The Dunder Mifflin vet described the “Office” shooting environment as one radically open to improv.
Justin Lubin/NBCU Photo Bank
Melora Hardinsays that improv was the key to comedy onThe Office.
“They would call it a candy bag, and we could literally pull out lines.
Melora Hardin and Steve Carell on ‘The Office’.Credit:Justin Lubin/NBCU Photo Bank
It would just be little lines that were options that we could throw in if we wanted to.”
Once we got it as written, we would we would play."
“Most of my scenes were with Steve Carell,” she told Kmetko.
Melora Hardin with Brian Bumgartner and Steve Carell on ‘The Office’.Byron Cohen/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
“And working together, you know, Steve was great.
Hardin explained that she and Carell “both have a lot of improv in our background.
“Ken Kwapisdirected the pilot, and Ken was amazing.
I remember one scene in the pilot, my phone went off when we were rehearsing.
I think I said, ‘Oh, God.
I’ll double-check that my phone doesn’t go off.’
And he goes, ‘No no no, leave it on.
It would be really funny, and if someone calls, answer it.
You know, in character.’
Meaning, the writers would leave in lines of confessional dialogue for any actor to grab and perform.
you’re able to listen to the rest of Hardin’s interview onStill Here Hollywoodbelow.
