00:13:33] Yeah. 

John [00:13:33] And Angela would tell me anything about, like, when you first had a baby, we were talking about it, and I would weep. I would weep. 

Jenna [00:13:40] This is true. 

John [00:13:41] Oh my God. It was just so great because we used to say you were my kid sister. 

Angela [00:13:45] Yes. 

John [00:13:45] Remember that? 

Angela [00:13:46] Yes. Are you kidding? People- we’ve shared that on the podcast. Now people they really love that. And John, for our book, I found a picture of me with my Kid Sister doll. 

John [00:13:58] Nope. 

Angela [00:13:58] Yep. And we’re almost the same height, you know, and it’s in front of the Christmas tree. And we put it in the book. 

John [00:14:07] Oh my god. That’s fantastic. 

Angela [00:14:08] Yeah, because we shared that story. I know, I love it so much. Okay. One other reunion we really wanted to talk about was this, I mean, epic. It like it shorted out the internet. This epic reunion with Randall Park that you guys did. 

John [00:14:21] Oh my god, how great was that. 

Angela [00:14:22] That was brilliant. 

Jenna [00:14:24] John, I was. I couldn’t even believe it. First of all, it blew up my phone. I know what happened to your phone when that dropped, but every person I’ve ever met ever was texting it to me. 

Angela [00:14:33] Texting it. 

Jenna [00:14:34] Yeah, because it was just amazing. 

John [00:14:37] When it came out, I just blacked out, so I lost all circuitry. No. That was a genius idea by Ryan Reynolds and his crew over at Maximum Effort. They do all this incredible marketing, as I’m sure everybody knows. And so when it came time for the Super Bowl, we were talking about ideas and they came up with this idea and said, would you ever be cool with us revisiting the whole bit with Randall Park? And I thought, that is so funny. And then the fact that it was about “IF” and that it was in there, and they basically did the exact same bit as The Office, but as if he was the director. And that just he’s so great. He’s so great. 

Jenna [00:15:11] He’s so great, John. And it was like seamless because, you know, you had had your first kind of like big promo come out for the movie. And I watched it several times because it was so entertaining. And you and Ryan Reynolds are so funny in this promo. 

Angela [00:15:24] Yeah, you have great chemistry. 

Jenna [00:15:26] And so then when the Randall Park version came out and he was literally like redoing all of your bits and mannerisms and deliveries, it was incredible. And gestures. 

John [00:15:39] Yeah. The one that I love the most is when he turned and pretended to laugh just like me, and I was like, that’s that’s freakish. That’s like freakish, it’s so good.

Angela [00:15:48] We had also just watched Andy’s Ancestry because we’re in season nine now. And so it was like, wait, what? What is happening? Oh…

Jenna [00:15:57] That’s true. 

John [00:15:58] It was just a collision of everything all at once. You guys. You’re in the final season. 

Angela [00:16:13] I know. I know.

Jenna [00:16:14] We’re in season nine. We are in the homestretch. There is so much happening right now. It’s the big Jim Pam arc, like testing their marriage and Jim’s in Philly and Brian the boom guy is gazing at Pam. 

Angela [00:16:28] And Brian the boom guy. I forgot. He longingly looks at Pam. He’s like booming and he’s looking at her and he’s- 

John [00:16:35] Yeah. There’s a lot of gazing. 

Angela [00:16:36] Lot of gazing.

John [00:16:37] Didn’t love it, by the way. Didn’t love it. Didn’t love it.

Jenna [00:16:40] I mean, fans lost their mind.

Jenna [00:16:42] The performance was great. But yeah. Yeah, they did not love that. No. It’s so funny when you guys- because I was texting with you, Jenna, about the last season. That was such a wild experience for so many reasons. Again, you guys, I’m sure, talked about all your stuff. So I want to hear how you guys feel about it, but I remember… Well, first of all, I think people know that we weren’t even necessarily coming back for nine- like we had to all be asked if we wanted to do another season and this whole thing. 

Jenna [00:17:07] Yeah. 

John [00:17:07] And I remember that was super crazy. And we all said we wanted to do it. And I think the idea to end the show was such a great idea, only because you want to go out with this bang where you can control the end of the narrative. And I think it’s what allowed us to do the Jim Pam thing, because, Jenna, you and I were talking, I think Greg and I were discussing what should happen. And I said, I just love this idea. Again, it was all Greg all the time. But when we were talking, I said to him, I love this idea about doing something real with a couple, you know what I mean? Like one person in the couple has this huge ambition and the other person wants to support that ambition, and yet it sort of steps on their whole existence in a way. And how do you navigate that? You know, I mean, how do you how do you support your partner in the biggest way but also maintain individuality for yourself? And I thought that was such a great thing for us to do, so that it wasn’t just starry eyed us always looking at each other. And I just, I loved it. I mean, it got uncomfortable, I’m sure, for the audience at times, but it was very real. And I know I’ve had people come up to me and say, like, my partner goes to Cleveland two weeks out of the month or whatever, you know, I mean that people live apart for so long. It’s it’s it’s a real thing. So I loved that side of it for sure. I didn’t love not doing scenes with you, Jenna, but I do remember we did a couple phone calls and stuff that were intense. 

Jenna [00:18:22] Yes, yes. And there are a few episodes where you’re back in the office, and I feel like I can see it’s not just Pam that’s excited to have Jim back. I’m like, oh my gosh, my scene partner, face to face. 

John [00:18:35] Yes. 

Jenna [00:18:36] We did get a few scenes together, which was always nice. 

John [00:18:39] It was always nice. And so I sort of had that feeling in the last season that I was coming back home, that I was like, coming back to my- to this person, you know, I mean, my person that I was gone through this whole thing with. You’re totally right. It wasn’t just like doing the character. It was like actually doing scenes with you. And Angela, you were pretty good too. It was fun to see you as well. 

Angela [00:19:15] Well, you know what? In rewatching season nine, which we haven’t seen these episodes since they’ve aired, you know? And… 

John [00:19:22] Right. 

Angela [00:19:22] I thought it was so sweet. I had forgotten how much Dwight is missing Jim. And that. 

John [00:19:28] Oh my god, yeah. 

Angela [00:19:29] That was so sweet to watch play out. I mean, obviously he always acts out, like horribly, but he’s missing Jim. 

John [00:19:37] Those were always my favorite. Like the things because I know Rainn, I think on some of the bloopers, he did do this thing with his face that, I don’t know, I could feel it. I didn’t even have to see it. I would feel it and start laughing. And we had such a fun chemistry. But I loved the scenes where we connected and that we were there for each other instead of, you know, going after each other all the time. That stuff was- that was great. Oh man. Guys, this is bringing up too many memories. Holy smokes.

Angela [00:19:59] I know, I know. 

Jenna [00:20:01] It is. Well, there’s one thing I want to bring up with you, John, which is- we haven’t gotten there yet in our rewatch, but I remember we had this big discussion with Greg where we were like, okay, we kind of know what’s going to kind of drive a wedge between Jim and Pam- this long distance job and this sort of disagreement about whether or not this is a good idea in general. But what’s going to bring them back together? And I remember saying, Greg, we have to reveal what is in the teapot note before we end this show. 

John [00:20:34] That was so smart. Yeah. 

Jenna [00:20:34] Like people need to know this, but like, how do you do that? Like how? Why? We couldn’t figure it out. I was like, please, please, please. And I remember clear as day, John, we were in the break room for some reason, and it was a Monday, and you came in and you were doing your little shoulder shake that you do when you get real excited about an idea. 

John [00:20:53] Still hasn’t changed. 

Jenna [00:20:54] And you were like, you guys, you guys, you guys. I was talking to Emily this weekend. Listen, listen. Okay? What is the one thing that this couple has that, like, you wish you could have as a couple? They have their whole love story on tape. Like this documentary crew has been documenting this love story. Like I remember you saying, Jenna, could you imagine if you could go back to that first date with Lee and like, someone had taped it and you could watch yourselves on that first date. Wouldn’t you just, like, lose it? And I was like, oh my God, I would lose it. And you’re like, what if Jim asked the documentary crew to put together the footage and he shows it to Pam? And I was like, oh my God, I would be a puddle. And then we just all got so excited about this idea. 

John [00:21:39] That sounds like a Blunt idea. It sounds like Blunt genius right there. And I just stole it. I just stole it.

Jenna [00:21:44] Well that was the thing. You were like, Emily was like, what’s the thing that this couple has that no other couple has? 

Angela [00:21:49] So smart. 

John [00:21:50] Oh, my God, it’s so smart. It was so smart. By the way, I remember I remember when they were putting that together. I was so excited to see it too, because we didn’t know what they were going to put together in that whole situation. Oh God, it was so much. It was so much. What episode is that? 

Jenna [00:22:06] I don’t know. We’re not there yet. It’s very close to the end, though. I mean, it might be like even the one of the two before the finale. 

Angela [00:22:14] Guys, do you remember- again, maybe I’m remembering wrong because I’m 98 years old, but, do you remember that like we- Greg hadn’t talked to Steve, like, officially about the end? Do you remember this? 

Jenna [00:22:27] Yeah.

John [00:22:28] He had thrown it out to Steve in the beginning. Am I remembering this right? And then, like, as we got closer to the end, it was like, so is Steve going to? And I remember he was shooting something. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to do it. It was just like scheduling and all that. And then but Greg, because he’s so nice, wasn’t pressuring anyone. And then the whole Steve reveal was kind of a big reveal for us too. Like his appearance was huge. 

Jenna [00:22:51] Yeah. He told us like very close to when it was going to happen. He- I think he got you, me and Rainn aside, John. And he told us a couple days before, but then he swore us to secrecy. 

John [00:23:02] That’s right. 

Angela [00:23:02] And Jenna told me that Rainn pulled her aside and said, Jenna, you cannot tell Angela. Like don’t do it.

Jenna [00:23:08] I was so scared. 

Angela [00:23:11] I didn’t know. The first time I saw Steve, I was walking to hair and makeup and I forget who I was walking with, but they were like, do you know Steve is here? And I was like, shut up, whatever. What are you talking about? 

John [00:23:21] You didn’t know until the day? 

Angela [00:23:23] I opened the door and he was in the chair and he turned around, he goes, Ange! And and I was like, ahhh. I was like, what’s happening?!  

John [00:23:32] That Rainn scene where I say, I can’t do it. Oh my God, that was so well done. So smart. 

Angela [00:23:37] So great. 

John [00:23:38] So smart. And when I say well done, I mean I had nothing to do with it. Like how great that we were on a show that the writing was so good that it was like it was like Christmas morning every day you read a script, you were like, (GASP) oh my god! 

Angela [00:23:50] We just got to show up and play. It was the best. 

John [00:23:53] Yeah. Amazing.

Jenna [00:23:54] Well, that leads me to this question, John. If you could go back and relive a moment from your time on The Office, what would it be? 

Angela [00:24:01] Oof. 

John [00:24:02] Oh, man. I it wouldn’t be one moment. It would be a routine. It would be. I loved so much coming in every morning and seeing the entirety of the crew and cast. That we would come on, and we hadn’t really started the day, and we were catching up over the week about what happened over the weekend. And every single crew member was our family. Every single cast member was our family. And I genuinely mean it when I say I miss it as much as I miss, you know, real family stuff and real, real friend stuff. I mean, it’s it’s it’s it I don’t know, I don’t know, maybe a lot of people have this. I don’t know if people get to have and create de facto families separate from their own, separate from their own realities. You know what I mean? That that at work or whatever. But it wasn’t just work. It was like we became this big, real family. 

Jenna [00:24:54] Yeah. 

John [00:24:54] And, I it was it was really those in-between moments, those, those catching up moments were just the best. And, you know, from talking to you guys and hearing about, you know, new relationships or, oh my God, I think I’m pregnant. All that stuff, but also like crew members and laughing and Steve coming for a couple days. You know, he might have been shooting something else those one couple of times. Then he tell me a bit that he was doing and or when he pretended to fake vomit. And that was my favorite bit I’ve ever seen in my life. Ever. Like just little stuff like that. It was always the in-between moments for me that I, I think I remember the most. And certainly- only because you’re on the last season so I can say- the the evil genius of Greg Daniels saying, we’re going to shoot a scene where we’re all going to Poor Richard’s at the end. And we went out and we all, hook, line and sinkered that one. And we all went out and we were like, oh yeah, of course we’re going to Poor Richard’s. No problem. And the whole cast kept going in and out of the door like four times. And so we were out in the lobby waiting for him to call reset, and we were laughing and joking. And when we came back in, I don’t know how he did it, but he assembled the entirety of the crew and we came- I’m like, choking up, just talking about it. But then when you come back in and you see, like your TV dad and all of your family waiting there and clapping, and he said, That’s the end of The Office. And I, I think I, I like, I think I like the color black came out of my mouth. Like I it was just the scariest, most beautiful, horrific moment of my life. And then 30 minutes later, I took the Dunder-Mifflin sign, which I think I’ve always lied to Greg that I didn’t take it, but I did. I stole it.

Angela [00:26:29] It’s one of my favorite memories of our last day was watching you try to put it in the back of your car. I was walking through the parking lot and I was like, oh, it’s the Dunder Mifflin sign. 

John [00:26:42] Yeah. And I was like, don’t look over here!

Angela [00:26:44] Nothing’s happening here!

John [00:26:45] It wasn’t quite dark enough, so it just looked like I was putting a body in a car. And then I remember Greg came up to me at the end party and was like, hey, we’ve been looking for the sign. Do you know where it is? And I it was literally like confessing to my dad. And I went, No. Nope, no. And he goes, oh, that was the one thing I wanted. And I was like, oh boy. Oh god. 

Angela [00:27:07] I never told anyone I saw you putting it in the car. 

John [00:27:13] Well, now you did. Now you told everyone. 

Angela [00:27:14] Now I did.

John [00:27:15] And I was dressed like a cat burglar. 

Jenna [00:27:19] John, it’s really funny to me because the moment that you would most wish to relive, just the moment of talking to the cast and crew about their weekend… 

Angela [00:27:26] I know what you’re gonna say, Jenna. I know what you’re gonna say. 

Jenna [00:27:29] Is Rainn’s nightmare. 

John [00:27:31] What? 

Jenna [00:27:32] Do you remember when we were all sitting on set once and it was like a Tuesday and all of a sudden Rainn, out of nowhere, he bursts out and he goes, Attention, attention! I need everyone’s attention. Listen to me. From now on, we only ask, how was your weekend on Mondays.

Angela [00:27:50] You get one day! You get one day! 

Jenna [00:27:52] To ask me how are you and how was your weekend? And then it’s enough! I can’t take it anymore! I can’t take the questions anymore!

Angela [00:27:57] He like fractured. 

Jenna [00:28:00] We were all like- 

John [00:28:01] That’s like a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode. What is happening?

Angela [00:28:03] It was. 

Jenna [00:28:04] It was. We were like, right…

Angela [00:28:04] And I remember Dale. Dale was right by him and he was like, geez. 

Jenna [00:28:08] It was so prickly. 

Angela [00:28:10] And Rainn fully talks about this. We’ve had full conversations with him and he’s like, remember that day I told everyone, don’t ask me about the weekend on Tuesdays? 

Jenna [00:28:17] He just like short cirtuited. 

John [00:28:17] Oh my god. 

Jenna [00:28:19] Rainn would not want to revisit that. He would not. 

John [00:28:22] By the way, you know another thing that you guys were both involved in was I think yeah, I think I said to Greg, do you mind if I make some sort of documentary about the end? And my buddy Danny shot it, and I remember he showed me the rough cut of all of us saying goodbye to The Office, and you guys all had the same reaction, which is he was like, so what do you think about the end of The Office? And you guys, both of you went, The end of the Of- Wow. It was just we- we all couldn’t even get past the first question. It was too much. 

Jenna [00:28:51] It was a beautiful, beautiful time. It really was. 

John [00:28:54] It really was. And you guys will have to live through that again, right? 

Jenna [00:28:58] Pretty soon. 

Angela [00:28:59] Pretty soon. 

John [00:28:59] In about 14 weeks or whatever. 

Jenna [00:29:00] Yeah. 

John [00:29:01] And you guys, are you going to run it back? Are you just going to, like, people watch the show over and over- why wouldn’t you just do this again and find new things in episodes? 

Angela [00:29:09] People are writing in and saying this to us, John. They’re just like, do it again. 

John [00:29:12] I would. 

Jenna [00:29:14] I mean. 

John [00:29:14] Do it again but talk about it in a different way. I mean, clearly Krasinski will tell the same stories, so who cares? This has been so much fun. Is it over already?

Angela [00:29:22] So much fun. No, I’m going to bring us home with our call sheet questions that were on the back of the call sheet. 

John [00:29:28] God, I missed your accent. I’m a bring it home…

Angela [00:29:29] Oh, both of my sisters from Texas are here visiting. And so I’m I mean… 

John [00:29:37] I can tell. 

Angela [00:29:38] Yes, I know. They’ve been here a few days. Here we go. The call sheet questions. Number one: what was your first entertainment job? 

John [00:29:49] What does that entail? I think I was an extra. Well, actually, I remember because my first job was an extra in a insurance commercial that then they bumped me up to featured extra because I came, I became the cashier. And the only reason why I remember that so vividly is because the woman who was checking out, who was the lead of the commercial, was Margo Martindale, who I later was in a movie- 

Jenna [00:30:14] What?! 

John [00:30:14] Called The Hollars and she played my mom. 

Angela [00:30:16] Oh my gosh! 

John [00:30:18] Yeah. And then they gave me my SAG card that day, and I remember her saying something to the effect of like, yeah, you better. That’s right. You will give it to him because he’s doing great. I think you’re doing great. And I was like, oh my God. 

Jenna [00:30:31] Did you guys talk about that story when you did the movie together? 

John [00:30:36] Oh, yeah. I think she probably had something to do with getting me my SAG card. So, yeah, she’s she is the most wonderful, wonderful- have you guys worked with her? 

Jenna [00:30:46] I have not. 

Angela [00:30:47] No. Big fan. Big fan. Would probably not be cool around her. 

John [00:30:50] Get there quick. 

Angela [00:30:51] Would try. Okay. Number two, do you play a musical instrument? 

John [00:30:57] I did play musical instrument. I played trumpet for nine years and probably could not do that at all right now. My lips would fall off. But I have been desperately trying to learn piano and guitar, and it’s going on 15 years now. So I can play Let It Be. 

Angela [00:31:14] I remember you had a beautiful little upright piano, remember? 

John [00:31:17] That’s right. 

Angela [00:31:18] And I felt like you played really well. 

John [00:31:19] So maybe it’s more than 15, Ange. 

Angela [00:31:20] Oh, sorry. 

Jenna [00:31:23] Can you play any song? 

John [00:31:25] Yes, I can play, I can play some Beatles stuff. I can play that amazing Stay. Rihanna. Rihanna sings stay. Yeah, they make me happy. 

Angela [00:31:36] I love it. Okay. Number three, what’s a place you’ve been to that you absolutely loved? 

John [00:31:42] Oh, man. So many. I’ve been so lucky in the last couple of years on Jack Ryan to travel all these different wild places. But I gotta say, something about Paris has stolen a piece of my heart forever. There’s something about it where when I close my eyes, I feel like it’s still in the 1920s. And I’m just hearing jazz for the first time. And like, all these epic writers are walking the streets, and… I did a very nerdy thing in Paris, which I highly recommend. I read A Moveable Feast at the same cafes that Hemingway wrote them at, and it was full nerdville. I had the best time ever. 

Angela [00:32:16] John. I read A Moveable Feast because you told me how much you loved it. And I’ve never told you that. 

John [00:32:22] No way! Oh my god, Ange. 

Angela [00:32:23] Years ago, years ago, you were like, oh, A Moveable Feast is so good. So I went and got it, and I’d never read it. I still have the paperback on my nightstand, like in my stack of favorite books. And it’s so amazing. But I’ve never told you that. 

John [00:32:38] Ohh. Isn’t it amazing? 

Angela [00:32:38] Yes, it’s so good. 

John [00:32:39] Oh my God. 

Angela [00:32:41] Okay. Next question is what do you like to do on the weekends? 

John [00:32:46] Anything with my kids. Honestly, it’s just it’s so much fun. And I’ve been shooting in London recently and flying back on the weekends to see them. And so as soon as I get back, it’s just, like I said, it’s it sounds like I’m still promoting the movie, but it’s true. Like anything to get around their imagination or be dressed up in something or have my makeup done and hair done, that’s the perfect day for me. 

Angela [00:33:09] Aw, okay. Don’t cry. Number five. What is your favorite midnight snack? 

John [00:33:17] Ooh. That’s tough. Mine’s a sliding scale because it’s leftovers. I’m a huge… There’s something about the refrigerator that makes whatever meal was made- definitely not by me- better. And I will say I have, I have Emily’s blessing on that. Especially any, like, bolognese or stew or something like that just gets better and better just sitting in the refrigerator. So I’m. I’m a leftovers guy. And usually a 2 or 3 portioner guy like, oh, I just have one more. 

Jenna [00:33:49] You say that you don’t cook, but do you have a go to meal? Like do you have- if you had to cook for an occasion, do you have a thing? Like I feel like everybody has one, one meal, right? 

John [00:34:00] Have I not told you this story? It was Mother’s Day and it was my gift to my wife, which makes me sound like, guess what I did? It’s just it’s stupid. But we actually had a bet. This is a true story. We had a bet that Leonardo DiCaprio, I said he was younger than me. Because I said that cherubic face could not be as old as I am, which is dirt. And she said, he’s definitely a couple of years older than you. I said that’s not true. And I said, and I’ll bet. She goes, how about this? If you win, I forget what hers was. I think it- back in the day, it was like, you can play Call of Duty for one full day. How nerdy that I was like, yeah, yeah! And then she said, and if you lose, you have to cook me my first meal. And I said, fine. And so I lost, which is I still can’t believe it. Leo, you’re 18 in my book. So the first meal I cooked became one of my old standbys, which is coq au vin. Coq au vin.  

Jenna [00:34:51] What?! 

John [00:34:51] Yeah. 

Jenna [00:34:51] Just just coq au vin is your meail? 

Angela [00:34:55] I mean, I thought you’re going to say I made meatloaf. 

John [00:34:57] Nope. 

Angela [00:34:58] Wow. 

John [00:34:59] No, this is this is my plug for Ina. I just went straight to you because I remember I know Em’s a huge fan of Ina’s, so I went straight to her book and opened some pages of- and I was like, what do I what do I get after here? And I wanted to impress her because it was the first time I was going to cook her anything that wasn’t like grilled cheese or scrambled eggs. 

Jenna [00:35:17] Sure. 

John [00:35:17] So I went full coq au vin and I said, you have to be really honest. And she said, it’s it’s fantastic. Keep making it. So now it’s one of my standbys. 

Jenna [00:35:26] That’s amazing. 

Angela [00:35:26] That’s impressive. 

John [00:35:27] I’m happy to cook it for you guys. 

Jenna [00:35:29] We’ll eat it. 

John [00:35:30] Ina’s the go to. Ina is the go to. 

Jenna [00:35:33] Every Christmas morning we have to have Ina Garten’s it’s like a raspberry crumble thing. 

John [00:35:41] For the listeners who can’t see, Jenna’s fingers are moving, which means we’re almost there. We’re- it’s right…

Jenna [00:35:46] We’re crumbling it. We’re crumbling the pastry in our fingers is what’s happening. 

Angela [00:35:50] You can see it. Well, guys, I married a baker, so, you know. 

John [00:35:56] Oh, boy. 

Angela [00:35:58] None of my pants fit me anymore. 

John [00:36:00] Oh my God. 

Angela [00:36:00] But I do eat some delicious food. It is a wonderful thing. 

John [00:36:04] I will say I love your Instagram when you show the baked goods and the things that you guys have eaten together. 

Angela [00:36:09] It’s a problem for me. 

John [00:36:11] No, it’s. I mean, that’s fantastic. 

Angela [00:36:13] It’s great. It’s great.

Jenna [00:36:14] And she drives the leftovers over to my house. 

Angela [00:36:16] I do. 

Jenna [00:36:17] To get them out of her house. 

Angela [00:36:18] I’ve got to get them out. 

John [00:36:19] I love how she says you drive it over as if it’s like a trailer that takes that many baked goods.  

Jenna [00:36:24] But it is a little bit. She’s like, here’s seven dozen lemon drop cookies. I want them out of my house.

Angela [00:36:28] I have to tell you. If you live within driving distance of me, chances are I’ve left you baked goods on your porch. Like so many people are like, Ange, what is this? And I’m like, just take it. 

John [00:36:38] You just throw cookies at people as they’re walking their dogs. 

Jenna [00:36:41] She does. 

John [00:36:41] Take it! 

Angela [00:36:41] Eat it! 

Jenna [00:36:44] Oh, John, it’s been so fun to reconnect with you. We’re so excited for your movie. Everybody, it comes out this Friday, May 17th. Go. Bring tissues. Weep with us. 

John [00:36:54] Guys, thank you so much. 

Angela [00:36:54] Yes, we’re going to share all about it in our Insta stories. We’ll put swipe ups so you can go find it. John, we’re so happy for you. 

John [00:37:02] I don’t even know how to swipe up. So you guys are way ahead of me. Way ahead of me. You guys. Honestly, I think I said this to you again in the Covid thing. It brings me so much joy that you guys are doing this show and that you guys are doing it together, and that you guys are seeming to have so much fun doing it. I mean, this is not a job for you. It is very obvious. And boy, are you bringing joy to a lot of people and I just, I love it. Thank you for having me do this today. This is great. 

Jenna [00:37:28] Aw, John. Well, you know, working with my best friend brings me so much joy. And then we get to reconnect and see you and air hug. 

Angela [00:37:35] Yes. Air hugs, John! Oh, how fun was that? I just love him and I’m so proud of him. And I can’t wait to see this movie. 

Jenna [00:37:48] Same lady. John, we love you. We are here for you. Thanks for being on the podcast again. And go check out IF. It’s in theaters this Friday, May 17th. See you next week. 

Angela [00:38:00] See you next week. 

Jenna [00:38:05] Thank you for listening to Office Ladies. 

Angela [00:38:07] Office ladies is produced by Earwolf, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. 

Jenna [00:38:11] Our senior producer is Cassi Jerkins. Our audio engineer is Jordan Duffy, and our associate producer is Aynsley Bubbico. 

Angela [00:38:18] Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton.