Chelsea Frey, known for her role in the “The Office” spinoff “Paper,” shared how she benefitted from advice from Steve Carell and John Krasinski, even if some of it led her into tricky situations.
“I’m a huge fan of the original ‘Office.’ I’ve watched every episode so many times. The cast was incredibly supportive. I mean, John and Steve came to our set out of the blue, which was just amazing,” Frey, 32, noted, recalling their surprise visit on her third day of filming.
During their visit, Krasinski posed a question that left her a bit flustered. “He asked what I had in my desk,” she explained.
“He suggested I hide something fun in it, saying, ‘You need to have some interesting stuff out there.'” Following his suggestion led to a humorous yet chaotic moment, where she ended up not just with snacks, but also, well—an issue with raccoons on set. “They said, ‘There’s no more food on your desk,’ and I was like, ‘That’s not me!'” she recalled, laughing. But secretly, she knew it was indeed her fault.
Frey spoke with enthusiasm while promoting “The Office” and “The Paper” Exhibition at the Paley Museum in Manhattan, which is running until November 16. The exhibit features unique props and costumes from the iconic show that aired from 2005 to 2013.
“The Paper,” which focuses on employees at an Ohio newspaper, is also streaming on Peacock, with costumes from the characters on display too.
Visitors can see items like Michael Scott’s office attire, Meredith Palmer’s “Casual Friday” dress, and Dwight’s wedding suit, among many others.
Reflecting on her initial nerves, Frey remembered telling Carell how anxious she was. He shared that similar feelings surfaced when they were working on the Office, particularly compared to the British version. “At some point, you just have to let go and do your thing. I really think that was the best advice I could have gotten,” she said.
It’s something special about ‘The Office,’ she concluded, “all we can really do is make our own mark within that universe.”
