An Interview with John Krasinski

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And I'm Angela Kinsey.

We were on the office together.

And we're best friends.

And now we're doing the ultimate office rewatch podcast just for you.

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.

We're the office ladies.

Hi there.

Oh boy, we have a very special guest on office ladies today.

Oh, boy is right, it is John Krasinski.

Woo woo, Oh yeah.

We are so excited to have John back on the podcast again.

So I was thinking, Jenna, the last time he was on was Casino Night, right?

Yeah.

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.

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.

Yeah.

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.

Yes, and guess what? Once again, we laughed and we cried.

We are such softies, the three of us, my goodness.

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.

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.

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 IFs, for short. And I guess they've been abandoned by the kids they helped.

And there's an amazing cast. I mean, okay, so Bea the Little Girl is played by Kaylee Fleming Cal, the neighbor is Ryan Reynolds. But then all the imaginary friends are voiced by different actors, including Steve Carell. John and Steve got to reunite for this movie.

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.

And listen, you might wanna grab some tissues. I'm just warning you, I mean, lady. If we ever do Office Ladies Tangents the podcast, we gotta get John to be our co-host. We do go on a lot of tangents.

But it was so delightful. And we ask him, the cast and crew, call sheet questions.

All right, we'll be right back.

And it's happening.

And it's happening, it's happening, it's happening.

You guys, what is going on? When was the last time I saw you?

Oh my gosh, well, the last time we spoke on Office ladies was at the very beginning of the pandemic for casino night.

Oh my God, and you guys are almost done.

Yeah, yes.

Oh my, I'm getting emotional just thinking about that. How are you guys preparing?

It's very weird. Yeah, it really is. It's like ending the show all over again. It's all the feels.

Yeah, don't even get me started because I will start weeping immediately.

Well, you're here now and we're gonna talk about your movie that's coming out on Friday.

John I am so excited for this movie.

Oh my god, you guys are the best.

That you wrote, you directed, if.

I did the movie's If yes, I wrote it for my kids, I just figured.

My heart.

Oh boy, there she goes, Angela's out.

The minute you were like, I wrote it for my kids, I'm like, he's such a good dad.

Well, I did it to prove I was a good dad to them. Later. It's really just an archival No. 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 am choked up, I have a lump in my throat, that's so beautiful.

Oh my god, you guys, you guys are gonna be the best audience. I can't wait for you to see this movie.

I can't even talk, I can't even talk. Oh my God, it's so sweet, it's so loving.

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 rumble 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.

This is the absolute sweetest thing that it was a family thing, and I just I know what that'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.

Yeah, well, I'm in that magic window. They're in the perfect age right now where they're gonna care. And I knew that if I did a movie for them in like three or four years, they'd be like, please stop, stop trying to beg for our attention. So I just thought, this is the magic window, and it's great.

John, did you have an imaginary friend growing up?

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.

Ah, Sam's great.

I love Sam Sam braces. Sam is great. 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....

Also did it, I also did that.

Yeah, I did that, too.

Turns out, retainers don't have that weird metal taste that makes you sick, but paper clips do.

And they poke you in the gums. We are so tickled that you're working with Steve Carell again. Steve plays the character. Who's that?

Steve Carell Steve Carell.

Oh, Steve. Oh Steve's Carell. Steve's Carell. yeah, best ice cream store in the world, yeah.

And he plays the character, Blue. Can you tell us what it was like to work with Steve again after all those years?

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.

Oh my gosh, she's so cool.

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 and turned into dust right in front of him, who was so adorable.

We know that about you, that's true, and you make a lot of people's day too, you do.

You do.

Oh man, you guys, I gotta come on this more often. you guys really make me feel good. This is great.

It's easy because you're such a loving, kind person, and this movie is such a reflection of that, it really is. I'm like, getting choked up again, and that's ridiculous.

No, I was getting choked up too, so I don't know what's happening.

To be honest, though, Angela be honest, we used to get choked up all the time. I'm a crier, I'm a crier, I will cry at the drop of anything.

This is true.

Oh my God, it was just so great, cause we used to say you were my kid sister.

Yes.

Remember that?

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.

Nope.

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, Oh my god, yeah, because we shared that story.

Oh my god, how great was that.

That was brilliant.

John I was, I couldn't even believe it. First of all, it blew up my phone. Yes, I don't know what happened to your phone when that dropped, but every person I've ever met, ever was texting it to me, was texting it.

I just blacked out 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.

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.

Yeah, you have great chemistry.

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.

Yeah, 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 freaky, That's like, freaky, it's so good.

We had also just watched Andy's Ancestry because we're in season nine now. Oh my God. And so it was like, Wait, what?

What is happening?

That's true.

It was just a collision of everything all at once.

I know, I know.

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.

And Brian, the boom guy, I forgot.

He longingly looks at Pam.

He's like, booming, and he's looking at her.

Yeah, there's a lot of gazing, gazing, a lot of gazing. Didn't love it, by the way, didn't love it.

I mean, fans lost their mind.

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.

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, we did get a few scenes together, which was always nice.

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 this person, you know what I mean, my person that I was gone through this whole thing with, and you're totally right, it wasn't just like doing the character.

In re-watching season nine, which we haven't seen these episodes since they've aired, you know? And I thought it was so sweet. I had forgotten how much Dwight is missing, Jim.

Oh my God, yeah.

That was so sweet to watch play out. I mean, obviously he always acts out like horribly, but he's missing Jim.

Those were always my favorite the things because I know rain, 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 going after each other all the time.

Holy smoke, I know 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 re-watch. But I remember we had this big discussion with Greg, where we were like, Okay, we kind of know what's gonna 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 gonna bring them back together? And I remember saying, Greg, we have to reveal what is in the teapot note before we end this show, like, people need to know this.

Still hasn't changed.

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.

That sounds like a blunt idea, that sounds like blunt genius right there. And I just stole it. I just stole it. Well, that was the thing.

You were like, Emily was like, What's the thing that this couple has that no other couple has?

So smart. Oh my God, it's so smart, it was so smart, by the way. I remember when they were putting that together, I was so excited to see it too, because we didn't know what they were gonna put together in that whole situation.

We're not there yet. It's very close to the end, though. I mean, it might be like even one of the two before the finale.

Guys, do you remember again? Maybe I'm remembering wrong because I'm 98 years old? But do you remember that? Greg had to talk to Steve, like, officially, about the end? Do you remember this?

Yeah.

Like 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 gonna? And I remember he was shooting something. It wasn't like he didn't wanna do it, it was just like scheduling and all of that.

Yeah, he told us, like, very close to when it was gonna happen. I think he got you, me and rain aside, John, and he told us a couple days before, but then he swore us to secrecy.

And Jenna told me that Rain pulled her aside and said, Jenna, you cannot tell Angela.

I was so scared.

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, You know, Steve is here, and I was like, shut up, whatever, what are you talking about?

You didn't know until the day.

I opened the door and he was in the chair and he turned around and he goes, and, and I was like, Ah.

I was like, What's happening?

That rain scene where I say, I can't do it. Oh my God, that was so well done. Yeah, so smart.

So great.

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, Oh.

We just got to show up and play, it's the best.

Yeah.

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?

Oh man, 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 when we were catching up over the week about what happened over the weekend, and every single crew member was our family.

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.

Yeah, and I was like, don't look over here, nothing's happening here. 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.

I never told anyone I saw you putting it in the car.

Well, now you did, now, you told everyone, and I was dressed like a cat burglar.

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 I know what you're gonna say, Jenna, I know what you're gonna say.

Is Rain's nightmare?

What?

Do you remember when we were all sitting on set once and it was like a Tuesday? And all of a sudden rain 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?

You get one day, you get one day to ask me, How are you?

And how was your weekend? And then it's enough.

I can't take it anymore, he, like, fractured. I can't take the questions anymore.

We were all like, it's like a curb your enthusiasm episode. It was what is happening.

And I remember Dale, Dale was right by him and he was like, Geez. And Rain 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?

He, just like short-circuited Rain, would not want to revisit that he would not.

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 wow.

It was a beautiful, beautiful time, it really was.

Yeah, it really was, and you guys will have to live through that again, right?

Pretty soon.

In about 14 weeks or whatever.

Yeah.

And you guys, are you gonna run it back? Are you just gonna like people watch the show over and over? Why wouldn't you just do this again and find new things and episodes?

People are writing in and saying this to us, John, they're just like, do it again.

I would.

I mean-.

Do it again, let's talk about it in a different way. There's, I think, things we missed. I mean, clearly Presensti will tell the same story, so who cares?

No, I'm gonna bring us home with our call sheet questions that were on the back of the call sheet.

God, I missed your accent. Oh it just I'm gonna bring it home with my sorry.

Both of my sisters from Texas are here visiting, and so I'm, I mean-.

Oh, I can tell.

Yes, I know they've been here a few days. Here we go, the call sheet questions.

What does that entail? I think I was an extra.

Oh my gosh.

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.

Did you guys talk about that story when you did the movie together?

Oh yeah, I think she probably had something to do with getting me my SAG card. So yeah, she is the most wonderful, wonderful. Have you guys worked with her?

I have not.

No, big fan, big fan would probably not be cool around her.

Get there quick.

Would try okay. Number two Do you play a musical instrument?

I did play a 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.

You had a beautiful little, upright piano, remember, that's right, and I felt like you played it really well.

So maybe it's more than 15 years, I'm sorry.

Can you play any song?

Yes, I can play some Beatles stuff, I can play that amazing. Stay Rihanna. Rihanna sings. Stay. Yeah, they make me happy.

I love it. Okay? Number three, what's a place you've been to that you absolutely loved?

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.

John, I read a moveable feast because you told me how much you loved it.

I've never told you that. Oh my God, Anne.

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.

Oh my god.

Okay, next question is, what do you like to do on the weekends?

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 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.

Okay, don't cry. Number five. What is your favorite midnight snack?

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 Emily's blessing on that. Especially any like bolognese or stew or something like that. It just gets better and better just sitting in the refrigerator.

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 meal, right?

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 that'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.

Just coq au vin is your meal.

I mean, I thought you were gonna say I made meatloaf.

Nope, wow, no, this is my plug for Ina, I just went straight to, cause I know em's a huge fan of Ina's.

That's amazing.

That's impressive.

I'm happy to cook it for you guys.

We'll eat it.

Ina's the go-to, Ina is the go-to.

Every Christmas morning we have to have Ina Garten's. It's like a raspberry crumble thing.

For the listeners who can't see, Jenna's fingers are moving, which means we're almost there.

We're crumbling it, we're crumbling the pastry in our fingers is what's happening.

Well, guys, I married a baker, so you know.

Oh boy, yeah.

None of my pants fit me anymore.

Oh my god.

But I do eat some delicious food, it is a wonderful thing.

I will say, I love your Instagram when you show the baked goods and the things that you guys have eaten together.

It's a problem for me, it's a problem.

No, I mean, that's fantastic.

But it's great, it's great.

Well, then she drives the leftovers over to my house. I do like to get them out of her house.

I've gotta get them out. I love how she says you drive it over as if it's like a trailer that takes that many baked goods.

But it is a little bit. She's like, here's seven dozen lemon drop cookies.

I have to tell you, I want them out of my house. 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? I'm like, just take it.

You just throw cookies at people as they're walking their dog.

She does.

Take it.

Eat it.

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.

Yes, we're gonna 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.

I don't even know how to swipe up. So you guys are way ahead of me, way ahead of 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.

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. Yes, air hugs, John.

I just love him and I'm so proud of him and I can't wait to see this movie.

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.

See you next week.

Thank you for listening to office ladies.

Office Ladies is produced by Earwolf, Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey.

Our senior producer is Cassie Jerkins, our audio engineer is Jordan Duffy, and our associate producer is Ainsley Bubba Co.

Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton.