The Office star Brian Baumgartner is very different from his character Kevin Malone in the series. Baumgartner and the cast of the American version of the U.K. sitcom made generations of fans laugh with their antics at the paper company in Scranton. According to Baumgartner, some fans find it very difficult to separate the actor from his character.
Baumgartner revealed in an old interview that fans of the show still addressed him as Kevin on the streets. He understood the fans’ perspective since he was a great fan of the show as well. However, one particular thing the fans did annoyed the actor and it was related to his voice as the character.
Brian Baumgartner Reveals The One Annoying Thing He Had Experienced From Fans
Brian Baumgartner did not think twice to play the unremarkable guy Kevin Malone in The Office. Baumgartner’s Kevin was one of the accountants in the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. When he played the character, he was completely transformed into the character, with changes in his looks and voice.
When he appeared on The Rich Eisen Show, he shared how the fans would always recognize him as Kevin anywhere he went. He revealed that even kids, who weren’t probably born when The Office premiered its first season, would recognize him in the character. The host also shared that his son was a great fan of the show.
However, Baumgartner shared that there was one thing that he hated during such fan interactions. He revealed that many people were often surprised at how the actor had a completely different voice from Kevin in the show. However, it annoyed him that some parents wanted him to send a voicemail to their kids in the voice of Kevin. Baumgartner shared on The Rich Eisen Show:
The annoying thing for anyone watching is when someone will come up and be like, ‘Hey, will you leave my son/daughter a voicemail message?’ I was so aggravated.
Baumgartner won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Broadband Program for his webisodes of The Office: The Accountants, which also starred Angela Kinsey and Oscar Nunez. Most recently, he executive produced and hosted the podcast, The Office Deep Dive with Brian Baumgartner, featuring his fellow The Office stars.
Brian Baumgartner Addressed The Office Sequel In A Recent Interview
During his recent interview on the Lightweights Podcast, Brian Baumgartner confirmed that The Office sequel series will not be set at Dunder-Mifflin. He revealed that none of the characters from the original series would return for the new series. He shared that he wasn’t contacted for any part in the series.
Interestingly, Baumgartner shared that the new series cannot be described as a spin-off or reboot of the original series. The Other Black Girl actor revealed that the series would be a story set in “the universe of The Office.” According to Baumgartner, Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, who are spearheading the new series, are still in the stage of figuring out the project.
Baumgartner is ready to jump at the chance of joining the series if Daniels ever called him, even if it is for a very minor role. He shared:
They’re still to some degree figuring out what that is. It’s not really a spin-off or a reboot. It is… what are they calling it now? In the style of… In the world of… In the universe… Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, a brilliant writer, are spearheading.
If Greg asks me to do anything, if he wants me to come and make food for them during lunch, I’ll do whatever Greg says. They have announced it now so I can say it’s not set in Dunder Mifflin. It is not going to be the same characters, in the same environment.
According to Daniel’s WGA bio page, the potential title of the new series was revealed to be The Paper. Domhnall Gleeson of About Time fame and Sabrina Impacciatore of The White Lotus fame will be the new leads of the series.
The Paper is scheduled for the 2024-25 season on Peacock, where The Office is currently streaming.
