The Office is one of the most celebrated television sitcoms of all time, with the series finding new life on streaming services that have introduced the cast of beloved characters to an entirely new generation of fans who are just enthusiastic about the show as those who came before.
While fans continue to hope for a reunion of The Office‘s cast, the actors that got their start on this hit series continue to build up their resumes in the nine years since the show wrapped up its ninth and final season. Each of these cast members has appeared in at least one major project since The Office‘s series finale.
Mindy Kaling – The Mindy Project
One of The Office‘s many writers that doubled as cast members, Mindy Kaling portrayed Kelly Kapoor, the customer service representative at Dunder Mifflin Scranton, for eight seasons. Known for her bubbly and often vindictive personality, Kelly has become a fan-favorite character on the series, with some of the most quotable lines out of any other character.
Kaling’s biggest project since The Office was also her reason for departing the series ahead of its final season. In 2012, Mindy Kaling wrote, produced, and starred in her very own pilot, The Mindy Project, featuring a fictionalized version of herself living in New York City. The series ran for six seasons and received critical acclaim, coming to an end in 2017.
Craig Robinson – Killing It
Craig Robinson appeared throughout all nine seasons of The Office as warehouse foreman Daryl Philbin, who eventually moves upstairs to be with the rest of the main cast. Particular regarding his lifestyle, and cool enough to leave Michael Scott in awe, Daryl became one of the bright spots of the series in its final few seasons.
Robinson has had a number of featured roles throughout his post-Office career, including a memorable stint on Brooklyn 99, but ultimately finds his footing in his 2022 comedy series Killing It, wherein he plays a snake hunter in Miami. The bizarre and hilarious series finally gives Robinson a chance to shine as the lead, hopefully for many years to come.
Angela Kinsey – Tall Girl
Angela Kinsey portrayed the cold head accountant at Scranton, Angela Martin. Throughout the series, Angela balanced an on-again-off-again relationship with Dwight Schrute, eventually marrying the company’s top salesman in the series finale.
Since the series ended, Angela Kinsey has appeared in a number of series and cameoed in several films, all while producing a rewatch podcast of The Office with costar Jenna Fischer entitled Office Ladies. As far as her acting career is concerned, her biggest hit since the end of her flagship series has been Netflix’s Tall Girl films, wherein she portrays the mother of Jodi Kreyman, the eponymous “Tall Girl.”
Ellie Kemper – The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Ellie Kemper was a late addition to The Office‘s cast, joining as Erin Hannon, Pam’s replacement as the receptionist, during season 5’s famous “Michael Scott Paper Company” arc. She would remain on the series all the way through the final episode, becoming a beloved character during her time on the show.
Kemper has found the most success in playing the titular character in Netflix’s original comedy The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Kimmy Schmidt proves to be not too different from Kemper’s Office character, with a bubbly personality and an interminable sense of optimism no matter what her circumstances are. The series ran for four seasons before taking a bow with an interactive finale special in 2020.
Ed Helms – Rutherford Falls
Ed Helms joined The Office in its third season as Andy Bernard, a salesman at the Stamford branch of Dunder Mifflin. After the merging of Stamford and Scranton, Andy became a main cast member on the series. Though initially portrayed as a villain, he transformed into someone fans loved quite deeply, eventually taking over Michael Scott’s role as manager in season 8.
Helms has recently revived his sitcom career with another NBC original Rutherford Falls. The series is filled with hilarious running gags and several truly memorable characters, including Ed Helms’s Nathan, a descendant of the town of Rutherford Falls’ founder. The series just aired a second season on Peacock, which is currently available to stream in its entirety.
B.J. Novak – Vengeance
B.J. Novak was one of the main writers on The Office, who also played series regular Ryan Howard for the first eight seasons of the show. Throughout the course of the series, Ryan goes from temp to CEO and back to temp again on a journey paralleled only to his wildly turbulent romance with Kelly Kapoor.
After leaving The Office to co-produce Mindy Kaling’s new comedy The Mindy Project, B.J. Novak has worked on several series and films, but none quite measure up to the size and scope of his latest venture, Vengeance. Novak wrote, directed, and starred in this black comedy/thriller, which is set to premiere in a limited theatrical release next month.
Rainn Wilson – The Meg
Rainn Wilson is almost synonymous with his beloved character Dwight Schrute, the only character from the series to appear and have dialogue in all 201 episodes of The Office. After the character spent nine seasons desperately grabbing for power, he ends the series by becoming the manager at Dunder Mifflin Scranton.
Rainn Wilson has continued to appear throughout different forms of media, including his very own podcast series Metaphysical Milkshake. However, he found the most success in his supporting role as Jack Morris, an ill-fated character in the Jason Statham monster film The Meg in 2018.
Jenna Fischer – Splitting Up Together
Jenna Fischer played a major role in The Office as Pam Beasley, the female lead of the show. Her character drove many of the storylines, including the massive Jim-Pam romance with which the show has become synonymous. Pam appeared throughout all nine seasons of the series, ending her tenure with the show in the series finale.
Along with Angela Kinsey, Fischer has hosted the Office Ladies rewatch podcast since 2019 and has appeared in a number of television series since leaving the show. Her most prominent project thus far is the ABC sitcom Splitting Up Together, a series depicting a divorced mother and father who remain living together to support their children, which ran for two seasons before its cancellation in 2019.
John Krasinski – A Quiet Place
John Krasinski played paper salesman Jim Halpert throughout all nine seasons of the series, becoming a fan favorite of audiences thanks to his character’s proclivity for pranking and, of course, the iconic “Jim look.” The character’s most famous storyline included his unending love for receptionist Pam Beasley, as their will-they-won’t-they relationship carries much of the first three seasons of the series.
Krasinski is in many ways the breakout star of The Office, as he has built a long and prosperous career since the series came to an end. The actor’s biggest achievement thus far has been the Quiet Place franchise, horror films in which he writes, directs, and stars. Krasinski also has a bright future ahead of him, as it would seem, given his recent cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness playing the smartest man in the world, Reed Richards.
Steve Carrell – Foxcatcher
Steve Carrell portrayed the main star of The Office, Michael Scott, for seven seasons. As the bumbling boss of Dunder Mifflin Scranton, Michael has some of the most iconic lines and scenes throughout the entire series. Many fans are of the opinion that the show took a severe dip in quality after his departure, though they find some solace in his brief but memorable return in the series finale.
Steve Carrell built an immensely profitable career in comedy during and after The Office, but found most acclaim in one of his dramatic roles, particularly in the 2014 biographical film Foxcatcher. Completely transforming into real-life wrestling coach and convicted murderer John Eleuthère du Pont, Carrell achieved widespread acclaim for his performance, even receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
