The surprising way Phyllis was cast in The Office

Ever wonder how some of our favorite, now-famous actors and actresses from The Office landed the TV role of a lifetime with NBC? Same here, friends.

These days, it’s tough to imagine what Dunder Mifflin might be like without longtime salesperson Phyllis Vance. But once upon a time, Phyllis Smith was just another acting hopeful, who seemingly had no idea that The Office would actually be her big break.

It goes without saying that Smith, like other cast members on the show, couldn’t have predicted how her upcoming role on the now-iconic series would alter the course of her acting career. Especially since by the time of her screen test, the character of Phyllis didn’t even exist yet.

How was Phyllis Smith cast in The Office?

In her NBC bio, it states that the talented actress was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and was once a St. Louis Cardinals cheerleader. As a woman who has worn many hats, she actually got her acting start behind the scenes, working for casting agencies.

When The Office (and fate) came knocking, Smith was working for casting director Allison Jones at the time.

It was during the pilot screen testing for The Office where the role of Phyllis came to be. On the NBC website, it notes that the show’s executive producers were “so impressed” with Phyllis Smith’s line reading that they decided, seemingly on the spot, to create the role of Phyllis just for the the pilot.

As fans of the iconic show know, the rest is Dunder Mifflin history. The Office simply just wouldn’t be the same without that certain something Phyllis brings to the table. That’s likely why Smith’s pilot appearance turned into many appearances in the end.

Nowadays, the series regular is a Dunder Mifflin legend in her own right. And it’s well deserved.

Make sure to binge The Office one more time on Netflix, as it’s sadly leaving the streaming service on December 31, 2020.